Alice in Sunderland #[nn]

Bryan Talbot's *Alice in Sunderland: An Entertainment* is a richly ambitious 2007 graphic novel from Dark Horse that weaves Wonderland imagery into the real history and mythology of Sunderland, England. The cover — painted by Talbot and Jordan Smith — sets the mood beautifully: a wide-eyed Alice in her white dress stands in what appears to be a grand old theatre, glancing back at a menacing winged dragon looming behind her, while playing cards (including an Ace of Hearts and a Queen of Hearts) tumble through the air and a small white rabbit darts nearby amid the crimson curtains. It's a genuinely striking image that promises something far stranger and more layered than a simple retelling of Lewis Carroll.