Delphine #1

Richard Sala

One of my favorite cartoonists joins Fantagraphics' prestigious Ignatz line with a dark tale set in a small village where a traveler is seeking his college friend Delphine, who left for the town at the beginning of the summer. Riddled with dark alleys and strange characters, the streets of this village, surrounded by a dark, mysterious forest, harbor trouble for our young traveler. Amid the noir atmosphere and sinister faces are even more disturbing figures that startle the reader from time to time. Delphine is featured here in an oversized format that does the art justice, as our protagonist is seemingly foiled in his search at every turn. This story is just beginning, but so far I prefer Peculia's adventures, probably merely for my affection of that character. This is some of the best art to come from Sala and I'm happy to see him showcased in this way, and I'm excited to see what dark twists he has in store for us as the story progresses. This is what Sala does best, both in terms of storytelling and art, and he is a master. A