Académie des chasseurs de primes #1

The cover of this 2009 Franco-Belgian-style album from Les 400 Coups makes an immediate impression: a sharp-featured young student with glowing pink eyes and a fiery red energy crackling from his fist stands front and center, with a cast of fellow academy students — each radiating their own distinct personality and power — arrayed dramatically behind him in deep crimson hues. The title *Académie des chasseurs de primes* ("Bounty Hunters Academy") promises exactly the kind of thrilling ensemble energy the cover delivers, as Goodbout, Lacombe, and Champoux introduce a school where the curriculum is anything but ordinary. A dynamic, stylish opener to what looks like a wildly entertaining series.