Bec-en-Fer #3

A delightful slice of Franco-Belgian comics fun, this 1985 album sends the irrepressible iron-beaked bird Bec-en-Fer on an adventure among the Flemish — and the cover sets the tone perfectly, with our hapless hero crashing headfirst into a canal bridge with a resounding "BLAM!" as companions look on in alarm from a rowboat named Dulle Griet, set against a charming Bruges-style stepped-gable backdrop. Jean-Louis Pesch's crisp, expressive ligne claire artwork captures both the slapstick chaos and the warmth of the characters beautifully. A cheerful and visually rich volume for fans of classic European bande dessinée.