Billy Brouillard - Les comptines malfaisantes #1

Published by Soleil in 2009, this French graphic album from Guillaume Bianco introduces *Billy Brouillard* with a wonderfully unsettling aesthetic — the cover framing a round portrait of a wide-eyed young boy clutching a book, surrounded by a menagerie of strange, grotesque little creatures with wild hair and mischievous expressions. The ornate golden border, perched crow, and muted tones give the whole thing the feel of a cursed Victorian keepsake, perfectly suited to a collection titled *Les comptines malfaisantes* — "The Malevolent Nursery Rhymes." Bianco's delightfully creepy character design signals something that sits right at the crossroads of childhood whimsy and quiet dread.