Britten and Brülightly #[nn]

Hannah Berry's Britten & Brülightly arrives from Jonathan Cape as a moody, atmospheric graphic novel rendered entirely in her own hand — writing, art, inking, coloring, and lettering alike. The cover sets the tone beautifully: a weary, heavyset figure in a dark overcoat stands before a triptych window, briefcase in hand, gazing out over a rain-soaked cityscape of grey rooftops and leaden skies. It's a quietly compelling image — melancholy, noir-tinged, and assured — that makes a strong case for Berry as a singular voice in British comics in 2008.