Buonaparte #2

The second volume of this Belgian graphic series finds a solitary Napoleonic figure — bicorne hat, epauletted military coat, lantern in hand — picking his way across a blasted, rain-swept battlefield under a stormy night sky, the title "Oorlogsbuit" (War Spoils) lending the image an air of brooding consequence. Iván Gil's cover work is quietly striking, rendered in moody blues and grays that give the lone silhouette a weight that feels earned rather than theatrical. Writers Rudi Miel and Fabienne Pigière continue their ambitious exploration of the Napoleonic world, and this 2024 Daedalus edition looks every bit as atmospheric as the series promises.