Chance in Hell #[nn]

Gilbert Hernandez brings his unmistakable sensibility to this 2007 Fantagraphics graphic novel, whose painted cover immediately establishes a world of gritty urban tension. A young girl in a yellow-green sweater and plaid skirt clutches a suitcase at the edge of a shadowy street corner, while behind her a blonde woman in a purple dress, a leering man in green, and an eerily blue-skinned woman in red look on — a striking tableau that feels equal parts pulp noir and surrealism. With Hernandez handling every creative role himself — writing, art, inking, and lettering — Chance in Hell is a singular, fully realized vision from one of alternative comics' most compelling voices.