Charles #[nn]

Alessandro Tota's Charles, published by Éditions Cornélius in 2018, opens with a quietly arresting image: a white-haired figure seen from behind, hands in pockets, wearing a yellow jacket emblazoned with the word "SPLEEN," gazing out at a sun-baked landscape of palm trees under a soft pink sky. There's something both melancholy and oddly cool about this lone character — the jacket's single word speaks volumes before a single page is turned. A thoughtful, stylish work that announces its mood with real confidence.