Critters #12

Fantagraphics' Critters #12 kicks off "Birthright II" with a painted cover that sets a distinctly wintry, wartime mood — a rifle-carrying fox in a military coat and blue scarf strides through falling snow while an enthusiastic rabbit in red waves a blue-and-yellow flag, all surrounded by armed animal soldiers in the background. Steven A. Gallacci both penciled and inked this striking scene, which carries the kind of painterly weight you'd expect from a story ambitious enough to span six chapters. If you enjoy anthropomorphic adventure with a serious, almost literary edge, this 1987 anthology series rewards the attention.