De Wachters #1

Set against the grim backdrop of July/August 1914, this first book of De Wachters announces itself with a striking cover by Enrique Breccia — a lone armored figure, masked and mechanical-looking, thrusts a spear skyward while a great flag billows dramatically behind him, silhouetted soldiers fading into the dark horizon below. The atmosphere is tense and atmospheric, with Breccia's painterly line work lending the scene a brooding, wartime gravity that perfectly suits the era. Written by Xavier Dorison and Frits van der Heide with art, inks, and colors all by Breccia, this Dutch-language album from Uitgeverij L is a confident, beautifully crafted opening to what promises to be a compelling series.