Die Pioniere der neuen Welt #4

Part four of Jean-François Charles's sweeping frontier saga arrives with a cover that immediately sets the mood: a cloaked, hat-wearing figure stands pistol in hand against a blazing orange sky, with a horse-drawn carriage and the masts of tall ships looming behind him. The title "Das Kreuz von St. Louis" promises intrigue at the crossroads of the Old World and the New, and Charles's own pencils and inks give the scene a brooding, cinematic weight. Published by Splitter in 1989, this German-language album is a fine showcase for Charles's ability to conjure atmosphere from silhouette and firelit horizon alone.