Esther Verkest #1

From Belgian cartoonist Kim Duchateau comes the opening chapter of Esther Verkest, subtitled De Wraak van de Clown — "The Revenge of the Clown." The cover, drawn and inked by Duchateau, fills the frame with a close-up of a young woman in a red crop top, a cross necklace resting at her chest as she holds a small daisy, while a dense, playful crowd of tiny whimsical characters swirls across her clothing and the background. Published in 2003 by Oogachtend, this first issue announces a series with a distinctive voice — intimate and a little irreverent, blending everyday character detail with a wonderfully chaotic visual imagination.