Isabelle #4

The fourth volume of Dupuis' charming Belgian series Isabelle arrives with a cover by Will that bursts with whimsy: a great blue swordfish soars through the air carrying a fantastical crew — including a young girl, a robed wizard-like figure, and various magical companions — above a moody landscape dotted with rocky spires, while a mischievous green-haired figure and a cheerful golden fish frolic below. Scripted by the trio of Franquin, Delporte, and Raymond Macherot, L'astragale de Cassiopée promises the kind of imaginative, good-natured adventure that made this series a delight for young readers in 1979. Will's fluid, expressive linework gives the whole scene an effortless energy that makes it impossible not to want to open the cover.