Jerome K. Jerome Bloks #8

The eighth album in Dodier's warmly crafted Belgian series finds the rumpled, wide-eyed Jerome K. Jerome Bloks in full flight — trench coat billowing, hat tumbling from his head — as he scrambles along a coastal path with a small black dog nipping at his heels and seagulls wheeling against a dramatic sunset sky. The Dutch title In de Naam van de Vader ("In the Name of the Father") promises something weightier beneath the comedy, and that mix of breathless slapstick and understated intrigue is exactly what makes this Dupuis series such a pleasure. A fine 1992 entry from Dodier that showcases his clean, expressive line and his gift for making even a panicked sprint feel full of character.