La Balade de Yaya #1

A striking opener from Jean-Marie Omont and Coto Zhao, this first volume of La Balade de Yaya sets an immediately dramatic tone: the cover shows a determined young boy gripping the hand of a small girl as they race through a city reduced to rubble, explosions blooming in the smoky background and a startled crow taking flight above them. The crumbling architecture adorned with Chinese signage grounds the story in a richly specific world, while the urgency on the boy's face makes "La Fugue" — the flight — feel both thrilling and deeply personal. Published in 2011 by Éditions Fei, this is a beautifully rendered album that promises adventure, danger, and a compelling bond between its two young protagonists.