La Gazette du Château #1

Presented in the charming format of an old-fashioned French newspaper, La Gazette du Château #1 from Casterman invites readers into a world where animals apparently have plenty of newsworthy drama — the cover features headlines about mysterious disappearances and a celebrated leader, alongside an illustration of a rooster and what appears to be a cow rendered in a delightfully rustic style. Created by Félix Delep and Xavier Dorison, this 2018 release immediately establishes a witty, storybook atmosphere that feels both whimsical and surprisingly earnest. It's a genuinely clever conceit — a château gazette reporting on its animal inhabitants — and the cover alone makes a strong case for picking it up.