Lancelot #1

A brooding, armored warrior dominates this 2008 Soleil series opener, standing rain-soaked before a vast army with a massive battle-axe in hand — his crimson cloak and dark, intense gaze signaling that this is no idealized knight of legend. Jean-Luc Istin's script and Alexe's art promise a grittier take on Arthurian myth with "Claudas des Terres Désertes," the first chapter of this French-language Lancelot series. Élodie Jacquemoire's moody color work bathes the scene in stormy grays and deep reds, setting a wonderfully ominous tone from the very first page.