Lise op Monstereiland #1

Kristof Berte's all-ages Belgian series kicks off with this cheerful first issue, and the cover sets a wonderfully playful tone: a grinning blonde girl in a heart-print top splashes along a rocky shoreline while a wild assortment of colorful little monsters — a leaping purple one, a green one mid-air, a tumbling orange pair, and a tiny crouching green critter at her feet — swirl around her in gleeful chaos. The bright, cartoony energy of Berte's linework makes "Lise op Monstereiland" feel like an instant invitation to a world where kids and creatures collide in the most delightful way. A fun pick from Strip2000's 2016 lineup.