Lou Smog #3

A tense standoff anchors this 2001 entry in G. Van Linthout's Lou Smog series — the cover renders in stark black and white a lone figure facing down a large, menacing dog in a gritty industrial alley, scattered debris and metal barrels adding to the atmosphere of urban unease. The sparse, shadowy artwork gives Chens Fous ("Mad Dogs") an understated noir quality that suits the street-level world Van Linthout has built around his protagonist. Fans of European comics with a cool, minimalist edge will find plenty to appreciate here.