M-bok #4

Mads Eriksen presents the fourth volume of his M-bok series with a cover that's equal parts regal absurdity and sharp wit — a scruffy, cartoonishly rendered figure dressed in elaborate Renaissance courtly attire, complete with a lace ruff collar and purple velvet robes, strikes a pose of self-important grandeur. Lurking just behind him is a Darth Vader helmet perched atop a crown, adding a wonderfully surreal pop-culture twist to the portrait's otherwise baroque pageantry. Eriksen's detailed linework and rich coloring make this 2010 Norwegian release a genuinely distinctive showcase for his playful, culturally layered cartooning style.