Magasin général #3

The third volume of Loisel and Tripp's beloved Québécois series carries a quiet, atmospheric weight right from its cover — a procession of rugged men, axes in hand, trudging through a snow-covered winter forest toward a distant church steeple, their heavy coats and bundled gear hinting at hard seasonal labor in a remote community. The subdued palette of greys, whites, and muted earth tones, rendered through Loisel's pencils and Tripp's inks, gives the scene a lived-in authenticity that has made Magasin Général one of the most warmly regarded Franco-Belgian series of the 2000s. "Les hommes" promises a chapter centered squarely on the men of this small village, and if the cover's mood is any measure, 2007 readers were in for something genuinely thoughtful.