Mandragora #2

The cover of this 2015 Dutch-language release from Daedalus, painted by Bertrand Benoît, is a striking image: a red-haired woman in dark fitted armor strides forward through a swirling storm of golden fire, sword in hand, with shadowy winged creatures spiraling around her. It's a bold, atmospheric introduction to "De duistere kant" ("The Dark Side"), the concluding chapter of this two-part series by writer Sylvain Cordurié and artist Marco Santucci. Fans of European fantasy comics will find plenty to admire here, from Benoît's luminous flame effects to the heroine's fierce, commanding presence at the center of it all.