Nogard #1

The first volume of Nogard, subtitled La Soif ("The Thirst"), opens with a striking cover that sets the tone immediately: a pair of intense, red-glowing eyes dominates the upper half, looming over a sun-scorched desert landscape where a lone armored figure crouches atop a rocky formation, claws extended against a hazy, light-flooded sky. The contrast between the vast, parched wilderness below and the enigmatic presence watching from above suggests a world where survival and something far more dangerous are inseparable. From Bavollot and Ben Hamida, published by Des Bulles dans l'Océan in 2013, this French album looks like a compelling entry point into a fantasy series with serious atmosphere to spare.