Pen Dragon #1

The opening volume of Pen Dragon sets the tone immediately with a cover full of kinetic energy: a wide-eyed young boy in a red jacket and a gruff, white-haired old man are caught mid-air, gripping each other above a sweeping mountain landscape — with what appears to be a giant leaf serving as their unlikely ride. Creator Mika's bold, expressive linework gives the duo an instantly appealing odd-couple dynamic that feels both adventurous and warmly comedic. Published by Les Humanoïdes Associés in 2007 under their Shogun manga imprint, this first tome looks like a promising start to a story built on big personalities and even bigger skies.