Penelope #[nn]

Judith Vanistendael's Penelope, published in 2019 by Oogachtend and Scratch Books, announces itself with a quietly arresting cover: two overlapping faces — one with auburn curls, one shrouded in leafy green brushstrokes — rendered in loose, expressive watercolor washes that feel both intimate and dreamlike. The soft, gestural linework is entirely Vanistendael's own, from pencils to inks to color, giving the whole package a distinctly personal, handcrafted warmth. If you're drawn to literary graphic novels with an artistic sensibility all their own, this one earns your attention.