Rani #5

Subtitled "Wilde," this 2015 Le Lombard album places the series' heroine front and center — a dark-haired young woman crouched in a tangle of jungle roots and ancient stone walls, bow drawn and eyes alert, every line of her body radiating guarded determination. Francis Vallès renders her with striking naturalism, the overgrown temple architecture looming behind her lending the scene a sense of both beauty and danger. Van Hamme, Alcante, and Vallès make a compelling creative team, and this fifth volume promises the same blend of exotic adventure and strong character work that defines the series.