Roodbaard #5

The fifth collected volume of Roodbaard ("Redbeard") brings together three swashbuckling adventures — "De kaperbrief," "De bevrijding van Fort-de-France," and "De onzichtbare piraat" — under one handsome hardcover from Sherpa. The cover, rendered in the crisp, bold ligne claire style of Hubinon and Charlier, frames the imposing red-bearded pirate captain in his crimson coat front and center, with a younger, sharp-featured companion at his shoulder and a tall-masted sailing vessel looming in the background. It's a thoroughly satisfying package for fans of classic European adventure comics, capturing the high-seas spirit that has made this series endure well into 2015.