Uchronie(s) New Harlem #1

Part of Daedalus's Uchronie(s) series, this 2008 French album plants readers squarely on a rain-slicked Harlem street at night, where two imposing men in dark suits flank a young boy in a red jacket — the Apollo Theater sign looming in the shadowy background lending the scene unmistakable atmosphere. Corbeyran and Tibery establish an immediate sense of tension and mystery: these three figures look like they have serious business ahead of them, and the city itself feels like a character waiting to make its move. A compelling opening chapter ("Roof") for anyone drawn to noir-flavored alternate-history storytelling.