Mr. Crépin

Rodolphe Töpffer’s Mr. Crépin, first published in 1837, is a landmark of early comics, created by the Swiss artist widely credited as a pioneer of the medium. This single-issue work follows its hapless, mustachioed title character through a series of domestic and social misadventures, told with Töpffer’s signature blend of loose, expressive linework and witty, hand-lettered captions. As one of the earliest fully realized comic narratives, it remains a foundational text for understanding the form’s evolution.