Mr. Cryptogame

Rodolphe Töpffer, a pioneer of the comic form, created this whimsical 1846 serial for the Parisian publisher Dubochet, with artist Cham later contributing. A single, influential issue follows the absurd misadventures of its eccentric title character, showcasing the early, playful potential of sequential art. It matters as a landmark example of 19th-century European cartooning and Töpffer's foundational role in the medium's history.