Prelude to the Redhead

A four-issue miniseries from 1996 to 1998, Prelude to the Redhead is a self-contained comic by Stephen Bourne that serves as a moody, character-driven noir. Published during the creator-owned boom of the late 1990s, the series explores the backstory of a mysterious woman whose past is as tangled as the secrets she keeps. Bourne’s stark, expressive art and lean storytelling make this a quietly influential cult work, a tight, atmospheric slice of crime fiction that rewards close reading.