Ab Irato #1

Thierry Labrosse launches this 2010 Vents d'Ouest series with a cover that immediately establishes a distinctive world — a young, tousle-haired figure in a worn coat and loosely wrapped scarf gazes upward against a backdrop of crumbling waterfront architecture, dangling cables, and shadowy figures going about their business near a moored boat. The muted blue-grey palette and intricate linework give "Riel" the feel of a gritty, lived-in world hovering somewhere between steampunk and dystopia. If this opening chapter is any indication, *Ab Irato* is the kind of franco-belge adventure that rewards readers who appreciate careful world-building alongside compelling character work.