Cagliostro #1

The first volume of this French historical series from Delcourt draws you in immediately with a striking cover: a cloaked, tricorn-hatted figure looms imposingly in the foreground, one hand extended toward the viewer in a gesture that's equal parts invitation and menace, while an ornate palatial building stretches out behind him. Subtitled Pacte avec le Diable — "Pact with the Devil" — the issue promises intrigue and dark ambition set against a backdrop of aristocratic grandeur. Creators Delalande, Prolongeau, and Lapo establish a moody, atmospheric tone right from the start that should appeal to fans of 18th-century period drama with a sinister edge.