Tseu Hi, la Dame Dragon #2

Part of Delcourt's "Les Reines de Sang" series, this concluding volume brings the story of Empress Cixi — Tseu Hi, la Dame Dragon — to its close, with Nihoul and Mantovani delivering a cover that radiates imperial authority. Cixi sits enthroned in magnificent golden robes embroidered with dragons, her ceremonial headdress commanding as much attention as the great dragon looming on the red lacquered wall behind her, while a slender black crane stands sentinel at her side. It's a portrait of regal composure and veiled power that makes a fitting capstone to this 2018 French-language tribute to one of history's most formidable rulers.