Balsamista
Hanami · 2008–2009 · 5 issues
About the series
In this five-issue series from the Italian publisher Hanami, a mysterious balsamist tends to the dead in a small Alpine town, weaving a quiet, gothic atmosphere. Running from 2008 to 2009, the story blends folklore with a somber, introspective tone, anchored by the evocative artwork of series co-creator and artist Alberto Pagliaro. It matters as a distinctive, self-contained European horror-fantasy that explores themes of grief and ritual with a haunting, deliberate pace.