Aren't European comics just the best? Aside from the plethora of genres accessible to European comics, its craftsmanship consistently rests at the apex of the medium. The book that served as my gateway into the world of European comics was Blacksad.
The concept of blending Disney-esque anthropomorphic characters with a Raymond Chandler noir narrative sounds incongruous in premise but is marvelous in execution. The man behind the stunning visual in the series, Juanjo Guarnido, is – for my money- the most underrated artist in all comics.
Guarnido's Disney influence is no coincidence, as the talented penciller spent the early stages of his career as an animator for the house of mouse. The verve emanating from Guarnido's characters practically causes his pages to vibrate with life.
Those familiar with his work might be prone favor his hybrid animal-human characters, but I assure you that Guarnido is adept at visualizing any style. If you've got a hankering for combining Double Indemnity with Disney's Jungle Book, you're my kind of person, and you can check out Guarnido's Instagram gallery by following the link above.
