For the last 10-15 years I've been trying to branch out my BD and Euro comics reading, yet I regularly seem to be reminded (to the point of bafflement) how much *more* excellent content there always is to discover.
Take the cover pic above from the premier album of Carmen Cru, by Jean-Marc Lelong. I randomly bumped in to it looking through a defunct, BD tumbler acct, and immediately thought it absolutely delicious, and even kind of Halloween (or orc?)-themed. The series first appeared in Fluide glacial magazine in 1981, and later came out in album form (8 total).
Altho I'm just getting in to this series, I already love the excellent ink-work. Even better, the title character is just hilarious, and the stories, highly amusing. Here's the very first two pages published, from the short story The Scammers:
In which Carmen wants to make a bank deposit, tries to strong-arm her way to the front of the line, and is told she must start at the back (like everyone else).
So she duly heads to the back... then goes right back to the front of the line, this time on the other side! Assured again that she must wait her turn, she walks over to the bank manager's office and interrupts things, once again asking to make a deposit(!)
Told that she needs to see the teller for that, she complains that she already tried but was refused service, and even insulted. Hearing that, the bank manager reluctantly begins to appease her. [the story concludes with Carmen winding up making a fool and petty servant of the manager, incidentally ruining the client's morning]
To give a little background on her, Carmen is essentially a deranged, misanthropic old recluse who's also a master of bending people to her will. I sense that she's also designed to be a certain commentary upon French provincials from an earlier age. This isn't the first time I've seen this sort of formula at work, but I'm really impressed so far with the skill which in which Lelong carries it all off.
The French WP page gives further background in amusing style, and is translated here.
