The Beautiful Death

Babet’s sumptuously illustrated tale opens on a melancholic scene, as three young men navigate a city ravaged by alien insects. Initially more Waiting for Godot than Starship Troopers, the three main characters bicker about where to stay, for how long, and about life before the end of the world. They’re bored, fed up with each other, and unraveling at the stress of finding ways to stay alive. But the pace accelerates with the introduction of Robin, a woman with a strange connection to the invading insects. From meditating on the postapocalyptic human experience, Babet veers into an action-adventure romp of celestial conspiracies, gunfights, and world saving escapades. Bizarre, intricately drawn elements are introduced, such as when two characters make love surrounded by giant insects, or when a corpse is infested and reanimated by sentient bugs. These eerie set pieces are fantastic individually, showcasing Babet’s artistic range, but the story loses all logic. Characters who were once concerned about concrete human issues—like having enough food—are suddenly bounding like superheroes out of building windows, all guns blazing. Still, Babet’s forceful, haunting visuals fascinate. This debut heralds the arrival of a comics talent with great potential. (June)