Curtain Call

Seemingly another rote noir at its opening, this surprising graphic novel goes on to lay out a feast of rich characterizations. In present-day Southwestern France, 30-year-old Vincent Loiseau regrets abandoning his Senegalese lover and their unborn child, while he plots a heist that will provide him with the funds to return to them in Africa. Involving his volatile, rockabilly-styled roommate, Gaby, Vincent plans to abduct the son of an armored car driver and ransom him for his father’s cash cargo, aiming to prove that one can steal from the establishment and redistribute wealth without excessive violence. As the plot counts down to the kidnapping, accented by expository flashbacks fleshing out the principal characters, unexpected twists emerge, upending what Vincent envisioned as a political statement/performance piece. Lupano (the Old Geezers series) once again proves a solid scripter, but the show is stolen by the fluid visual storytelling of Rodguen, a former Dreamworks animator whose style splices cartoon silliness with noirish grit. Brisk and unpredictable, this sophisticated comic adds a unique Gallic flavor to distinguish it from more typical crime fiction genre offerings. (Oct.)