Monsters & Other Stories

Award-winning Brazilian cartoonist Duarte offers a brilliant U.S. debut with three wordless stories that need no language to enchant. In the first tale, a farmer is awoken by an alien invasion; in the second, two office workers attempt to escape fate, while the Angel of Death has other plans; in the title story, an old man goes up against a giant monster invasion. While the storylines are simple, the execution in each is stellar: lighthearted, elegant, and stunningly beautiful. Duarte uses a sweeping line and storyboardlike panels to let the stories unfold; it’s like Al Hirshfield meeting Pixar, with great character designs, sight gags, and background details aplenty. Duarte is not well known in the U.S., but this collection should help improve his stature. (Feb.)