David B. is, for our money at least, the most accomplished contemporary European comics creator. He is the author of
Epileptic, a true graphic novel, and one of the greatest yet produced.
Nocturnal Conspiracies is, as its subtitle suggests, a compilation of dreams committed to paper; a dream diary. Printed in black and white with a single, sparingly used, blue color overlay, the dream chronicles range from four to twelve pages in length, with the majority falling in the six to eight page range. It bears some characteristics of being a pet project, nurtured for years until the time was ripe. As such, it is interesting to note motifs and tropes that, evidently, initially arose in his dreams, but that found their way into not only
Epileptic, but some of his historical adaptations that have been published in
MOME over the past several years, as well. That said, David B is here in full possession of his mastery of the comics medium. The pieces are expertly paced models of concise storytelling, as well as haunting evocations of the dream state.
Here's a preview of Dream #17 (just click on the arrow to advance).