Sorry Mr. Spiegelman
Forget Maus, this is what comics are all about. Blacksad 1 and 2 are glorious, beautiful books, with wonderfully familiar stories given subtle twists in an aged, delicious blend of film-noir, and exquisite natural media. There isn't a page in either book that wouldn't look good in a picture frame on your wall. The artistic style is stuffed with cues from the book's historical settings. The characters aren't just anthropomorphic for the sake of it, either; everyone fits their role in the unfolding plot perfectly, and more than once you'll find that a part of the story only works because the characters aren't human. The facial expressions are priceless, too, conveying the wry comedy just as well as the heart-rending despair and pain of some of the characters.

That said, the translation isn't perfect, and several times I came across phrases that were a little contrived -- just to fit the speech bubble, or to try so hard to carry across a clever pun from the original French -- and it doesn't always work perfectly. These are still remarkable books, earning praise from none other than Stan Lee on the back cover of Volume 2. Don't expect the stories to be something wholly new - part of the series' charm is in its comfortable familiarity - but don't worry, there's plenty of intrigue, and the occasional surprise to keep you turning the pages. These are true classics, and highly recommended. Inflict them on your friends, start a cult, spread the word.