Centralia

The earth in and around Centralia has warmed so much, it’s impossible to stand on without melting. Those who survive long enough will be confronted with carnivorous birds, collapsing buildings, and the trigger-happy Simia Nasalis, armed with bazookas and stilts.

Against their better judgement, a group of adventurers set out to discover the treasure of gold hidden away at the heart of the abandoned town.

Miel Vandepitte (1998) studied graphic storytelling at the LUCA School of Arts in Brussels. He loves drawing buildings and playing with architecture and perspectives. Centralia, his debut, was completed in the Yellow Cube, an incubator for young talent in the Marc Sleen Museum in Brussels.
CONSERVATION ADVENTURE STORY — the setting of the story (a town so ravaged by development that it has become all but uninhabitable for human beings) is both historically-based and relevant to current environmental concerns, but the adventure story framework and breezy tone keep the pages turning.

EXQUISITE, UNUSUAL ART — the book features a unique illustration style that draws on a wide variety of European arts traditions, including both clean-line cartooning a la Herge, and the draftsmanship of traditional Flemish masters of pen and ink.

FUN BUT NOT LIGHTWEIGHT — the fantastical adventure setting makes for an entertaining read, but the themes are anything but thin.