Though created by the Spanish duo of Juan Díaz Canales (writer) and Juanjo Guarnido (artist),
Blacksad is a comic is actually aimed at a French audience, where it is exceedingly popular among the snail-eating populace. Dark Horse comics holds the North American license for the series and there have been 5 volumes released to date, with Dark Horse combining the first three into a single collection. A fifth and sixth volume were previously slated for for release in 2016 but there's presently no timetable for their publication.
The
Blacksad comic book was previously nominated for an Eisner Award in 2004 but wouldn't actually win the coveted award until 2013. Told in a film-noir style, the setting is 1950s America but the countries inhabitants are anthropomorphic animals instead of regular humans. There's plenty of stereotypes and profiling as virtually all of the police force is composed of animals like dogs and foxes while criminals are mostly reptiles and amphibians.
Blacksad: Under the Skin is set for release on the PS4, Xbox One, and PC on November 5, with a Nintendo Switch-port due out before the end of 2019.
The 50s, New York City: Joe Dunn, owner of a boxing club, is found dead. Meanwhile, rising star Bobby Yale, due to take to the ring for the most important fight of his career, has mysteriously disappeared. Sonia Dunn, Joe’s daughter, takes over the gym and must deal with its financial woes. She hires private detective John Blacksad to investigate Yale’s disappearance.
With its anthropomorphic characters and its incredible 1950s feel, Blacksad: Under the Skin delivers all the eerily dark adventure of a detective novel, just like the eponymous comic book series. While embodying detective John Blacksad, players will have to conduct this adventure in their own way. Depending on their decisions, players will influence the relationships between Blacksad and the other characters as well as the very end of the investigation.