Milo Manara is one of Europe's most famous artists, known for his beautiful women, meticulous craftsmanship, sweeping landscapes, storytelling skills and even pornography. He's been reprinted in America before, but Dark Horse is doing it in a huge and comprehensive way, commensurate with the Italian artist's international stature.

"The Manara Library" is a proposed series of nine hardback volumes, two of which have already been published. They are flat-out gorgeous.

Vol. 1 ($60) contains two of Manara's most famous stories, "Indian Summer" and "Paper Man." Both are American historical pieces tempered by tons of artistic license: "Indian Summer" involves a conflict between American Indians and Puritans in numbers that never existed and with weapons they didn't have; "Paper Man" borders on being a comedy, a western with eccentric characters and relationships that are unlikely, to say the least. Both end in tragedy that is poignant and sobering, and Manara's skill is such that you will read them twice -- once for the story and again just to drool over the art.

In a glowing foreword, Frank Miller ("300," "Sin City") says, "Milo Manara must live in a beautiful world. He certainly shares one with us. His work is not coy nor cute nor pretty. It is a joyous gift, a celebration."

There are two caveats. One is that no Manara story is ever safe for kids. "Indian Summer" is predicated on a brutal rape, and both stories involve a lot of sex and half-clothed women. The other is that there is a disturbing thread of misogyny just below the surface of Manara's work, as female characters are generally subordinate to the men.

Vol. 2 ($60) contains "El Gaucho" and a series of shorts under the umbrella title "Trial by Jury." Another famous creator, Neil Gaiman, writes another enthusiastic (and insightful) foreword.

"El Gaucho" is another historical piece, this one set in the early 1800s, as the British navy is making inroads into Argentina in competition with Spain. Once again, Manara's gift for sweeping landscapes (and seascapes) is on full display, as are his beautiful women.

The "Trial by Jury" vignettes are imaginary prosecutions of famous historical figures (Nero, Helen of Troy, Hernan Cortes, others), drawn by Manara when he was only 24 for Il Corriere dei Ragazzi (Boys' Courier) magazine..

Suggestions of misogyny aside, Manara's illustrations are so powerful and sweeping that it's easy to forget the story and just fall into his panels. As Miller says, Manara is sharing the world in his head, and it's a world where you can gaze at a field of grass for hours.