More Dresden Files
There can never be enough Dresden Files by Jim Butcher (although, sometimes, I think I could have done without the television series on the supposed "SciFi" channel). I have purchased and read the two (2) most recent Dresden Files releases: Welcome to the Jungle and Backup.
Welcome to the Jungle
(Writer: Jim Butcher / Pencils: Ardian Syaf / Dabel Brothers/Del Rey / 160 pages)
"When the supernatural world spins out of control, when the police can’t handle what goes bump in the night, when monsters come screaming out of nightmares and into the mean streets, there’s just one man to call: Harry Dresden, the only professional wizard in the Chicago phone book. A police consultant and private investigator, Dresden has to walk the dangerous line between the world of night and the light of day.
"Now Harry Dresden is investigating a brutal mauling at the Lincoln Park Zoo that has left a security guard dead and many questions unanswered. As an investigator of the supernatural, he senses that there’s more to this case than a simple animal attack, and as Dresden searches for clues to figure out who is really behind the crime, he finds himself next on the victim list, and being hunted by creatures that won’t leave much more than a stain if they catch him.
"Written exclusively for comics by Jim Butcher, The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle is a brand-new story that’s sure to enchant readers with a blend of gripping mystery and fantastic adventure."
This graphic novel is a collection of the four-part series.
Story
As usual, I loved the story. It is set immediately prior to Storm Front - the first of the Dresden Files novels. Harry does what Harry always does. He gets involved in something that is over his head. He gets the shit kicked out him. He regroups and (mostly) wins the day. And I love it. You do learn some more about Harry and the world he lives in.
Art
I thought the pencils were very good. Harry is dead-on (in so much as I envisioned him in my head). Murphy was not quite as I pictured. Sometimes the perspective was off. Harry is almost a foot-and-a-half taller than Murphy! and sometimes he was not drawn towering over her. Minor quibble. The visualization of magic (especially, The Sight) was incredible. The creatures were incredible. The inking, coloring and lettering were excellent.
Recommendation
If you are Dresden Files fan, I would recommend buying it; however, keep in mind that is more like a short story than a full blown novel.
Backup
(Author: Jim Butcher / Illustrator: Mike Mignola (Hellboy) / Subterranean Press / 80 pages)
"Let's get something clear right up front.
"I'm not Harry Dresden.
"Harry's a wizard. A genuine, honest-to-goodness wizard. He's Gandalf on crack and an IV of Red Bull, with a big leather coat and a .44 revolver in his pocket. He'll spit in the eye of gods and demons alike if he thinks it needs to be done, and to hell with the consequences--and yet somehow my little brother manages to remain a decent human being.
"I'll be damned if I know how.
"But then, I'll be damned regardless.
"My name is Thomas Raith, and I'm a monster.
"So begins Backup, a twelve thousand word novelette set in Jim Butcher's ultra-popular Dresden Files series. This time Harry's in trouble he knows nothing about, and it's up to his big brother Thomas to track him down and solve those little life-threatening difficulties without his little brother even noticing."
This is, to my knowledge, the first writing in the Dresden Files universe that is not from Harry's first person perspective. It was weird being in Thomas' head and not Harry's. It was very interesting ... but weird. I found Thomas' referral to his "demon" to be interesting. I did not realize that vampires (at least, White Court vampires) were inhabited by a demon. Perhaps Thomas is unique in that perspective? There is the human Thomas and his demon.
Recommendation
I have become a completist when it comes to the Dresden Files; so, I bought this directly from Subterranean Press to be safe. It appears you can get the same book deeply discounted from Amazon. The book is good; however, it is not a traditional Dresden Files book. Duh, huh? I would recommend that you read it, if possible, and only buy it, if necessary to read it.
Welcome to the Jungle
(Writer: Jim Butcher / Pencils: Ardian Syaf / Dabel Brothers/Del Rey / 160 pages)
"When the supernatural world spins out of control, when the police can’t handle what goes bump in the night, when monsters come screaming out of nightmares and into the mean streets, there’s just one man to call: Harry Dresden, the only professional wizard in the Chicago phone book. A police consultant and private investigator, Dresden has to walk the dangerous line between the world of night and the light of day.
"Now Harry Dresden is investigating a brutal mauling at the Lincoln Park Zoo that has left a security guard dead and many questions unanswered. As an investigator of the supernatural, he senses that there’s more to this case than a simple animal attack, and as Dresden searches for clues to figure out who is really behind the crime, he finds himself next on the victim list, and being hunted by creatures that won’t leave much more than a stain if they catch him.
"Written exclusively for comics by Jim Butcher, The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle is a brand-new story that’s sure to enchant readers with a blend of gripping mystery and fantastic adventure."
This graphic novel is a collection of the four-part series.
Story
As usual, I loved the story. It is set immediately prior to Storm Front - the first of the Dresden Files novels. Harry does what Harry always does. He gets involved in something that is over his head. He gets the shit kicked out him. He regroups and (mostly) wins the day. And I love it. You do learn some more about Harry and the world he lives in.
Art
I thought the pencils were very good. Harry is dead-on (in so much as I envisioned him in my head). Murphy was not quite as I pictured. Sometimes the perspective was off. Harry is almost a foot-and-a-half taller than Murphy! and sometimes he was not drawn towering over her. Minor quibble. The visualization of magic (especially, The Sight) was incredible. The creatures were incredible. The inking, coloring and lettering were excellent.
Recommendation
If you are Dresden Files fan, I would recommend buying it; however, keep in mind that is more like a short story than a full blown novel.
Backup
(Author: Jim Butcher / Illustrator: Mike Mignola (Hellboy) / Subterranean Press / 80 pages)
"Let's get something clear right up front.
"I'm not Harry Dresden.
"Harry's a wizard. A genuine, honest-to-goodness wizard. He's Gandalf on crack and an IV of Red Bull, with a big leather coat and a .44 revolver in his pocket. He'll spit in the eye of gods and demons alike if he thinks it needs to be done, and to hell with the consequences--and yet somehow my little brother manages to remain a decent human being.
"I'll be damned if I know how.
"But then, I'll be damned regardless.
"My name is Thomas Raith, and I'm a monster.
"So begins Backup, a twelve thousand word novelette set in Jim Butcher's ultra-popular Dresden Files series. This time Harry's in trouble he knows nothing about, and it's up to his big brother Thomas to track him down and solve those little life-threatening difficulties without his little brother even noticing."
This is, to my knowledge, the first writing in the Dresden Files universe that is not from Harry's first person perspective. It was weird being in Thomas' head and not Harry's. It was very interesting ... but weird. I found Thomas' referral to his "demon" to be interesting. I did not realize that vampires (at least, White Court vampires) were inhabited by a demon. Perhaps Thomas is unique in that perspective? There is the human Thomas and his demon.
Recommendation
I have become a completist when it comes to the Dresden Files; so, I bought this directly from Subterranean Press to be safe. It appears you can get the same book deeply discounted from Amazon. The book is good; however, it is not a traditional Dresden Files book. Duh, huh? I would recommend that you read it, if possible, and only buy it, if necessary to read it.