The Astounding Wolf-Man #17 – Review

by Robert Kirkman (writer), Jason Howard (pencils & inks), FCO & Ivan Plascencia (colors), and Rus Wooton (letters)

The Story: Father and daughter make up, father and daughter team up, and father goes undercover.

What’s Good: Yes! I can finally start liking Chloe again! For many issues now, Chloe, has been a poorly written character. She hasn’t sounded her age and almost every line was too painful to hear. I sincerely wanted her to die a painful death.  To me she felt power-hungry, ignorant, and generally nasty, which isn’t good considering that Kirkman was aiming for her to be a sympathy-garnering character lost in emotional pain. Yet, despite all of my Chloe hatred, I couldn’t help but give a little “awww” when she finally spoke to her father this month. While she still isn’t the best written character, she’s not gratingly off this issue.

Meanwhile, Kursk’s broken English is always fun. I loved the dude in Invincible, so it was great seeing him here. What was daring though was Kirkman’s portrayal of him and Thrill Kill as possible rapists. A possible hint of Walking Dead in Wolf-Man? Shocking.

I also enjoyed the depiction of Cecil in this comic, though I’ll admit that Wolf-Man readers may not fully appreciate it if they’re not familiar with the Invincible. This issue again shows a nicer, more human Cecil, a Cecil that Invincible readers have probably forgotten about by now; but through Wolf-Man, Kirkman shows how multi-faceted a character Cecil really is. I also liked that Mecha Maid looks poised to become a major player in the comic; I’ve always thought she was a great character with a lot of potential.

Jason Howard’s art continues to be an enthralling visual treat, as he delivers another faultless issue here.  As is the case over on Invincible, Plascencia’s colouring has taken the art to a whole new level.

What’s Not-So-Good: There’s nothing particularly wrong with Wolf-Man, though I’m still not certain I buy “Chloe, Vampire Girl superhero.” Somehow it just doesn’t feel as substantial as it should.

Perhaps it’s due to how fast and fleeting Chloe and Gary’s reunion was. I suppose that was the point, but given the build-up, it’s still disappointing. Their quick, “barely there” interaction just feels like a missed opportunity that ends up feeling a little vague, and at times cliche. Kirkman finds time to throw in the old “I’m grown up now” line.

The problem is that this was by far the biggest development/moment of the issue and it should’ve been one of the best of the whole series. The rest of the book, while not bad, is really just a case of Kirkman moving the plot along, or moving the pieces across the board in necessary but expected fashion.

Conclusion: Wolf-Man #17 is by no means a bad book, but it could’ve been better. It just does’t feel as important as it should be.

Grade: C+

-Alex Evans

The Astounding Wolf-Man Vol.1 (TPB) – Review

By Robert Kirkman (story) and Jason Howard (art)

The Story: Meet Gary Hampton-millionaire, family man, all around nice guy, who is bitten by a werewolf and thus becomes one, while vacationing with his family in Montana.  Gary has issues adapting to his new powers until he is taken under the wing of Zecharia, a vampire with a mysterious past and seemingly ambiguous intentions.

Under Zecharia’s mentorship, Gary learns to control the beast within and takes on the role of superhero. However, the curse of the werewolf slowly surfaces and seeps into Gary’s life, gradually destroying all he holds dear in shocking, twisted and dramatic ways.

The Good: The story arch featured in this volume ascends swiftly to engage the reader into anxiously awaiting what is to come, while simultaneously making some of the cliché back story retroactively relevant and compelling. Robert Kirkman delivers unexpected valuables with the supporting cast made up in part by a superhero group, werewolf gang, and estranged daughter. These players make Gary’s plight far more interesting than would be on its own. Additionally, Jason Howard’s art is solid and at times, well, astounding. The cartoonish feel to the colors and inks serve to make the more dramatic and mature scenes that much more remarkable.

The Not-So-Good: This story is fast paced and at times almost feels like a daily-serialized strip. Plot developments happen so quickly that they are often unnoticed, or worse, unable to resonate with the reader.  This pacing also caused many of the characters to seem flat. Gary, for example, is defined as a werewolf, then superhero, then emotionally unstable individual rather then being revealed to become these things. Basically, there is a lot of telling and not enough showing in the beginning issues.

Conclusion: This arch is ramped up and excellent by the final issue, but the first few installments are not nearly as good. The problem is without these back-stories the end wouldn’t resonate or be very interesting at all. Many things are left open for Kirkman to play with and Gary’s wife is set up to possibly play a haunting and gripping role down the line. Overall, this is a good trade to pick up, especially if you’re a Kirkman fan.

Grade: B+

– Rob. G

News: Robert Kirkman Guarantees: On-Time in ’09!

Starting this January, Robert Kirkman gives his books the one thing fans have demanded for years – guaranteed ship dates!

“That’s right, kids, this time it’s for real,” said Kirkman. “Every single one of my titles – WALKING DEAD, INVINCIBLE, ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN and BRIT – will now be guaranteed to ship by their solicited date. This isn’t an empty promise and I’ve taken that extra step of hiring Aubrey Sitterson, an editor for my entire line, a guy you may know from his days at Marvel.”

Aubrey Sitterson, who first worked with Kirkman on titles such as THE IRREDEEMABLE ANT-MAN and MARVEL TEAM-UP, has been quietly working with Kirkman for the last several months, ensuring the upcoming resolicited books hit their target date.

Sitterson said, “I spent years wrangling Robert at the House of Ideas. Now, I’m champing at the bit to crack the whip and mix whatever metaphors necessary to get every last one of his books out on time – no exceptions and no excuses!”

The guaranteed ship dates will begin this January, with ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #12, BRIT #12, INVINCIBLE #58 and THE WALKING DEAD #57.

The Astounding Wolf-Man #5 – Review

By Robert Kirkman (writer), Jason Howard (art)

This book’s on a bimonthly schedule, so I can’t gripe about it being late. But, it’s really hard to get back into each time I pick it up. It’s not that the series is bad, it’s actually pretty decent. And there’s no denying that the concept of a crime fighting werewolf, is a fascinating one, but the story is moving so slow that it’s tough to remember what’s happened in previous issues. Luckily, I was able to remember bits and pieces of the story and its characters thanks to the expository dialog Robert Kirkman so deftly snuck in.

This issue doesn’t give as many more answers, but it does dabble in the history of the werewolves, their power, and their bloodlines. It’s all told through hearsay (ala Zachariah), so we don’t get any cool flashbacks or anything like that. Instead, the series stays grounded to its urban roots with Wolf-Man bolstering his prominence among his superhero peers. Some refuse to believe he’s a good guy while others extend him an offer to join their superhero union (which he may be considering, given his financial situation). We also get to see how this new lifestyle is impacting on those at home; in particular, it’s taking a toll on his daughter.

I’ll give Kirkman credit for touching upon all his running subplots on a consistent basis. The problem is we don’t get enough time with any of the characters this month or any month. If we got this book on a monthly basis, I’d be pleased, but the bi-monthly schedule really hurts.

The Astounding Wolf-Man (and new readers) would really benefit from a synopsis page at the beginning – and I know that’s not asking much either. Kirkman devotes three pages just to the letters column alone. I’m sure one page of “things that went on before” wouldn’t hurt. Heck, you could even put it on the masthead like you do with Walking Dead! If you’re curious about this book my advice is to wait for the trade. It’s just too hard to keep up with on a bimonthly schedule. and I know Jason Howard does most of the work, and it’s probably the cause of the schedule, but if all it takes is hiring a colorist to speed things up, I’m all for it!  (Grade: C+)

– J. Montes