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trike's review against another edition
2.0
This tome was anticlimactic for me after the first volume. Despite further developments and revelations, the story feels like Kirkman is only paying slight attention to it. I admit I came to this from Wolf-Man's appearance in Invincible, and the cross-over felt forced and the fight was silly and unconvincing. Invincible and Wolf-Man's fight comes across as the worst style of team-up from 70s comics where the characters meet, fight, then talk, which comes across less as cool retro than cheesy. The art is still good, but the overall story let me down, sadly.
fairislemeadow's review against another edition
3.0
It would've been helpful if I had read (or had background knowledge of) Invincible before reading this volume...there's a crossover and I was a bit lost.
mewpasaurus's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
While this is an entertaining start to a series, there are some weird story choices and omissions in the first seven issues that make transitioning from one scene to the next really jarring. Sometimes, these transitions can be overlooked, but a lot of the times, I found myself being somewhat lost by the flurry of action and transition to a non-action scene with no discernible reason for the prior scene to end.. and with no indication that it was "later" in the day/time of the series. It just was a bit weird.
And while this is certainly action packed, there's a bit too much drama in this series and reliance on "oh, I accidentally killed another character" or "this is not what it looks like!" going on for it to maintain my interest. Especially so often in only 7 issues of story.
And while this is certainly action packed, there's a bit too much drama in this series and reliance on "oh, I accidentally killed another character" or "this is not what it looks like!" going on for it to maintain my interest. Especially so often in only 7 issues of story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Death, and Blood
molspiration's review against another edition
3.0
60% | C+ | Good
"I need to be faster. I need to be stronger"
What tips this volume slightly over the previous is the tie in with the Invincible series and the cameos from many of the characters. Mark and Gary have a good dynamic, and whilst I am not a fan of Cecil as a character, his inclusion does elevate the story and push the narrative into a more interesting direction with the inclusion of the Global Defence Agency, and I have a feeling that this isn't the last we will see of him.
The Invincible scenes aren't the only ones which are entertaining to read. Gary's training moments include some fun moments too, and it is nice to learn more about the wolf who changed him along the way. Chloe's storyline is also quite engaging, despite the fact I feel like I know where it's going, and I'm excited to read more scenes between her and her new mentor.
Unfortunately, this does seem to be shaping into yet another conflict which is driven by misunderstanding due to lack of communication. I know that there is the excuse of 'oh, they would never believe me' threaded into the character's motivation for not communicating with one another, but it still feels like some of the smaller conflicts - like Gary and his daughter - would benefit from a simple conversation.
"I need to be faster. I need to be stronger"
Now on the run from the law for a murder in which he didn't commit, Gary uses his time as a fugitive to hone his skills as a werewolf by learning from the one who turned him and makes some new friends along the way
What tips this volume slightly over the previous is the tie in with the Invincible series and the cameos from many of the characters. Mark and Gary have a good dynamic, and whilst I am not a fan of Cecil as a character, his inclusion does elevate the story and push the narrative into a more interesting direction with the inclusion of the Global Defence Agency, and I have a feeling that this isn't the last we will see of him.
The Invincible scenes aren't the only ones which are entertaining to read. Gary's training moments include some fun moments too, and it is nice to learn more about the wolf who changed him along the way. Chloe's storyline is also quite engaging, despite the fact I feel like I know where it's going, and I'm excited to read more scenes between her and her new mentor.
Unfortunately, this does seem to be shaping into yet another conflict which is driven by misunderstanding due to lack of communication. I know that there is the excuse of 'oh, they would never believe me' threaded into the character's motivation for not communicating with one another, but it still feels like some of the smaller conflicts - like Gary and his daughter - would benefit from a simple conversation.
molspiration's review against another edition
3.0
60% | C+ | Good
"I'm starting a new journey, Rebecca"
The second I finished reading this, the first thing I could think of was how much it reminded me of watching The Avengers. Both are full of flashy fight scenes which don't convey much depth, yet prove to be mindlessly entertaining nonetheless. The climax is, of course, a fight scene which gives off major 'plot armour' vibes which can be found in a lot of superhero content. The most interesting character, The Elder, gets a little bit more of a backstory here, but it is cut short far too quickly and feels like Kirkman only just scratched the surface of what could have been an extremely compelling character. Also, Chloe is essentially functioning on vampire blood steroids now so...yeah, that's a thing they are continuing with
"I'm starting a new journey, Rebecca"
The final showdown between Gary and Zechariah has come, but interferences from the wolves leads to secrets being uncovered and unexpected allegiances being formed
The second I finished reading this, the first thing I could think of was how much it reminded me of watching The Avengers. Both are full of flashy fight scenes which don't convey much depth, yet prove to be mindlessly entertaining nonetheless. The climax is, of course, a fight scene which gives off major 'plot armour' vibes which can be found in a lot of superhero content. The most interesting character, The Elder, gets a little bit more of a backstory here, but it is cut short far too quickly and feels like Kirkman only just scratched the surface of what could have been an extremely compelling character. Also, Chloe is essentially functioning on vampire blood steroids now so...yeah, that's a thing they are continuing with
molspiration's review against another edition
3.0
55% | C+ | Good
" It's not that bad " / " S'funny. It feels like it's pretty bad "
The first thing that stood out to me with this book is the fact that the beginning just feels rushed. It goes from zero to one hundred extremely quickly without really filling in any gaps. One moment Gary has just learned about his newfound power, the next he's trailing the streets with his new vampire friend with the ease of someone who has been a werewolf their whole life and saving citizens as 'Wolf-Man'.
There are also a lot of characters introduced in such a short amount of time, with most of the background characters displaying no real character traits or development. Gary and Zechariah are definitely the two who receive the most attention, which makes sense as they are the pair who have driven the narrative so far, but it would still be nice to know a little more about Gary's daughter (she likes sports, we get it) and the other supporting characters.
One last gripe I have with this is the fact that the art style doesn't match the tone of the story which, like a lot of Kirkman's other work ( Invincible & The Walking Dead ), is quite graphically violent. The art itself isn't bad, it just seems like the style would be more appropriate for a comic run for a younger audience.
Thankfully, it slows down a little around the halfway mark and begins to answer quite a few questions rather than just playing their own version of the 'pronoun game' ( Often used in films to give an excuse for exposition or as a cheap way to add mystery ).
The last third is what really saves this volume from being a boring exposition filled origin story. There are some really shocking "oh shit" moments which I definitely weren't expecting, as well as set ups for future volumes to expand upon. The ending is also quite good, leaving me on a pretty engaging cliff hanger that has me hooked enough to pick up the next volume.
This series is definitely not for everyone, and I can see why it's not heralded along with Kirkman's other work. I would recommend either Fire Power or Invincible if you want to read some good superhero content with the unique Kirkman vibe.
" It's not that bad " / " S'funny. It feels like it's pretty bad "
After a grisly encounter with an unknown 'person', Gary's life gets turned upside down when he finds out that he has gained the power to turn into a werewolf in a world filled with supernatural creatures and superheroes. Gary now has to find a balance between his family life and his new Wolf-Man persona which proves to be a lot harder when there are surprises lurking around every corner
The first thing that stood out to me with this book is the fact that the beginning just feels rushed. It goes from zero to one hundred extremely quickly without really filling in any gaps. One moment Gary has just learned about his newfound power, the next he's trailing the streets with his new vampire friend with the ease of someone who has been a werewolf their whole life and saving citizens as 'Wolf-Man'.
There are also a lot of characters introduced in such a short amount of time, with most of the background characters displaying no real character traits or development. Gary and Zechariah are definitely the two who receive the most attention, which makes sense as they are the pair who have driven the narrative so far, but it would still be nice to know a little more about Gary's daughter (she likes sports, we get it) and the other supporting characters.
One last gripe I have with this is the fact that the art style doesn't match the tone of the story which, like a lot of Kirkman's other work ( Invincible & The Walking Dead ), is quite graphically violent. The art itself isn't bad, it just seems like the style would be more appropriate for a comic run for a younger audience.
Thankfully, it slows down a little around the halfway mark and begins to answer quite a few questions rather than just playing their own version of the 'pronoun game' ( Often used in films to give an excuse for exposition or as a cheap way to add mystery ).
The last third is what really saves this volume from being a boring exposition filled origin story. There are some really shocking "oh shit" moments which I definitely weren't expecting, as well as set ups for future volumes to expand upon. The ending is also quite good, leaving me on a pretty engaging cliff hanger that has me hooked enough to pick up the next volume.
This series is definitely not for everyone, and I can see why it's not heralded along with Kirkman's other work. I would recommend either Fire Power or Invincible if you want to read some good superhero content with the unique Kirkman vibe.
birdmanseven's review against another edition
3.0
It's like this series jumped from season 1 to season 7 with no warning. I liked the early issues and was less interested in the huge climactic end run.
john_opalenik's review against another edition
3.0
This combines two of my favorite things from my childhood, superheroes and werewolves. That being said, it's definitely not a kid's book.
It certainly won't go down in comic book history, but I did enjoy it a lot.
It certainly won't go down in comic book history, but I did enjoy it a lot.
john_opalenik's review against another edition
3.0
After what is probably the biggest change/plot twist in this entire series, The Astounding Wolf-man has changed his life drastically, and definitely not for the better.
If you liked volume 1, just keep reading.
If you liked volume 1, just keep reading.
john_opalenik's review against another edition
3.0
The story of Gary Hampton comes to an end in volume 4. Some may say that it's a short series, especially when you compare it to Kirkman's other books, but I think that the series is the perfect length. Long enough to build something and to have characters we love, but not so long as to become monotonous or boring with desperate plot twists just to keep people awake.