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crookedtreehouse's review
3.0
While doing my re-read through the [b:Invincible: Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1|236557|Invincible Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1|Robert Kirkman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1318609346s/236557.jpg|208010] universe, I debated reading through the various intersecting titles:[b:Noble Causes Volume 2: Family Secrets|525338|Noble Causes Volume 2 Family Secrets (Noble Causes)|Jay Faerber|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348007684s/525338.jpg|513190], [b:Dynamo 5, Volume 1: Post-Nuclear Family|2146808|Dynamo 5, Volume 1 Post-Nuclear Family|Jay Faerber|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388643718s/2146808.jpg|2152300], [b:Tech Jacket|18808347|Tech Jacket|Robert Kirkman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1384566543s/18808347.jpg|26740839],[b:Brit, Vol. 1: Old Soldier|184243|Brit, Vol. 1 Old Soldier|Robert Kirkman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1355471310s/184243.jpg|178066], The Pact, and [b:Guarding the Globe, Vol. 1: Under Siege|11101641|Guarding the Globe, Vol. 1 Under Siege|Robert Kirkman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1405370585s/11101641.jpg|16023759]. But I couldn't bring myself to do it. I will eventually do a reread of Dynamo 5 and Noble Causes but they really don't intersect enough for me to read all of the books just to get through the Invincible storyline. And the classic Image stuff that ties in: [b:Shadowhawk: Out of the Shadows|9683300|Shadowhawk Out of the Shadows|Jim Valentino|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327537139s/9683300.jpg|14571276], [b:Savage Dragon Archives, Vol. 1|167098|Savage Dragon Archives, Vol. 1|Erik Larsen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1340747352s/167098.jpg|161364], [b:Youngblood|1928769|Youngblood|Rob Liefeld|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1354413458s/1928769.jpg|1931062], and [b:Spawn Collection, Vol. 1|287396|Spawn Collection, Vol. 1|Todd McFarlane|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388273720s/287396.jpg|278828]? You would have to pay me to read those. And my reviews would be snarky as hell.
But Astounding Wolfman, like Invincible, is all Kirkman. Invincible is his hero book, [b:The Walking Dead, Compendium 1|6465707|The Walking Dead, Compendium 1|Robert Kirkman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1449865699s/6465707.jpg|6656179] is his zombie book, and Astounding Wolfman is, unshockingly, his werewolf book. Except it's not *just* a werewolf book, it's a "what if Batman became a werewolf who was mentored by a morally ambiguous vampire?" werewolf book.
It's not great. The pacing feels off, the characters are all surface and only there to move the plot along, and while the plot isn't all werewolf cliche, it does seem to be a jumble of other cliches stuck on a werewolf/vampire/superhero frame. This, at times, is fun. At other times, excruciating.
I do regret the detour from my Invincible reading, even though Wolfman does have more of an impact on the Invincible story than most of the other books.
I recommend it for people who wish Elseworld Batman stories were twenty-four issues long and written by Robert Kirkman, werewolf enthusiasts, lonely butlers who always wanted custody of their employers' kids, people who really really hate vampires, fans of Elseworld Justice League comics where the Justice League were all vampires, and Invincible completists.
But Astounding Wolfman, like Invincible, is all Kirkman. Invincible is his hero book, [b:The Walking Dead, Compendium 1|6465707|The Walking Dead, Compendium 1|Robert Kirkman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1449865699s/6465707.jpg|6656179] is his zombie book, and Astounding Wolfman is, unshockingly, his werewolf book. Except it's not *just* a werewolf book, it's a "what if Batman became a werewolf who was mentored by a morally ambiguous vampire?" werewolf book.
It's not great. The pacing feels off, the characters are all surface and only there to move the plot along, and while the plot isn't all werewolf cliche, it does seem to be a jumble of other cliches stuck on a werewolf/vampire/superhero frame. This, at times, is fun. At other times, excruciating.
I do regret the detour from my Invincible reading, even though Wolfman does have more of an impact on the Invincible story than most of the other books.
I recommend it for people who wish Elseworld Batman stories were twenty-four issues long and written by Robert Kirkman, werewolf enthusiasts, lonely butlers who always wanted custody of their employers' kids, people who really really hate vampires, fans of Elseworld Justice League comics where the Justice League were all vampires, and Invincible completists.
molspiration's review against another edition
3.0
55% | C+ | Good
"You brought in The Elder. You've doomed us all"
This is another one where I feel like the pacing is all over the place. There are new characters introduced who I don't really care about, and the re-appearance of characters from the Invincible series only serves to make you wish that you were reading that instead.
Zechariah is not a strong villain in my opinion. Never did he feel overly threatening, and he gets his arse owned extremely quickly. I kind of wished he hadn't turned out to be a villain as I found the 'friendship' dynamic between him and Gary to be more interesting than a typical vampire / werewolf rivalry. However, Zechariah does serve a purpose once defeated as he keeps sprinkling in hints about who the real big bad is probably going to be later.
Chloe is really not my cup of tea in this volume either as I just found her whole storyline to be ridiculous. She does a 180 extremely quickly ( ) in what feels like 2 panels.
Overall, it just feels like Kirkman is rushing a bit to start wrapping up certain character arcs and storylines in order to start new ones which I personally don't find interesting. I'm looking at you Face, I'm looking at you.
"You brought in The Elder. You've doomed us all"
Now imprisoned, Gary is now amongst criminals he, himself, put away in past volumes and has an important choice to make when it comes to allegiances. Meanwhile, Chloe has finally deemed herself ready to take revenge for her mother's death
This is another one where I feel like the pacing is all over the place. There are new characters introduced who I don't really care about, and the re-appearance of characters from the Invincible series only serves to make you wish that you were reading that instead.
Zechariah is not a strong villain in my opinion. Never did he feel overly threatening, and he gets his arse owned extremely quickly. I kind of wished he hadn't turned out to be a villain as I found the 'friendship' dynamic between him and Gary to be more interesting than a typical vampire / werewolf rivalry. However, Zechariah does serve a purpose once defeated as he keeps sprinkling in hints about who the real big bad is probably going to be later.
Chloe is really not my cup of tea in this volume either as I just found her whole storyline to be ridiculous. She does a 180 extremely quickly (
Spoiler
going from hating her father for killing her mother, to hearing her father out, to stabbing her father, to feeling bad about that, to believing her fatherOverall, it just feels like Kirkman is rushing a bit to start wrapping up certain character arcs and storylines in order to start new ones which I personally don't find interesting. I'm looking at you Face, I'm looking at you.
birdmanseven's review against another edition
3.0
It was fine, but it feels like a bit of a bait and switch. I guess I was more interested in the long game than the conspiracy angles. Too much too soon.
john_opalenik's review against another edition
3.0
It's more of the same, but that's not a bad thing. Volume 3 really seems to act as a bridge between the dramatic events of volume 2, and the series wrapping up with volume 4.
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