Customer Reviews

The Astounding Wolf-Man Volume 2 (v. 2)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Please don't read this review if you have not read the first trade as I mention several plot points from the first volume. Coming off the events of the first trade. Gary finds himself on the run and hunted by the government for killing his wife. Though he is innocent, he searches for a way to clear his name with the law and his daughter and to get revenge on the vampire who betrayed him and is the true killer. He also seeks out the elder werewolf who changed him so he might learn more about his powers. Also contains an appearance by Invincible. This trade contains the issues 8-12 of Astonishing Wolf-Man, Invincible 57 and Monster Pile-Up 1 as well as sketches and character designs. This is a terrific comic and one of my favorite titles. Invincible, Tech-Jacket, Capes and Brit are all in the same universe if you want even more Kirkman goodness.

"The Astounding Wolfman, v.2"
Written by Robert Kirkman
Illustrated by Jason Howard & Ryan Ottley
(Image Comics, 2009)
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Awesome. This is where the new series by Robert Kirkman, about a superhero werewolf, really takes off. Although I liked the first volume, I wasn't completely wowed by it, but this volume definitely had me hooked.

Here, Kirkman firmly anchors the Wolfman to the rest of his superhero universe, with a crossover event involving the teen hero Invincible, and a slugfest involving the JLA-ish Guardians Of The Globe, as well as the beginning of an entanglement with the government agency that once sponsored Invincible's career. This is all fun, but meanwhile the Wolfman finds his personal life shattered, and pursues more mastery of his supernatural talents, seeking the mentorship of the very werewolf that attacked him in Volume One, and made him a werewolf in the first place. There are still huge, gaping holes in the plot -- for example, we had learned previously that the elder werewolves sometimes choose their victims for specific reasons, but our hero, despite spending weeks in the forest training with his "sponsor," never asks why he was chosen. (Guess that'll be a future episode...) Regardless, the series is picking up steam and is becoming quite fun. I burned through the first two books, and when I got to the end of this volume, I was really, really bummed that I'll have to wait for several months to find out what happens next. But trust me: I'll be there! (Joe Sixpack, ReadThatAgain book reviews)

When I first heard about this series I'll admit I was a little turned off by the idea of a Batman knock off that was a werewolf. After a while I decided to give it a chance and read the first volume. I was completely blown away by how much I enjoyed it. Kirkman is great at taking seemingly cliche ideas and some how making them fresh and fun. I feel the series is building good momentum and keeps you interested. I must have.

Robert Kirkman is a usually a consistently solid author. I loved Invincible, and what I've read of The Walking Dead has been really good, but The Astounding Wolfman is mediocre bordering on bad. The pacing is off and the characters aren't particularly likable. If you're a Kirkman fan, you'll be disappointed by this book, I know I was.

Well, in my review of the first volume of the astounding wolfman, my beef was around the coloration and art work of Jason Howard. Having read this second volume I now realize that I also had some minor frustrations with the storyline in the first volume as well. Thankfully all of my complaints have been addressed here in this second volume of the Astounding Wolfman. The story has taken off and the artwork has improved dramatically, especially the coloration. So nice to see another five star production from Kirkman et al. There are some cross over issues in this volume with the Invincible series so I had read two of the chapters already, but evenstill I would rate this a must have. If you are a fan of Robert Kirkman and especially the Invincible series this is a no brainer... pick it up!

This is what Robert Kirkman does so well. He excels at slow-burn storytelling; he allows you to get to know his characters and care about them, and then, just maybe, he lulls you a bit with the not-much-going-on pacing. But then Kirkman goes in for the kill, tossing in crazy plot twists and upending the status quo. I'm sure he does this with a demented grin on his mug. We've seen Kirkman do this time and again in INVINCIBLE and in THE WALKING DEAD. And, for sure, he's doing it in THE ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN.

Plot SPOILERS now, including some for the first trade collection.

Gary Hampton had it all once: the wealth and the good life and the family thing. But being turned into a werewolf tends to put a crimp in one's lifestyle. For Gary Hampton, everything since then has gone horrifically wrong. Early on, he'd parleyed his lycanthropic abilities into a costumed crimefighting career, and even had some success at the cape & cowl biz. But now the curse of the werewolf has caught up with him. Gary Hampton is on the run, accused of murdering his wife and his true identity now common knowledge.

THE ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN Vol. 2 collects issues #8-12 of the ongoing series, INVINCIBLE #57, and the Wolf-Man feature from MONSTER PILE-UP #1 (which comprises the first four pages of this trade). As an added bonus, there are 12 pages of cover roughs, layouts, and concept designs, with thoughts offered accordingly by Kirkman and energetic penciller Jason Howard (who also inks and colors his stuff). This story arc centers on Gary Hampton as a desperate fugitive from the law. At wits' end, a distraught Gary returns to the Willow Creek camping ground, seeking help from the Elder werewolf who had attacked and turned him. Under the Elder's tutelage, he undergoes arduous training and ridiculously violent tests, this so that Gary can grow strong enough and skilled enough to take down his former mentor, the manipulative vampire Zechariah and the actual murderer of Gary's wife. Issue #10 spotlights Zechariah and features his vampiric origin (sometime in 1916), and it says something about how bent and delusional this dude is that he actually regards himself as one of the very earliest superheroes.

You can never discount Kirkman's gift for establishing solid character development, and the guy seems to do this without dropping in humongous amounts of exposition. There are nice touches throughout, such as Gary's response when the Elder werewolf questions him about his need to wear the superhero costume. And, okay, super-powered government agent Hunter seems to be only intent on taking the werewolf down, but I like that Invincible, when sent in to nab Gary, is open-minded enough that he actually takes the time to stop and listen to Gary's side of things. Gary and Invincible pair up for WOLF-MAN #11 and INVINCIBLE #57, and this two-issue crossover reads quick and its ending bodes well for future Wolf-Man/Invincible team-ups. This arc also ushers scar-faced Cecil Stedman, director of the Global Defense Agency, into the mix. It looks like Stedman has definite future plans for the Wolf-Man.

On the domestic side, Kirkman occasionally touches base with what's left of Gary's family, his estranged teenaged daughter Chloe. Chloe has never been down with Gary's lycanthropy, and now she thinks he's killed her mother. Chloe becomes so obsessed with revenge that she hires Damien Darkblood, a most peculiar private investigator. But then she goes one step beyond this.

Another thing going for THE ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN is Kirkman's seamless weaving in of horror and superhero elements. And, like in his zombie series THE WALKING DEAD, Robert Kirkman doesn't at all shy away from scenes of blood and gore. The fur certainly flies, but then so do all sorts of viscera. When you've got characters like werewolves and vampires and a federal agent who boasts an impressive healing factor, then you can seriously up the brutality. And, as evinced in the first trade and also here, Gary doesn't quite exercise full control over his powers or bestial nature. On the superhero front, we see the Wolf-Man (and Invincible) take on the likes of the Immortal and his super-team, as well as the Global Defense Agency's zombie-like soldiers. We also see the debut of a new supervillain group, Triple Threat, headed up by the hi-tech supervillainess Construct. But I expected to see more development with the Actioneers, the superhero group that was turned into vampires by Zechariah. I happen to think that Triple Threat and the Actioneers are pretty cheesy group names. But, hey, that doesn't take away from the taut atmosphere and the ratcheted-up pace of the book. Robert Kirkman makes this corner of the Image universe a place readers enjoy exploring. Gary Hampton, his life in shambles and his future uncertain, is a likeable lead, his Wolf-Man persona an intriguing superhero. As long as THE ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN keeps on producing quality storytelling -and with Kirkman at the helm, how could it not? - I'm in for the long haul, anticipating each new issue with a toothy grin.