Written by: Ales Kot
Art by: Matt Taylor and Lee Loughridge
Publisher: Image
Before I dive into a new comic book series, I always take a few minutes to research what I’m getting into. It’s a waste of everyone’s time if I read/review a comic I know I won’t like right off the bat. In this case, Wolf feels like Image are selling this series specifically to me: a mix of Season 1 of True Detective and Neil Gaiman’s Sandman.
Yup. I want that in my life.
Antoine Wolfe is a paranormal detective with a bunch of problems, his biggest being that he’s immortal. That’s a tough break for someone who wants to die, and I suppose that mindset is his second biggest problem. His third and fourth big problems involve some psychic abilities that seem to haunt him more than aid him and a racist business lord whose henchmen light him on fire in the first panel.
Thus far, Antoine Wolfe is a solid character. He’s gruff and a bit sarcastic, and he certainly isn’t above breaking a few skulls to get what he needs, but he’s also not a bad guy by any means. He’s quick to help those in need, be they supernatural creatures or humans. I like him, and I look forward to seeing where his character development goes.
The setting of Wolf is probably the comic’s strongest point thus far. We’re stuck in a big city in California that’s filled with not just normal humans but supernatural creatures and people with supernatural powers. In terms of comparing it to Neil Gaiman works, it’s less Sandman and more Neverwhere.
This fact is teased at first, with the first half of the comic only showcasing people with supernatural abilities, mostly in the form of clairvoyance and other mild psychic powers. But then Freddie shows up, a half human, half Cthulhu creature, and the real impact of “supernatural” takes hold. California is a different place.
Yet the supernatural aspects aren’t treated like they’re supernatural; they’re treated like normal occurrences. Freddie isn’t a monster, he’s just another thing living in California, and his problems don’t involve eating brains or warping the minds of the weak but paying his rent. It feels so natural, and it makes him a better character because of it, even if he speaks in nothing but tongue-twisting alliterations.
There’s a whole over-arching story somewhere in this series about the apocalypse, but as far as Issue 1 is concerned, it’s still in the background. Wolf spends its 58-page debut introducing its characters and building its world, but it never does so in an annoying way. Much like the first issue of Autumnlands: Tooth and Claw, it goes at its own speed and assumes you’ll pay enough attention to figure out what’s going on.
As a reader, this is something I really respect. Relying on high exposition is bad storytelling
On the artistic front, Wolf looks alright. It’s got a clean style to it that certainly fits what it’s trying to do, though at this point, I’ve seen much prettier comics. I will say, the supernatural elements all look quite good, especially Freddie and his face filled with tentacles.
Starting off by comparing yourself to True Detective and Sandman is nothing short of ballsy. With only one issue under its belt, Wolf hasn’t reached True Detective levels yet, and I certainly don’t think it’ll ever compare to Sandman, but that’s okay. I don’t think any other comics really will. So far, it’s hitting Neverwhere levels though, and that should be high enough praise for anyone to go out and buy it.
