Review: The Dresden Files: Ghoul Goblin #1
By Cody "The Thorverine" Ferrell on Jan 09, 2013 with Comments 0
An original comic series set in the official Dresden Files continuity! Harry Dresden has survived the events of Fool Moon – barely – but all is not well in his world. He’s still alienated from his closest friend, Karrin Murphy, and on exceedingly poor terms with Chicago’s number one gangster, John Marcone. And that’s just the small stuff — the creatures of the Nevernever don’t take vacations and aren’t particularly worried about Harry’s friendships or love life.
Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden is back this week with a brand new series from Dynamite. Fans will be happy to know that this new series is set in the official Dresden Files continuity and is written by Jim Butcher himself. The Dresden Files: Ghoul Goblin is written by Butcher and Mark Powers with pencils by Joseph Cooper. Mohan provides colors and Bill Tortolini covers letters. It’s been a few months since Dresden survived a case involving werewolves. He saved the Windy City, but he’s lost his protégé, saw Ron Carmichael torn apart, and lost his friend Lt. Karrin Murphy. Will the Nevernever let him have a pity party, or is another case about to begin?
The story opens in 1917 Cairo with a British Service Officer who makes a bad move by disrespecting some Egyptian mystery men in a local café. There will be repercussions. Flash forward to present day Chicago where Dresden is locked in battle under Lake Michigan with a creature very similar to one from a certain Black Lagoon. After getting away from that creature, our hero is met at his office by Deputy Sheriff Prescott Tremaine from Boone Mill, Missouri. The Deputy Sheriff is in need of Dresden’s set of skills as two mysterious murders take place in his small town. Dresden takes the case and with the help of Bob, the repository of arcane knowledge, finds out the family is cursed. With this knowledge, Dresden plans to lay a trap. Things don’t go so smoothly though.
Being only a casual fan of The Dresden Files, I found this issue to be an easy jumping on point for new or relapsed readers. With Jim Butcher having a hand in the series, it’s a bona fide Dresden story. Butcher and Powers work together to craft a great story that has all the Dresden flavor you know and love. Joseph Cooper does a good job adapting Dresden to the comic page with a slight cartoony flair. He gets a few pages to truly shine with action and locations, but he keeps a steady hand for the close and contained scenes where characters are just talking.
Bottom Line: The Dresden Files: Ghoul Goblin is a great start to a new series and serves as a good point of entry for fans new and old. With a great story overseen by the character’s creator and great art, there’s a lot to love here 4/5
Cody "The Thorverine" Ferrell
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