Submit Your Own Review

Published by Del Rey / Dabel Brothers
October 2008
ISBN 978-0345507464
160 Pages
http://www.jim-butcher.com

Jim Butcher’s wildly successful Dresden Files makes the leap to four-color storytelling in Welcome to the Jungle, a story set before Storm Front, the first Dresden novel. This ‘production’ is something of a joint between the Dabel Brothers and Random House/Del Rey. The Dabels, who are building a very good reputation as adapters of fantasy novels into comics, produced the single monthly issues while Del Rey is packaging and distributing the hardcover compilation of the four-issue mini series. In fact, many retailers sold out of the first printing of issue number one, so a second printing was commissioned, showing how popular the comic was.

Scripted by Jim Butcher himself with art handled very nicely by Ardian Syaf the story involves possessed animals in a Zoo and as an adjunct to Chicago’s Special Investigations division, Harry Dresden is called in to investigate. After a brutal mauling and the death of a security guard, as is often the case Chicago’s SI division turns to Harry, which is the impetus for many of the "files" Dresden handles in the novels. The characters, which should come as no real surprise, talk and act very much like fans of the novel series would expect. With Butcher as the scripter, an admitted lifelong fan of comics, there really would be no other person who should or could handle the story.

As Dresden delves deeper into the mystery behind the killings, he comes to suspect an advisor to the Zoo who provides him with easy clues. It really comes as no surprise that she is Dresden’s primary suspect behind the supernatural killings.

Dresden is not quite as accomplished a wizard detective in this story, after all, it does take place before the first novel. It is also interesting to see his early interactions with the Chicago Police force, specifically Karrin Murphy his primary liaison to the Special Investigations division. Early hints at Dresden’s chivalric nature are present in his dealings with the Zookeeper’s assistant. The trademark elements of Harry’s character are present in graphicglory – his blasting rod, his duster and his Blue Beetle. In other words, this story is both aperfect introduction to Harry and his world for comic book/graphic novel readers and a good story for fans of the books. Thanks to Butcher’s terrific script and Syaf’s clean line-work the story comes across the page very effectively.

If I can level any criticism at the art it might be that the colors are too bright. Having read six of the Dresden Files novels, I always pictured Harry living in a darker world, though perhaps not quite an unlit world. However, this story being depicted in a comic book, bright colors are often the norm, unless an artist like Ben Templesmith or Mike Mignolia is handling the art duties. With the influence of Harry Dresden lying in upbeat comics characters like the wisecracking character Spider Man (frankly admitted by Butcher in the introduction and in various interviews) the upbeat coloring and art could be considered appropriate.

The bound graphic novel does contains nice extra pages, including some sketches, standard and alternate covers for each issue and a teaser hinting that the first novel Storm Front will soon be given the four-color treatment. The Dabels, with Jim Butcher at the helm of this story, have produced another solid winner in adapting a popular fantasy franchise. In summary), I can’t think of anybody to whom I wouldn’t recommend this story.

© 2008 Rob H. Bedford