I’m a huge fan of The Dresden Files. If you know me at all, you know this already. So it comes as no surprise to anyone involved that I never hesitate to review anything even remotely related to the series. Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files: Down Town is a brand new story and takes place between the novels White Knight and Small Favor.
Harry Dresden is not just a private detective, he’s also Chicago’s only professional wizard. So when the local police call him in, it’s going to be something supernatural, you can bet money on it. Sergeant Karrin Murphy is usually the one asking him to consult on cases, since she’s the one that historically gets the weirder assignments. This particular case is no different, murder and mayhem abound and it’s painfully obvious from the get go.
The Dresden Files: War Cry #3 Written by Jim Butcher and Mark Powers
Art by Carlos Gomez
Colors by Mohan
Letters by Bill Tortolini
Cover by Stjepan Sejic Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: August 6, 2014
Cover Price: $3.99
How do you take what is arguably the best urban fantasy book series ever written and make it better? Well, you create a comic series to help tell some of the other stories that didn’t make it into the books, that’s how! The Dresden Files: War Cry #3 marks the center of this story which takes place directly after the novel Dead Beat. And as usual, Harry Dresden is in a pickle, only this time he’s not completely to blame.
in the first two issues we see Harry and his three proteges en route to defend a group of scholars in the Midwest. Arriving on the scene a little late, they are almost immediately set upon by Red Court vampires. Hundreds of them, as a matter of fact. Harry being Harry, he notices that the scholars, the White Council’s Venatori Umbrorum allies, are adamant in their refusal to retreat. Upon searching the building, they discover why: there is a Shoggoth in the cellar. The supernatural equivalent of nuclear armament, this creature exists to feed and destroy and is outlawed on pain of death. And that’s where this issue picks up, with Harry changing his game plan just a tad.
If there is trouble to get into, Harry Dresden will find it. This month in Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files: Fool Moon #5, Harry most certainly manages to get caught right in the middle… as usual. One of the key action parts of this storyline (yes, it’s based on a book that I freaking LOVED!) takes place in this issue and Chicago’s only practicing wizard finds himself between a rock (not “The Rock,” as in Alcatraz, though the reference was intended) and a werewolf. Well, he tangles with a loup-garou at a police station, anyway.
Let me start by saying I love everything Jim Butcher has written. This was no exception. Obviously, the story was slimmed down and adapted to comic form but the source material is still there. Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files: Fool Moon #4 is all about Harry Dresden and Tera West finding MacFinn after his transformation into a loup garou (a very nasty type of lycanthrope). Of course, with Harry, nothing is ever simple.
A bit of confusion leads Tera to attempt to attack Harry. He, however, doesn’t have time for it and decides to avoid the confrontation. Quickly realizing the police are looking for them, they decide to split up after finding MacFinn. Unfortunately, MacFinn gets caught…which leads Harry to calling his almost-girlfriend, Susan, for help.
Students of the Unusual™ comic cover used with permission of 3BoysProductions
The Mercuri Bros.™ comic cover used with permission of Prodigal Son Press