WEREWOLF THE APOCALYPSE: BLACK FURIES
"Shades of Gray Justice"
Recommended (8/10)
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Moonstone Books
Writer: Joe Gentile
Artist: Eddy Newell
Letters: Terri Boyle
Editor: Ethan Skemp
Price: $5.95 US |
This book stands out as the best of the White Wolf-licence comics that I've sampled from Moonstone. I knew going in the art would be amazing; to be honest, I'm surprised we don't see more of Eddy Newell's work in mainstream comics these days. But the real surprise is the strength of Gentile's script. In a limited space, he develops a strong degree of depth in a group of unusual but memorable characters.
A female werewolf named Libra finds herself torn. She still feels a connection to her human life and those she left behind, while a pack of malevolent werewolves are actively trying to recruit her to their dark cause. In the end, though, her loyalties lie with her own pack -- a group of female werewolves whose common bond doesn't preclude a variety of personalities. Unfortunately, an obligation from Libra's human lifetime could prove to be their undoing.
If I was limited to only one reason for recommending this book, it would be Eddy Newell's art. The visuals were easy to follow, despite the fact that some scenes consisted of an orgy of lycanthropic violence. The influence one can find in his work speak to its quality. His stuff is as textured and original as Dan (Nocturnals) Brereton's painted work, and sharp and dynamic as Walt Simsonon's. He's no knockoff, though. His grey-wash approach stands out in the industry as thoroughly unique.
Unlike a couple of the other White Wolf books, Gentile's script here doesn't require the reader to be well-versed in the premise and politics of a secret society of werewolves. In fact, one need not know anything about that stuff. This is a thoroughly accessible story; though it's based on the White Wolf gaming property, it's not dependent on its continuity.
Though this certainly seems to be a one-shot book -- something of self-contained graphic novella -- the end of this story feels a lot more like a beginning. Gentile has set this up as something of an origin story for a unique Werewolf the Apocalypse character, but he's also told an interesting, self-contained tale about growing up and leaving the past in the past. It's about being torn being loyalties and responsibilities, thereby granting this supernatural story a grounded foundation.
Note: This book was not among this week's new releases.
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