451 Media 2015
Written by Scott Rosenberg
Adapted by Brandon Easton
Penciled by Ty Dazo
Inked & Lettered by Eugenio Perez Jr.
Coloured by RV Fuentes & Raymund Lee
There is something stirring in the woods outside the town of Talbot, something is….hungry! As the lunar cycles’ welcome from the townsfolk begins to wear thin, a third grizzly attack leaves an entire family ripped to pieces. Teddy continues his search for who, or what, killed his father, discovering pieces of his past in the process. Fearing for their safety, the townsfolk bring their own animal tracker to investigate the gruesome murders. Unfortunately for the townsfolk, they find what they are looking for…
Sometimes it’s surprising when you come across a werewolf story that’s more story than gory. Why well because for some of us it’s always the effect of the story that can be more scary than the actual scenes where someone gets ripped to shreds. That or remembering the first time you saw David transform and the terror he felt yeah that’s sometimes more powerful to experience. That’s what I really enjoy about 451 Media is that while the imagery is gorgeously rendered, i’ll cover this more later, it’s really the story that gets you.
This issue has Teddy Hanlon, the acting sheriff a position he has had thrust upon him, meets Noah Packard. It’s an interesting meeting actually and there’s no easy way to point out that werewolves are real other than owning what you do like Noah does. Unashamed and proud of his position and everything, see his business card, he’s one of those characters that’s great because seriously how often do people not give a darn what others think and just do their own thing anymore?
Meanwhile I do love the fact that there are multiple factions running around this town as well. You’ve got the main group who are well trying to blend in and yet feed and do all they can to stay on the down low. Though let’s face it they want revenge against the killing of one of their own. This part of the story is pretty nicely done as well you gotta read it because it’s really quite complicated and interesting to see how people think then act accordingly depending on what they think will keep them safe. Then there’s the girl, it’s always a woman isn’t it and she’s stirring things up greatly.
Speaking of women I gotta say the love triangles or unrequited and lost versions of it all that we see well it certainly does add something to the story. That and the fact that in this version you can be turned into a werewolf through ANY exchange of bodily fluids, talk about one STD you don’t want heh. This certainly helps in adding new dimensions to the story and complicates characters lives. So by expanding the mythology and using characters i ways that continue to surprise us keeps us interested. It’s not your average everyday werewolf story and honestly that’s why it’s so good.
I have also say great things about the interior artwork. I am a huge fan of the kind of attention to detail that we get here. That it’s very much a comic book style interior artwork as well is fantastic so I get my detail and the feeling of comics mixed in such great ways. The pages have great panel layouts and the way the story flows it wonderfully done. Plus the backgrounds yeah they have detail, clues and more that you need to really get more out of the story itself.
451 Media is home to great and varied storytelling. Make sure you can find their books at your store or subscription service.