Werewolves: Call of the Wild #1 & #2 (out of 3)
Writer: Mike Oliveri
Artists: Joe Bucco
Publisher: Moonstone Books
Review by: Brian Matus
 Will Tyler and his fiancée Kate seem to have disappeared on
their way to Las Vegas, where they were supposed to be married. A week
later, Will's brother Cole has come to the small desert town of Sunset,
Nevada (Population 875), to look for them, as Will called from a hotel
there just before they disappeared.
From page one, we have the typical genre conventions inverted - instead
of taking place in the woods at night, most of this story takes place
in and
around a small desert town during the day; instead of the town trying
to hunt down and kill a werewolf that's menacing the town, we have a
werewolf trying to solve his brother's murder, which seems to involve
a town official.
In an interesting twist, the werewolves in this story seem to have heightened
senses when in human form, which Cole uses to find clues to his
brother's fate. Oliveri and Bucco also use "flash scenes," like
in CSI, to illustrate Cole's interpretation of the evidence, rather than
having scenes where he's standing around talking to himself.
The story is well-paced with interesting plot twists, and you genuinely
feel for Cole, from trying not to worry his Native American family over
the
phone, to struggling against what appears to be a conspiracy to cover
up his brother's murder.
The art style clearly conveys the action in the story, so that you are
never left wondering what happened to whom. Each page has a sense of
motion
suggestive of frames from a film yet to be produced.
The final scene in issue #2 suggests that we will be treated to a fight
to the death between werewolves in issue #3.
The only reason I'm giving it 4 out of 5 is due to the
somewhat conservative use of werewolves so far (which I have a hunch
is supposed to give the final battle more punch, as well as give the
author more room to flesh out the characters and plot). If the last issue
lives up to my expectations, I'll probably give the whole series (and
the inevitable TPB) 5 out of 5.
Highly Recommended.
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