Product Description: Harry Dresden is haunted by dark secrets of his past and stalked by a dangerous gangland king as he confronts the powerful vampiress Bianca and continues his investigation into the bizarre disappearance of businessman Victor Sells. Overseen by creator Jim Butcher, The Dresden Files: Storm Front brings the first of his best-selling Harry Dresden novels to life.
Fairies and honey ^ When in doubt, trap a thistle fairy and pump them for general information. Once the warden shows up, it might be more difficult.
Harry Dresden is still not-so-hot on the trail of a supernatural murderer and a straying husband, in the second part of Jim Butcher's stellar graphic novel "Storm Front." Butcher's snappy dialogue and murky plot keep this issue going at a steady clip, even as Harry's situation gets even nastier than it already was.
Harry summons the fairy Toot-Toot to help him out with the Victor Sells mystery -- and is immediately confronted by a perpetually POed Morgan, who reveals that he believes Harry is the one doing the murders. Fistfight ensues. Cue flashback of Harry's ghastly youth, and the reason that he's now under the Doom of Damocles. And if he can't solve the crime, the White Council will assume hedunnit. Lovely.
Since the clock is ticking for Murphy as well, she gives Harry a lead on Bianca, vampiric Red Court madam of the Velvet Room. Unfortunately Bianca is not just a charming bloodsucker. Since she also thinks Harry killed one of her prostitutes, she's more than willing to rip his throat out -- and reveal her true form in the process.
Having established the groundwork in the first part, the second chunk of "The Dresden Files: Storm Front" is a lot smoother than its predecessor. It's less choppy, more action-oriented, introduces a nasty vampire and some cute honey-loving fairies, and Butcher introduces three of his more memorable characters with nary a ripple in the storyline.
In fact, the main flaw with this is that it goes by way too fast, and Harry is still working on finding a solid clue rather than nebulous leads. But it whips by smoothly and quickly with enough action to keep things interesting. And they manage to cram Harry's relevant backstory into a one-page description of how he came to kill his master, and the giant-staff-up-their-butts response from the White Council.
And the adaptation preserves Butcher's solid dialogue ("Release me or I will tell the Queen!" "Toot, if I don't release you, you can't tell the queen") and Harry's wry inner musings ("I felt like a real superhero -- Harry Dresden, breaker of monsters' hearts").
This issue also introduces some of Butcher's more memorable characters -- particularly Bob, a lecherous spirit residing in a skull who provides some witty banter with Harry ("Most men have better things to do in the middle fo the night than play with their chemistry sets"). Additionally there's the warden Morgan, who believes Harry capable of anything, and the feisty little Toot-Toot the fairy.
And Ardian Syaf's shadowy, colourful, detailed artwork makes a nice complement to Butcher's story, and he doesn't go overboard on the beautiful women in skimpy attire either. He does an excellent job with the hulking, stormy-faced Morgan and Toot Toot, a muscular little pixie with spiky purple hair and a little kilt made out of leaves and berries. He'd be cute if he weren't so feisty.
The second part of "The Dresden Files: Storm Front" is a smoother ride than the first, and provides more glimpses into Jim Butcher's magical world. And it definitely leaves you wanting more.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
