Fool Moon Graphic Novel (hardcover volume 2), Jim Butcher, Chase Conley

Dresden Files: Fool Moon vol 2, Jim Butcher, Chase Conley

ISBN: 9781606903773

July 23, 2013

 

Graphic Novel:

 

Poor Chase.  Umpty-bazillion nekkid people, and he gets to illustrate them all without showing any naughty bits.  Creative lighting, body position, clothing and drapery choices, and scenery are all deployed without hesitation.

 

The good -

 

I know Fool Moon isn't Butcher's best work.  I know it's a bit muddled and the plot isn't the utmost or highest it could have been, but everything is forgiven because of Tera.  LOVE.  Her. Soooo.  Much.  In addition, I just have a real soft-spot for werewolves, and I loved that this story had all different kinds represented as different types of magic and ability.  I also liked the Alphas as a concept (shades of the later Paranet), I liked that Harry FINALLY gets some, and that Marcone actually gets roughed up a little (that doesn't happen nearly enough, to be honest).    

 

As far as condensing and graphicizing, I was also impressed with how well everything flowed.  The noir is really enhanced by the tightening-up - because the beats are spaced so much closer together, you really do feel intensely how badly Harry can't ever get a break.   

 

The bad -

 

Oh God, what did Murph ever do to Chase?  Her mouth is HORRID!  Harry is a little on the angular and craggy side now, and his expressions are occasionally manic, but, well, it's Harry - he's not supposed to be pretty, and frankly, he IS often manic.  Tera came off nicely in most of her panels also.  But Murph... the color and size of her lips compared to her face proportions make her look like a clown slut.  It's just awful. 

 

In general, there was a very odd contrast between more realistic art (like the cover panels and Harry vs the Streetwolves in the rain) and the very odd hyper contrasted exaggerated style of some of the "hero" pages.  A really illustrative contrast is the very end of issue 5 - Murph under MacFinn, contrasted with the cover art for issue 6, Harry under MacFinn.  The first is just not attractive, and the second is.  Not only does this show off the terrible Murphy mouth, it also is just miles different between the faces and the body postures.   

 

Maybe it's just me, but I'm not as fond of this art-style, and I hope that it turns a little back in the direction of the covers, honestly.