The Howler by Vin Varvara and Bill Young
Posted: 06 Nov 2014, 20:28
The Howler, is a dark graphic novel written by Vin Varvara and illustrated by Bill Young. I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to anyone interested in the supernatural/horror genre.
Chris Stevens has been cursed. As a young child on vacation he was bitten by a werewolf. With the help of his father’s pharmaceutical company and his mother’s medical expertise, they are working to find a cure for his curse. All of that comes to a screaming halt when Chris wakes up one morning after a transformation. Like usual, he awakes in an unknown location, without any clothes or recollection of the night prior. The difference is last night, Chris Stevens’ mother, father, and sister were brutally murdered in their home. Now the police consider Chris their prime suspect and he’s on the run to find the cure for his curse. Along his journey to find a cure, while avoiding police capture, Chris is confronted with monsters, demons, and a fallen angel. He must unleash the wolf in order to survive. Who will remain in control? Chris, or the Howler?
Pro’s:
This graphic novel has all the makings for a great story. I think where this story really shines is the awareness of the Howler. In most werewolf tales, the wolf is a mindless, blood thirsty beast, that only lives to feed. In the Howler, the wolf is presented as not only a monster, but a separate identity from Chris, with it’s own consciousness. The wolf has it’s own goals, yet it understands he has to protect Chris to ensure it’s own survival. In the end you find yourself rooting for the wolf, which is unusual in this genre.
The artwork as a whole is very well done. It is not without flaws, but over all still very good. I especially enjoy the cover art. It reminds me of an 80‘s heavy metal band album cover which I think looks great! Bill Young’s artistry really shines in part III. If the whole book could’ve been done in this style I think it would have been perfect. It just adds an amazing amount of depth to the artistry and makes it much more appealing to the eye, especially in black and white.
Con’s:
Although the story has a great premise, I felt it was a bit choppy and somewhat empty in content. I understand leaving the readers wanting more, but I felt there was too many loose ends and questions. For example, who is the mystery character in the first monster battle who takes the Basilisk? Is it the same person or creature who also takes care of the Warmonger after his losing battle with the Howler? And then there is the “Master”, who I’m assuming is Satan, but there was no real indication of who or what this character is. Don’t forget about Chris Stevens’ uncle who is happy when the Stevens family is murdered and Chris is to blame.
The dialogue at times feels a bit predictable, uninspired, and reminiscent of an old role playing game like Final Fantasy. Also, there are a few instances where a very small font was used to make for room for many lines of text and made it quite difficult to read. Instead the narration should have been shortened or broken up.
Some of the illustrations felt hurried and were difficult to follow the action. Another point is that a fair amount of the characters have essentially the same face. Such as the Captain, Detective, and Chris Stevens’ uncle. Same goes for the news anchor woman in the beginning, Chris Stevens’ mother, and Chris’ friend Teresa.
Overall I thought this was a very good graphic novel with an interesting plot, and different twist on the classic werewolf story. With some minor changes, I think this could be taken to the next level. I would recommend the read, and look forward to future installments of The Howler.
Chris Stevens has been cursed. As a young child on vacation he was bitten by a werewolf. With the help of his father’s pharmaceutical company and his mother’s medical expertise, they are working to find a cure for his curse. All of that comes to a screaming halt when Chris wakes up one morning after a transformation. Like usual, he awakes in an unknown location, without any clothes or recollection of the night prior. The difference is last night, Chris Stevens’ mother, father, and sister were brutally murdered in their home. Now the police consider Chris their prime suspect and he’s on the run to find the cure for his curse. Along his journey to find a cure, while avoiding police capture, Chris is confronted with monsters, demons, and a fallen angel. He must unleash the wolf in order to survive. Who will remain in control? Chris, or the Howler?
Pro’s:
This graphic novel has all the makings for a great story. I think where this story really shines is the awareness of the Howler. In most werewolf tales, the wolf is a mindless, blood thirsty beast, that only lives to feed. In the Howler, the wolf is presented as not only a monster, but a separate identity from Chris, with it’s own consciousness. The wolf has it’s own goals, yet it understands he has to protect Chris to ensure it’s own survival. In the end you find yourself rooting for the wolf, which is unusual in this genre.
The artwork as a whole is very well done. It is not without flaws, but over all still very good. I especially enjoy the cover art. It reminds me of an 80‘s heavy metal band album cover which I think looks great! Bill Young’s artistry really shines in part III. If the whole book could’ve been done in this style I think it would have been perfect. It just adds an amazing amount of depth to the artistry and makes it much more appealing to the eye, especially in black and white.
Con’s:
Although the story has a great premise, I felt it was a bit choppy and somewhat empty in content. I understand leaving the readers wanting more, but I felt there was too many loose ends and questions. For example, who is the mystery character in the first monster battle who takes the Basilisk? Is it the same person or creature who also takes care of the Warmonger after his losing battle with the Howler? And then there is the “Master”, who I’m assuming is Satan, but there was no real indication of who or what this character is. Don’t forget about Chris Stevens’ uncle who is happy when the Stevens family is murdered and Chris is to blame.
The dialogue at times feels a bit predictable, uninspired, and reminiscent of an old role playing game like Final Fantasy. Also, there are a few instances where a very small font was used to make for room for many lines of text and made it quite difficult to read. Instead the narration should have been shortened or broken up.
Some of the illustrations felt hurried and were difficult to follow the action. Another point is that a fair amount of the characters have essentially the same face. Such as the Captain, Detective, and Chris Stevens’ uncle. Same goes for the news anchor woman in the beginning, Chris Stevens’ mother, and Chris’ friend Teresa.
Overall I thought this was a very good graphic novel with an interesting plot, and different twist on the classic werewolf story. With some minor changes, I think this could be taken to the next level. I would recommend the read, and look forward to future installments of The Howler.