Review: JIM BUTCHER’S THE DRESDEN FILES: DOWN TOWN #1

DresdenDowntown01-Cov-A-SejicJIM BUTCHER’S THE DRESDEN FILES: DOWN TOWN #1
Written by Jim Butcher, Mark Powers
Art by Carlos Gomez
Published by Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: February 11, 2015

Another grisly, supernatural murder sparks a new investigation for Harry, and quite possibly a new threat.

Up front, I’ve read a few novels of The Dresden Files, so this world and these characters were quite familiar to me coming into this series. That said, I think Butcher and Powers set the first issue up to be easily grabbed by new eyes, though they would miss some of the subtleties and easter eggs included in the issue. With Jim Butcher as co-writer of the book, fans of the novels can be assured that the tone stays true and the dialogue is similar to that found in the prose series. This is the case with this first issue, and I was surprised how much I felt I had just been visually thrown into the first chapter of one of Butcher’s novels. By that same token, at the end of the issue the story does become somewhat choppy, as the issue doesn’t end on a cliffhanger as much as it just ends, where readers would normally just continue into the next chapter without pause or delay. The weak ending does hurt the issue as a single, but I’m sure it will be unnoticeable in trade, where the second issue will be waiting there to continue into. Harry is as likable as ever in this issue, and I feel he is a character that brings something unique and dynamic to the world of “wizard” stories. His banter with his cohorts is excellent, and Butcher and Powers add in text during the issue to introduce each of the characters well. This is a first chapter and, by the nature of it being a first chapter, there is a ton of story setup in this issue. The inciting incident happens early and while the investigation is under way, there isn’t much meat in this story. It ends right as it feels like some forward momentum is building, which hurt the overall reading experience.

Carlos Gomez’s artwork is consistent, but lacks some flair. This is a wizard we’re talking about, and while he is a rather subdued wizard when in public, there is not a lot of visual “oomph” in this issue. In fact, there is absolutely no visual evidence that he has any power at all, and he looks like a generic superhero for most of the issue, with cut muscles rather than being a conduit for some actual power. Molly has some charisma, somewhat due to the colour work, but as the issue progresses the way she is penciled is rather ridiculous. Why a teenage would be wearing that little clothing makes no sense and the artwork loses some serious credibility for that. The generic pencils are not only that in their look, but in their progressiveness as well, as Molly is written to be a capable character that provides legitimate assistance, not an underage tease. At times I actually felt the art worked against the tone of the script, as Dresden has a swagger and body type that do not fit the character, which hurts the story as a whole.

Jim Butcher and Mark Powers deliver a solid script that I feel is let down by some generic artwork with The Dresden Files: Down Town #1. This is a story that will, most likely, read best as a graphic novel, as the pacing is similar to that of a novel and therefore the ending of this chapter just sort of “occurs” rather than getting readers ecstatic for more. This story could use a punch of style, visually, and some flair that fits the characters better than the generic representations they are currently stuck with.

The Verdict: 5.5/10

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