The Astounding Wolf-Man, Volume 1

The Astounding Wolf-Man #1

by Robert Kirkman, Jason Howard

When Gary Hampton is mauled and left for dead, his life takes a drastic turn! Gary is cursed ―when the moon is full he transforms into a beast of the night ― a werewolf! This curse will not be used for evil ― witness the birth of the world's most unlikely new superhero ― The Astounding Wolf-Man!

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Werewolves, Graphic Novels Comics, Fantasy, Horror

184 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Robert Kirkman is an American comic book writer best known for his work on The Walking Dead, Invincible for Image Comics, as well as Ultimate X-Men and Marvel Zombies for Marvel Comics. He has also collaborated with Image Comics co-founder Todd McFarlane on the series Haunt. He is one of the five partners of Image Comics, and the only one of the five who was not one of the original co-founders of that publisher.

Robert Kirkman's first comic books were self-published under his own Funk-o-Tron label. Along with childhood friend Tony Moore, Kirkman created Battle Pope which was published in late 2001. Battle Pope ran for over 2 years along with other Funk-o-Tron published books such as InkPunks and Double Take.

In July of 2002, Robert's first work for another company began, with a 4-part SuperPatriot series for Image, along with Battle Pope backup story artist Cory Walker. Robert's creator-owned projects followed shortly thereafter, including Tech Jacket, Invincible and Walking Dead.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the complete 25 issue comic book series, covered by the 4 graphic novel volumes. A series that sees Robert Kirkman's take on the werewolf legend but set in the Invincible reality. A good read with many Kirkman-ish twist and turns, that was even better on rereading. 6 out of 12

2017 read; 2011 read

[Max Francis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh not for me

[Molly™☺ · Rating 3 out of 5]

55% | C+ | Good

" It's not that bad " / " S'funny. It feels like it's pretty bad "

After a grisly encounter with an unknown 'person', Gary's life gets turned upside down when he finds out that he has gained the power to turn into a werewolf in a world filled with supernatural creatures and superheroes. Gary now has to find a balance between his family life and his new Wolf-Man persona which proves to be a lot harder when there are surprises lurking around every corner

The first thing that stood out to me with this book is the fact that the beginning just feels rushed. It goes from zero to one hundred extremely quickly without really filling in any gaps. One moment Gary has just learned about his newfound power, the next he's trailing the streets with his new vampire friend with the ease of someone who has been a werewolf their whole life and saving citizens as 'Wolf-Man'.

There are also a lot of characters introduced in such a short amount of time, with most of the background characters displaying no real character traits or development. Gary and Zechariah are definitely the two who receive the most attention, which makes sense as they are the pair who have driven the narrative so far, but it would still be nice to know a little more about Gary's daughter (she likes sports, we get it) and the other supporting characters.

One last gripe I have with this is the fact that the art style doesn't match the tone of the story which, like a lot of Kirkman's other work ( Invincible & The Walking Dead ), is quite graphically violent. The art itself isn't bad, it just seems like the style would be more appropriate for a comic run for a younger audience.

Thankfully, it slows down a little around the halfway mark and begins to answer quite a few questions rather than just playing their own version of the 'pronoun game' ( Often used in films to give an excuse for exposition or as a cheap way to add mystery ).

The last third is what really saves this volume from being a boring exposition filled origin story. There are some really shocking "oh shit" moments which I definitely weren't expecting, as well as set ups for future volumes to expand upon. The ending is also quite good, leaving me on a pretty engaging cliff hanger that has me hooked enough to pick up the next volume.

This series is definitely not for everyone, and I can see why it's not heralded along with Kirkman's other work. I would recommend either Fire Power or Invincible if you want to read some good superhero content with the unique Kirkman vibe.

[Kris43 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a blend between supernatural horror(ish) and superhero genre.
It is a quick, fast paced and fun read, just not particularly deep or complex.

One day this dude goes on a trip in wilderness and gets mauled by what they suspect is a bear.
He is left in critical condition, just waiting to die.
Turns out it was not a bear, but a werewolf.
The dude makes a complete recovery and starts learning how to control his inner beast.

Now for the bad parts:

The whole blend of genres works out mostly fine, but sometimes can get anywhere from silly to damn right ridiculous-in-a-bad-way.
Like you get a giant BOOM! And Wolf-man jumps of to fight a giant green jelly blob with a bunch of other superhero people in outrages costumes.
As you can see, most of fight scenes are totally unrealistic.

The artwork is cartoonish, like really cartoonish. Like in Mickey mouse cartoonish...

But all in all, this is a quick and fun read, so why not?
Will be reading more of this.

[Matěj Komiksumec · Rating 3 out of 5]

Na to, že Wolf-Man zapadá do světa Invincibla tak nepůsobí žánrově vyváženě jako Invincible samotný. Kirkman neví co chce vyprávět, na jednu stranu si dělá srandu z vlkodlaků, upírů a Superhrdinů, na tu druhou se snaží vážně popsat Garyho přeměnu na vlkodlaka, jenže ani jedno pořádně nefunguje. Je to takový mišmaš všeho ale ani jednoho, z kresby bych spíš usuzoval, že půjde o odlehčenou záležitost když jde o cartoon styl ale neděje se tak. Je to oukej, ale čekal jsem mnohem víc Protože je to úplně normální Superhero záležitost.

[Balerion · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was awesome! I loved the Wolf-Man from Invincible but was always bummed that he wasn’t around much, so you can imagine how hyped I was to find out that he got his own comic!

For someone who loves both werewolves and superheroes, this was perfect for me. It’s really cool to see how werewolves can fit in a superhero setting. I was also not expecting to see vampires in this as well, I don’t think any vampires showed up in Invincible(?) so I was pleasantly surprised.

I can’t wait to continue this!

[Matthew Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Another absolute home run for Robert Kirkman. Jason Howard’s art is also incredible in this book. I really enjoyed this fun, action-packed read and I was honestly looking forward to reading the next issue after every one I had finished. I tried my best to savor this volume because of how much I was enjoying it, but I couldn’t. This was just too good.

[Leo · Rating 2 out of 5]

End of the year revision: this is more of a two stars= it was ok. You can go on on living without reading it.

[Matti Karjalainen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gary Hamptonin ja hänen perheensä perheen lomaretki leirintäalueella saa ikävän lopun kun liikemiehenä työskentelevän isäpapan raatelee jokin suurpeto. Seuraavan täydenkuun aikana käy ilmi, että hyökkäyksen seurauksena on muutakin kuin pelkkä sairaalareissu.

Robert Kirkmanin (The Walking Dead) luoman "The Astounding Wolfmanin" (Image, 2010) alkumetrit ovat kuin mistä tahansa perinteisestä ihmissusimyyttiin pohjaavasta kauhutarinasta, mutta melko pian käsikirjoitukseen heitetään vahva supersankarivaihde päälle. The Wolf-Man on syntynyt - ja kaiken lisäksi hänen mentorinaan toimii ihan oikea vampyyri!

Supersankarin ja ihmissuden roolien yhdistäminen on kuitenkin aika hankalaa, etenkin kun päähenkilömme ei onnistu aina hallitsemaan petomaista puoltaan. Työ- ja ihmissuhteet kärsivät, ja etenkin perheen teini-ikäiselle tyttärellä on vaikeuksia suhtautua isäänsä. Tarinaan saadaan näin hiukkasen lisää kiinnostavuutta.

Sarjakuvan ensimmäinen osa on vauhdikas, hieman verinen, vähäsen pöhelö ja yllättävän viihdyttävä supersankari- ja kauhusarjakuvan fuusio.

[Trent · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the page for volume 1 of the trade edition, but I'd like to recommend this series as a whole.

The thing I love about this story is its characters. They are very believable and organic. They change and cause change. They're dynamic and portrayed in such a way that you have to love even the antagonists (or at least sympathize with them). When I think of Mecha Maid's introduction, all I can think of is how perfectly that one page did her justice as a character and how much it told me about her in such a short period of time. These people are masters of their craft.

The plot is engaging, tragic, and ripe with mystery. So much is happening, but it all comes back together.

It's impossible to describe how much I like this series, but I do hope you'll take a look. It's one heck of a journey, and I loved every minute.

[Tom Malinowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gary Hampton has been bitten by a werewolf. His family life goes through ups and downs, he's befriended by a vampire who trains him and may not be telling the whole truth, and Gary encounters other werewolves and other super-heroes. Not bad.

[Collier Jennings · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A werewolf who happens to be a superhero” is RIGHT up my alley, and trust Kirkman to deliver (and continue to find great artists in the form of Howard.) if you loved Invincible, this is a must read series for you.

[♪♫3rik ♪♫ · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is really good for me because i always like wolfs, is mostly about suspense terror horror
i like this kind stuff.

[Margaret Kearney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the graphics and the story line in this.Cant wait to pick up the second volume.

[Paul Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great - got better and better with each issue. The art suits the story well, too.

[Kitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Came across this series through Invincible. A grizzly enjoyable intro to the tragic Wolfman

[Carl Grimes · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was very good, and I wish the library had the second issue.

[Fizzgig76 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reprints The Astounding Wolf-Man #1-7 (May 2007-July 2008). Gary Hampton has his life and the life of his family turned upside down when he is attacked by a beast on vacation. Now a werewolf, Gary finds himself teamed with a vampire named Zechariah and trying to manage his new life as a supernatural superhero. With questions about his origin and abilities, Gary hopes Zechariah can guide him through the transition, but Zechariah might have his own agenda.

Written by Robert Kirkman, The Astounding Wolf-Man—Volume 1 is an Image Comics series taking place in the Invincible Universe. The series features art by Jason Howard and the first issue was a giveaway on Free Comic Book Day on May 2, 2007 with a Director’s Cut of issue one being released in July 2007. The issues in this volume were also collected as part of The Astounding Wolf-Man Complete Collection.

I am a fan of Invincible. The series is a lot of fun, is surprising, and can get really, really dark while still being light. The Astonishing Wolf-Man had the potential to bridge the gap between Invincible and Kirkman’s other famed series The Walking Dead by focusing on the supernatural aspect of the Invincible Universe. In some respects it did, but in other respects, it just feels like a natural branch of Invincible.

Invincible had a bunch of opportunity by creating a world with rich characters, and it was a little odd how The Astonishing Wolf-Man rolled out. There were so many great Invincible characters that could have carried their own book that it was weird that Kirkman gave this new character his new book without introducing him ahead of time. As a result, it kind of felt like Wolf-Man wasn’t really part of the Invincible Universe, and it felt like with the other title I had enough to fill my need.

That being said, the first volume of The Astounding Wolf-Man is kind of fun. You have the mentality of Invincible combined with the supernatural. Wolf-Man (intentionally generically named) is much like all the heroes of the Invincible Universe in that he’s really flawed…and anything can happen as a result. Much like Kirkman’s other series, you never know what is going to happen issue-to-issue and this volume ends on a cliffhanger that almost doesn’t fit the tone of the rest of the collection.

The Astounding Wolf-Man—Volume 1 does hook you in this sense. If you enjoy Invincible (more so than The Walking Dead), you will enjoy this branch title. Though the concept is goofy and some of the issues feel a bit stunted with ideas (pretty much he just runs around and fights things when the plot isn’t going on), the series shows potential. The Astounding Wolf-Man—Volume 1 is followed by The Astounding Wolf-Man—Volume 2.

[Mireille · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short plot summary: what if superheroes, but werewolf and a vampire?

I... this isn't for me. The problem with this is that it's not bad as a premise at all. Its a superhero comic, and there are traditional superheroes in here too, but instead it focuses on werewolves and vampires with a plot arch that presumably will delve deeper into the whats and hows of supernatural creatures. Technically while this may not be the freshest of ideas, it's not a bad idea and could be really entertaining. But the execution veers sharply into rushed.

The art is very stylized and works wonderfully in close ups and action scenes. However, it doesn't work in any other context. Characters have weirdly lumpy body structures that are indistinguishable from each other. Age can't be determined and body hair is basically all that sets any of them apart (save for a second-in-command/janitor/Jarvis/chief of security person whose position is never really defined, but who has visibly loose skin on his face which makes him the only character thus far that can't be immediately swapped with another male). The close ups and reaction shots are mostly well executed, but moving back, the characters become blobs that float around in otherwise nicely illustrated backgrounds.
The first 70-100 pages are rushed along in huge info dumps, there's no room for the story to breathe or the art to show events, rather everything is sort of thrown out there. Character motivations are left murky because there's no build up, no show, no room for quieter moments and if there would be, the art lets those moments down; it's simply not able to depict nuances or the passage of time. It's good for very shouty faces though.

The creators are good with cliffhangers. The opening scene is a good set up and there are further 2 moments with nice suspenseful splash pages, but overall, I disliked the pacing and the tropes and the fridging and the art. So.. there's very little here for me to pick up the next volume. I'm sure others will find this more enjoyable though.

[Aegelis Aegelis · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! A lot of heart amongst this dramatic superhero horror.

Excellent writing is front and centre of this modern tale of classic monsters. Characters are dynamic, full of depth, and make a lot of sense in just about every situation they're faced with. Humanity is put to the test as a boon in power causes ordinary situations of just about every kind go askew. Yes, there's action, excellent storyboarding (directing), and jaw-dropping brilliantly composed frames, and a fair bit of gore as a result without appealing to those gratuitously seeking it. There's an even-keeled sensibility of right and wrong amongst the chaos. I could go on and on about the brilliance, as I'm eagerly awaiting to get my hands on volume 2.

Just looking at the cover and artwork though, I can candidly say I wasn't expecting much. If there were a critique, I would've preferred an elevated art style that matched the masterful writing, but given the graphical nature of the content, I can also see why some may prefer a more minimalist, hard-edge to the shapes. Shadings and colours are nicely done to bring it up a notch.

[Subham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so cool! We meet with a man named Gary Hampton whose been transformed into a wolf by something and a man named Zecheriah comes in to train him, also mind you he is a vampire. Our lead has a wife named Rebecca and daughter Chloe. As soon as Gary gets the powers he becomes a hero yes but he also loses his co and home and they have to meet to his secret base and all. His training is going on and he becomes a hero and faces many villains like Thrill Kill, Eruptor, Vault, Construct and Impact! Also there is a subplot of some wolves after Zeceriah for what he did and then that confrontation with Gary was awesome and then the whole thing where he killed Sergeant Superior and his teammates "Actioneers" coming to take revenge on him was also cool and then that ending is where this book changes gear, much of TWD inspiration. Also what happens to Rebecca and what Zeceriah has going on is impressive. This book balances superheroics with horror well and just gets better. The art is cartoonish but suits this book well.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an avid fan of Kirkman and werewolves I was ecstatic to hear about this series. Kirkman’s masterful pacing for issue by issue storytelling keeps the narrative propelling at a breakneck pace, all while never making you feel behind or lost. His ability to characterize in short periods of time is second to few, with Zecheriah being a personal favourite of mine.

Much like invincible, Kirkman never leaves the audience waiting for too long and ensures that we are prepared for whatever new narrative insanity he is pulling us into. The exploration of the supernatural side of herodom in the “invinciverse” kicks major ass and expands the horizons of the setting to new heights I didn’t think possible.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Creator owned comics is something I’d love to support - however this one just has too much going on.

The premises - a good man turned wolf man turned superhero but there is a secret awaiting... is good. But it’s like the author isn’t sure what he wants for this story when he mixes it up with capes and supervillains , the CIA and some aim isn’t baddies maybe goddies-who-knows.

The Supernaturals have ok character build but all the capes have very little substance. But too much going on cross over to Kirkmans other series just muddies the picture.

So 2.5 for readable and enjoyable at times and good artwork.

[Kris Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding! Equal parts old-school superhero comic and ironic wink and nod, this series appeals to Silver Age comic lovers as well as the too-cool-for-superhero hipster crowd, and it works! It actually frickin' works. Great writing by Robert Kirkman and great art by Jason Howard which falls somewhere between old school superhero and cartoon-y, Gen Y friendly. it can be read as a serious superhero comic or a silly nod to it. (I choose the former) This series has real potential.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐. I am a big fan of thick black lines and vibrant colors, so this book caught my attention, however, the punchy visuals didn't totally make up for the lack of character development. I'm not sure if Gary is meant to be a billionaire analogue to Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark, but he isn't particularly likable, and his relationship with his family feels underdeveloped and rushed. Although I know major spoilers from reading Invincible, I'm still curious to learn more about Zechariah's backstory.

[Scott Waldie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hadn't read this one by Kirkman, and I have to say I really enjoy it. The art is simple but vivid, and I like the little superhero universe he's created here, although I realize it does cross over with Invincible somewhere down the line. Robert keeps the twists coming here and it's highly entertaining.

[Erin Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd only read The Walking Dead from Robert Kirkman so it was nice to check out another one of his stories. I really love werewolves and this comic delivered! I like Kirkman's spin on classic horror movie legends, his vampire and werewolf dynamic is great and really takes a nice horror turn. I'm looking forward to seeing where the story goes from here!

[Nikhil Math]

Just finished reading "The Astounding Wolf-Man Vol. 1" and I must say, it's a captivating addition to the Invincible universe! If you're a fan of Invincible, this is a must-read. The storyline is packed with struggles and surprises, making it a thrilling experience. Highly recommend diving into this comic book!

[Doug Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

put this one off for a while after seeing his appearance in invincible a while back, but I'm glad I got around to this. I think this story got better as it went on, and I became fairly invested in these characters. I'll be interested to see how they go forward from that ending, although I guess I kind of know from the invincible crossover.

[Scotty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book would normally be around 3 stars, but I love stories about werewolves so I'm bumping it a star. Nice artwork. I like the overall story concepts. But the panel to panel writing can be rough and stilted.