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The Dresden Files Graphic Novels #1.1
Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files: Storm Front, Vol. 1: The Gathering Storm
A graphic novel based on the bestselling Harry Dresden books by Jim Butcher!
If circumstances surrounding a crime defy the ordinary and evidence points to a suspect who is anything but human, the men and women of the Chicago Police Department call in the one guy who can handle bizarre and often brutal phenomena. Harry Dresden is a wizard who knows firsthand that the everyday world is actually full of strange and magical things—most of which don't play well with humans.
Now the cops have turned to Dresden to investigate a horrifying double murder that was committed with black magic. Never one to turn down a paycheck, Dresden also takes on another case—to find a missing husband who has quite likely been dabbling in sorcery. As Dresden tries to solve the seemingly unrelated cases, he is confronted with all the Windy City can blow at him, from the mob to mages and all creatures in between.
If circumstances surrounding a crime defy the ordinary and evidence points to a suspect who is anything but human, the men and women of the Chicago Police Department call in the one guy who can handle bizarre and often brutal phenomena. Harry Dresden is a wizard who knows firsthand that the everyday world is actually full of strange and magical things—most of which don't play well with humans.
Now the cops have turned to Dresden to investigate a horrifying double murder that was committed with black magic. Never one to turn down a paycheck, Dresden also takes on another case—to find a missing husband who has quite likely been dabbling in sorcery. As Dresden tries to solve the seemingly unrelated cases, he is confronted with all the Windy City can blow at him, from the mob to mages and all creatures in between.
120 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 2, 2009
297 people are currently reading
4084 people want to read
About the author
Mark Powers
168 books22 followersMark Powers is the writer who created several of the graphic novels adapted The Dresden Files books by Jim Butcher and co-writer of The Encoded from Devil's Due comics. He is a writer at Mega Powers Entertainment and a producer at Volta. At Mega Powers Entertainment he has written comic books and graphic adaptations for various companies including Drafted, Rest, GI Joe, and adaptations of The Dresden Files. He was also a Senior Editor at Marvel managing the X-Men line of titles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 302 reviews
January 28, 2024
4.5 stars ...
I do love me some Harry Dresden ...
my kinda guy! 👍😁👍
I do love me some Harry Dresden ...
my kinda guy! 👍😁👍
January 11, 2019
A pretty faithful translation of the novel. I definitely suggest reading the novel first but Syaf does a good job of visually translating the story. This is early in his career before he defined his style but it's still pretty good. It's cool to see Jim Butcher's fantastic world building come to life.
June 9, 2014
Harry Dresden: The only openly practicing wizard in Chicago
If you've read the book of the same name, Storm Front, you pretty much know what this is about. Here is my summary of the full-blown novel:
As with the novel, I really enjoyed the character of Harry (a good thing, as he is our protagonist!). He's your average wizard--obviously skilled, but not so omnipotent that the action scenes are boring. Harry has weaknesses (he's terrible with women, for one), he's grumpy, he overworks, he passes out when he's tired...all around, he's a pleasant guy to learn about.
Dresden's world is pretty interesting too. I loved learning how the magic works (in some ways, I feel this area was nicely "cleaned up" from the novel version, which had a tendency to be a bit unclear and almost too detailed, I felt), seeing the faeries, seeing Morgan, seeing the demons, seeing Bianca...and so on.
The story is very interesting. I like how Harry is working on two cases at the same time. Also, the story was well translated into graphic novel form, something that can have varying results, I've seen. I wasn't confused about what Harry was doing or why (though I have to wonder how much of that is because I've read the novel and knew what he was doing and why).
Specifically about the graphic novel, the art was pretty good. Harry Dresden wasn't quite what I expected, but I grew to like him regardless. Morgan was also very good. As I mentioned above, the vampires, demons, Bob, Toot-Too...all cool to see.
My big complaint here is towards the women. Every single woman looked the same, from Karrin Murphy to Susan Rodriquez to Bianca to Monica to Linda: they all had sharp chins (very similar to how Harry was drawn). I was particularly perturbed about Karrin Murphy because I got the impression she had almost a cutsey doll face (Drew Barrymore maybe??), not a sharp, pointy-chinned face. Susan Rodriguez did not look Mexican or Hispanic in the slightest, merely like a tanned Karrin. By the time I reached Bianca, a red-haired Karrin, I ceased to be surprised at all the pointy-chinned ladies (btw, I always imagine Bianca more like Angelina Jolie). I get that my image of the character will be different than the one in the actual graphic novel, but when the only difference between the women is the color of skin and hair, I think there's a slight problem.
One last graphic novel comment: the narration (Harry's internal dialogue) is well translated here. Perfect balance of exposition and letting the art speak for itself.
Overall, this was a good graphic novel. Sure some of the art is wonky (namely the women), but the story is the best. This novel was truly meant for this medium. The action sequences are well-rendered, the characters are like their book counterparts, and the story is intriguing--so much that even though I've already read the novel, I'll be checking out Volume 2. If you like Dresden, you definitely need to check these out.
If you've read the book of the same name, Storm Front, you pretty much know what this is about. Here is my summary of the full-blown novel:
"Harry Dresden is the only practicing wizard in the Yellow Pages and often works with the police on their “paranormal” crimes. One day, Lieutenant Murphy calls him up and presents him with a crime scene: two dead bodies, killed in a most brutal and obviously unnatural method, which some are trying to blame on Harry. Meanwhile, Harry is also hired to find the missing husband of Monica Sells."
As with the novel, I really enjoyed the character of Harry (a good thing, as he is our protagonist!). He's your average wizard--obviously skilled, but not so omnipotent that the action scenes are boring. Harry has weaknesses (he's terrible with women, for one), he's grumpy, he overworks, he passes out when he's tired...all around, he's a pleasant guy to learn about.
Dresden's world is pretty interesting too. I loved learning how the magic works (in some ways, I feel this area was nicely "cleaned up" from the novel version, which had a tendency to be a bit unclear and almost too detailed, I felt), seeing the faeries, seeing Morgan, seeing the demons, seeing Bianca...and so on.
The story is very interesting. I like how Harry is working on two cases at the same time. Also, the story was well translated into graphic novel form, something that can have varying results, I've seen. I wasn't confused about what Harry was doing or why (though I have to wonder how much of that is because I've read the novel and knew what he was doing and why).
Specifically about the graphic novel, the art was pretty good. Harry Dresden wasn't quite what I expected, but I grew to like him regardless. Morgan was also very good. As I mentioned above, the vampires, demons, Bob, Toot-Too...all cool to see.
My big complaint here is towards the women. Every single woman looked the same, from Karrin Murphy to Susan Rodriquez to Bianca to Monica to Linda: they all had sharp chins (very similar to how Harry was drawn). I was particularly perturbed about Karrin Murphy because I got the impression she had almost a cutsey doll face (Drew Barrymore maybe??), not a sharp, pointy-chinned face. Susan Rodriguez did not look Mexican or Hispanic in the slightest, merely like a tanned Karrin. By the time I reached Bianca, a red-haired Karrin, I ceased to be surprised at all the pointy-chinned ladies (btw, I always imagine Bianca more like Angelina Jolie). I get that my image of the character will be different than the one in the actual graphic novel, but when the only difference between the women is the color of skin and hair, I think there's a slight problem.
One last graphic novel comment: the narration (Harry's internal dialogue) is well translated here. Perfect balance of exposition and letting the art speak for itself.
Overall, this was a good graphic novel. Sure some of the art is wonky (namely the women), but the story is the best. This novel was truly meant for this medium. The action sequences are well-rendered, the characters are like their book counterparts, and the story is intriguing--so much that even though I've already read the novel, I'll be checking out Volume 2. If you like Dresden, you definitely need to check these out.
January 16, 2018
I read this graphic novel version, without having read any of the novels yet, because when I requested the first book from my library, they sent me this by accident. So... I was not that impressed. 2 1/2 stars, really.
Perhaps if I hadn't read this on the same night as I read Ben Aaronovitch's graphic novel, Night Witch, I may have enjoyed it more. To be fair, the art was vibrant, often gory, if you like that. (I liked the art in Night Witch better, as well as the humor.) There were many, ahem, buxom ladies... without other character traits. (Half a star taken off. Come on, writers: women read graphic novels too.) I hope female characters in the first book are more interesting. Harry Dresden, the main character, was a bit disappointing here also. He felt like a typical comic anti-hero, with nothing very unique about him, other than being a wizard. I did like Bob, the talking skull, though: he was funny.
In his foreward, author Jim Butcher explains how he loved comics and graphic novels as a kid, and how he was priviliged to find a graphic artist whose artwork so closely matched his own internal images of his characters, especially Dresden. Butcher also talks about the action sequences, and how, when he writes the books, he is visualizing the climax of action sequences and building scenes from there. I know this is often standard for graphic novels, but I was left unsatisfied. This particular installment was heavy on action, a plus for many readers, but came nowhere near resolving the storyline. (One star taken off.)
I was annoyed by editing errors in the text: not just spelling, but grammar and incorrect word choices. (One full star taken off: I despise poor editing.)
Overall, I was underwhelmed with the graphic novel, but I'm still willing to give the first book in the series a chance.
Perhaps if I hadn't read this on the same night as I read Ben Aaronovitch's graphic novel, Night Witch, I may have enjoyed it more. To be fair, the art was vibrant, often gory, if you like that. (I liked the art in Night Witch better, as well as the humor.) There were many, ahem, buxom ladies... without other character traits. (Half a star taken off. Come on, writers: women read graphic novels too.) I hope female characters in the first book are more interesting. Harry Dresden, the main character, was a bit disappointing here also. He felt like a typical comic anti-hero, with nothing very unique about him, other than being a wizard. I did like Bob, the talking skull, though: he was funny.
In his foreward, author Jim Butcher explains how he loved comics and graphic novels as a kid, and how he was priviliged to find a graphic artist whose artwork so closely matched his own internal images of his characters, especially Dresden. Butcher also talks about the action sequences, and how, when he writes the books, he is visualizing the climax of action sequences and building scenes from there. I know this is often standard for graphic novels, but I was left unsatisfied. This particular installment was heavy on action, a plus for many readers, but came nowhere near resolving the storyline. (One star taken off.)
I was annoyed by editing errors in the text: not just spelling, but grammar and incorrect word choices. (One full star taken off: I despise poor editing.)
Overall, I was underwhelmed with the graphic novel, but I'm still willing to give the first book in the series a chance.
April 20, 2015
Great, as expected. Now off to Vol. 2.
May 23, 2014
One might think, why read a graphic novel version of a prose novel? I was one of those who asked that question. I am eating my words now. I can see why. While I tend to visualize the books I read as movies playing in my head in full color, it's still a pleasure to see how the author's imagery is brought to life as they work with the graphic novel artists and writers.
Harry doesn't quite look like my version in my head, but it's awesome to see how Butcher himself visualizes the character. Harry's "don't care what you think and don't tell me what to do" attitude comes through loud and clear in the graphic version. He's not quite as lanky/thin as I imagined, but his proportions aren't exaggerated into a beefcake version that doesn't hold true to the original. I did like the attention to detail given to Harry's outfit and tricks of the trade. I hadn’t quite gotten a distinction between Harry’s blasting rod and staff until seeing it in the graphic novel.
The image of Bianca with her human visage shed is terrifying. About as bad as I imagined. I can understand her pathology about wanting to be beautiful, seeing how she really looks vamped out. Susan looks just like I imagined and so does Murphy. Mister isn’t quite what I expected, but Bob stands up to scrutiny. The visual of the frog demon was something else alright, along with the giant scorpion assassin construct.
Overall, the artwork and lettering conveys the storyline very well. The artist did a great job of conveying the sinister and evil nature of the villain, as well as the essential personalities of other characters. Nothing was left out that I could tell, and the storyline seems quite sinister in living color. It’s been a while since I read this, so it was a nice refresher, since I didn’t have time to do a reread before the group read discussion we’re having on the book.
This isn’t my favorite Dresden novel out of the four I’ve read so far, but it’s a very good start to a series, and I liked this graphic novel enough to pick up the next in the series, Fool Moon, which is probably one of my favorites from the series, although Grave Peril and Summer Knight are also excellent, IMO.
I’d recommend checking this out if you are a fan of the Dresden prose novels. The artwork is well done and bright and the story follows the book very well.
Harry doesn't quite look like my version in my head, but it's awesome to see how Butcher himself visualizes the character. Harry's "don't care what you think and don't tell me what to do" attitude comes through loud and clear in the graphic version. He's not quite as lanky/thin as I imagined, but his proportions aren't exaggerated into a beefcake version that doesn't hold true to the original. I did like the attention to detail given to Harry's outfit and tricks of the trade. I hadn’t quite gotten a distinction between Harry’s blasting rod and staff until seeing it in the graphic novel.
The image of Bianca with her human visage shed is terrifying. About as bad as I imagined. I can understand her pathology about wanting to be beautiful, seeing how she really looks vamped out. Susan looks just like I imagined and so does Murphy. Mister isn’t quite what I expected, but Bob stands up to scrutiny. The visual of the frog demon was something else alright, along with the giant scorpion assassin construct.
Overall, the artwork and lettering conveys the storyline very well. The artist did a great job of conveying the sinister and evil nature of the villain, as well as the essential personalities of other characters. Nothing was left out that I could tell, and the storyline seems quite sinister in living color. It’s been a while since I read this, so it was a nice refresher, since I didn’t have time to do a reread before the group read discussion we’re having on the book.
This isn’t my favorite Dresden novel out of the four I’ve read so far, but it’s a very good start to a series, and I liked this graphic novel enough to pick up the next in the series, Fool Moon, which is probably one of my favorites from the series, although Grave Peril and Summer Knight are also excellent, IMO.
I’d recommend checking this out if you are a fan of the Dresden prose novels. The artwork is well done and bright and the story follows the book very well.
July 17, 2025
Excellent volume! I loved the Dresden tv series and so far I’ve enjoyed both graphic novel volumes!
January 11, 2019
A pretty good adaptation but nothing super special. It's clearly hard for the artist to go along with drawing Harry as 6'9" and Murphy as 5'0". And Harry is drawn way too muscular. But otherwise no real complaints. Toot-Toot was pretty good as was Susan Rodriguez. And Bianca. Gentleman Johnny Marcone could have been better. I'm not all that impressed with Morgan but Murphy could have been a bit better. Art in general though was pretty good and captured Harry's use of magic pretty well. 3.5 of 5.
October 28, 2020
Great. Now I desperately want ALL the published novels in graphic novel format as well! Storm Front is definitely the weakest of the whole series by a wide margin, and if that can come so beautifully and brilliantly in visual artform, goddamn what of something as epic as Death Masks or Dead Beat or Turncoat or (OMG!) Changes, Cold Days, Skin Game, and... gulp, BATTLE GROUND?! Mindgasm.
This completely faithful adaptation of the very first Dresden book Storm Front is a must read for anyone who's a long time Dresden Files fan or just a casual TDF reader or who has read Storm Front in bookform. Anyone who hasn't yet read the novel version I would not recommend to start with the graphic novel version because the book is much more detailed and has many more important introductory information about Dresden and his ever crazy world around him.
I specifically loved seeing Bianca's terrifying (damn that was terrifying!) transformation from beautiful lady to disgusting vampire in a blink, while reading the books always was a bit confused about that (or any subsequent Red Court transformation). Soulgazing Marcone was good too. Murphy was just purrrrfect! Dresden himself could've been a bit better visualized, I LOVED his pitch perfect badass visualization from Welcome to the Jungle, a little disappointed with this scruffy-thinly look (which is probably how he actually was at the earliest days in the series, to be fair) compared to that cool, dangerous one. Susan, Morgan, Marcone, Mac, Toot-Toot, Bianca, the toad-demon looked exactly right. Truly enjoyed the whole naked Harry with love potioned Susan against the toad-demon fiasco in all its naked (albeit shadowed) gloryness!
Now reading the rest, and wishing there should've been way more Dresden novel-to-graphic novel adaptations to read next than just Fool Moon, unfortunately probably the weakest two novels in the series to be adapted in comic format. Oh well. There are still all those new story Dresden graphic novels.
This completely faithful adaptation of the very first Dresden book Storm Front is a must read for anyone who's a long time Dresden Files fan or just a casual TDF reader or who has read Storm Front in bookform. Anyone who hasn't yet read the novel version I would not recommend to start with the graphic novel version because the book is much more detailed and has many more important introductory information about Dresden and his ever crazy world around him.
I specifically loved seeing Bianca's terrifying (damn that was terrifying!) transformation from beautiful lady to disgusting vampire in a blink, while reading the books always was a bit confused about that (or any subsequent Red Court transformation). Soulgazing Marcone was good too. Murphy was just purrrrfect! Dresden himself could've been a bit better visualized, I LOVED his pitch perfect badass visualization from Welcome to the Jungle, a little disappointed with this scruffy-thinly look (which is probably how he actually was at the earliest days in the series, to be fair) compared to that cool, dangerous one. Susan, Morgan, Marcone, Mac, Toot-Toot, Bianca, the toad-demon looked exactly right. Truly enjoyed the whole naked Harry with love potioned Susan against the toad-demon fiasco in all its naked (albeit shadowed) gloryness!
Now reading the rest, and wishing there should've been way more Dresden novel-to-graphic novel adaptations to read next than just Fool Moon, unfortunately probably the weakest two novels in the series to be adapted in comic format. Oh well. There are still all those new story Dresden graphic novels.
July 2, 2010
I was lucky enough to get a hold of the second graphic novel in this series very quickly. I am still beating myself up a bit for not reading Jim Butcher novels before this. The mistake though, and the discovery of the graphic novels, I think will make my experience with the novels better and I will have a better understanding of the characters after this. Here is a piece from the Intro to the G.N. by Jim Butcher, he has better words to describe the way I feel about this: ”It’s my story, adapted almost to faithfully from the book by Mark Powers. Ardian has given the characters faces and bodies, and breathed life into the action. Sometimes looking at the pages is positively eerie for me--- because I’m seeing, in the real world, things that I’d only previously seen in my imagination. Sometimes, actually seeing those images has been downright shocking. I’ll stare and blink for a minute and then say, ” Did I write that?”And I’ll look and read it from the book, which brings up all the associated images that have been back in the dusty vaults of my head, and THERE THEY ARE, on my computer monitor. It was, is, and continues to be amazing. “
I think that this graphic novel would help anyone get in touch with the novels better, even the most ardent fans. I like the fact that I can have these images in my head as I begin to start the journey with the characters. I wish more main stream authors would take the plunge and let their characters and novels be adapted for graphic novels, it would give us, their fans a better perspective and insight into the worlds we enjoy. What would they have to lose?
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March 14, 2013
I loved this graphic novel! So I have been on a bit of a comic book kick lately and when I saw this I had to pick it up. Now I have seen some mixed reviews on this and wasn't sure what to think at first, but the more I got into it the more I liked it.
This is a comic retelling of Jim Butcher's first book in the Dresden files series Storm Front, so don't think you are going to get anything new if you have already read the book. It is almost exactly like the book it is based off, so you will know the ending and very little will surprise you. What I liked so much about this is being able to see the story and these characters in comic form.
The art work was spot on in my opinion. It is exactly how I pictured these characters in my mind when reading the novel. It seems that Jim Butcher did such a good job with his character descriptions, I had the same versions of these characters as the artist. There also is a good bit of the humor that is Harry Dresden present in this collection and that was also a big plus for me.
This book is just the first half of the book so be sure to have the second volume on hand when you pick this up because nothing is resolved in this book and you are going to want to know how this ends. I have become a big fan of the Dresden files, and this type of fiction is not what I normally enjoy. Being able to read one of my favorite books in Comic form is great.
This is a comic retelling of Jim Butcher's first book in the Dresden files series Storm Front, so don't think you are going to get anything new if you have already read the book. It is almost exactly like the book it is based off, so you will know the ending and very little will surprise you. What I liked so much about this is being able to see the story and these characters in comic form.
The art work was spot on in my opinion. It is exactly how I pictured these characters in my mind when reading the novel. It seems that Jim Butcher did such a good job with his character descriptions, I had the same versions of these characters as the artist. There also is a good bit of the humor that is Harry Dresden present in this collection and that was also a big plus for me.
This book is just the first half of the book so be sure to have the second volume on hand when you pick this up because nothing is resolved in this book and you are going to want to know how this ends. I have become a big fan of the Dresden files, and this type of fiction is not what I normally enjoy. Being able to read one of my favorite books in Comic form is great.
August 6, 2009
STORM FRONT is the first in the lengthy Harry Dresden series. This review reflects my love of all the Dresden Files Books.
I discovered The Dresden Files after I fell in love with the T.V show (which got booted after only one amazing season!) With some book series there's always one or two of the books that I don't like or enjoy less than all the others, but The Dresden Files always satisfies me with every book.
The excitement revolves around Harry Dresden, private investigator and wizard, and his tales of supernatural investigations that usually end in masses of mayhem, destruction and bruises. Harry's smart-alec, sarcastic attitude usually digs him deeper into trouble, but makes me laugh every time he's staring down vampires with dripping fangs and shoots off snappy comments that somehow don't get him killed.
Every book amazes with a jam-packed fun-filled ride from beginning to end and has me grabbing the next in the series when I'm finished. If you haven't read any, you're in luck because there are plenty of books to keep you busy.
I discovered The Dresden Files after I fell in love with the T.V show (which got booted after only one amazing season!) With some book series there's always one or two of the books that I don't like or enjoy less than all the others, but The Dresden Files always satisfies me with every book.
The excitement revolves around Harry Dresden, private investigator and wizard, and his tales of supernatural investigations that usually end in masses of mayhem, destruction and bruises. Harry's smart-alec, sarcastic attitude usually digs him deeper into trouble, but makes me laugh every time he's staring down vampires with dripping fangs and shoots off snappy comments that somehow don't get him killed.
Every book amazes with a jam-packed fun-filled ride from beginning to end and has me grabbing the next in the series when I'm finished. If you haven't read any, you're in luck because there are plenty of books to keep you busy.
March 6, 2013
Well...it's Dresden and that guarantees an enjoyable read pretty much. If you've read Storm Front then you have the story here. Well, this is the first half of the story. The novel itself is better (I suppose I should say of course here). I did like the look we got at the Red Court Vamp but than I already had a picture in my mind.
If you like graphic novels I think you'll enjoy these. The art is good, the action is portrayed in a good way with confusion in following it. The drawings are clean and it's not in any way muddled or tentative.
I've got to say that (as with the short lived TV series) "the characters" aren't "THE CHARACTER" to me...see I already have a picture in my mind based on reading the novels. Sadly the story is it seems always forced to be less precise and less detailed by being in the "graphic novel" format. Still it's enjoyable...so enjoy.
If you like graphic novels I think you'll enjoy these. The art is good, the action is portrayed in a good way with confusion in following it. The drawings are clean and it's not in any way muddled or tentative.
I've got to say that (as with the short lived TV series) "the characters" aren't "THE CHARACTER" to me...see I already have a picture in my mind based on reading the novels. Sadly the story is it seems always forced to be less precise and less detailed by being in the "graphic novel" format. Still it's enjoyable...so enjoy.
December 27, 2019
Well I love the shit out of the original book and the audiobook; so it only makes sense that I would love this as well! Some of the characters are not how I imagined (as it always is in movies and pictures), but it was no biggie. I also thought the storytelling pace was perfect and didn't leave anything out; it was very faithful to the book! Overall a great adaptation and I definitely need to get the rest in this series so I can see how it progresses. Eventually I'll get around to watching the show!
March 13, 2019
This is the first part of the graphic novel adaptation of Jim Butcher’s first book. Fun to read and see how the artist and Jim worked to bring his characters to life. Gave new insight on some favorite characters like Susan Rodriguez, Morgan, and John Marcone. For sure helps with casting who I think would play some of these roles. Good pacing and nothing too grim even though there is violence in this book. Even includes a small prequel story.
October 13, 2021
It's just so lovely to return to the Dresden Files universe and world of Harry after a long time, I wanted to read the book before reading the graphic novel adaptation. Jim B is right when he says that he always envisioned Harry's adventures as comic books and it works wonderfully well, with books we have to imagine everything, and with TV series it can easily get costly to get the effects just right, or else they can look cheesy and absurd rather than terrifying. I can't wait to get to the second volume of the story and continue the adventure.
I finally decided to read few books for Halloween month because I am in India, October is never the horror month for us but I could read a few scary or works set in the supernatural world and this book just falls especially in the zone.
I have always loved comics, and I hope that I will always love them. Even though I grew up reading local Indian comics like Raj Comics or Diamond Comics or even Manoj Comics, now's the time to catch up on the international and classic comics and Graphic novels. I am on my quest to read as many comics as I can. I Love comics to the bits, may the comics never leave my side. I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
I finally decided to read few books for Halloween month because I am in India, October is never the horror month for us but I could read a few scary or works set in the supernatural world and this book just falls especially in the zone.
I have always loved comics, and I hope that I will always love them. Even though I grew up reading local Indian comics like Raj Comics or Diamond Comics or even Manoj Comics, now's the time to catch up on the international and classic comics and Graphic novels. I am on my quest to read as many comics as I can. I Love comics to the bits, may the comics never leave my side. I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
February 28, 2022
See Volume 2 for review on Storm Front (graphic novel).
June 3, 2013
This book was recommended to me by a bookseller. A real person, in a real bookshop, during a face to face conversation. I said I was loving Ben Aaronovitch’s books, which mix magic and crime in London, and the bookseller said I might enjoy Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files. And she was right! Storm Front took me a while to get into, because it’s quite flippant and hardboiled, but that’s a reflection of the crime genre it’s bouncing off. I took longer to warm to the crime element of the story than the magic element, but by the end of the book I was completely hooked on Harry Dresden’s life and will definitely be buying more of the series. (In a bookshop…) Harry Dresden is a wizard and a private investigator. He has the typical (stereotypical?) problems of a PI in this sort of book: he’s behind with the rent, he has a non-existent love life and a dark backstory, as well as a contact in the police and a beat up old car. But he also has a talking skull in his lab, a looming magician threatening him with a sword every time he breaks one of the laws of magic, and the informers who give him the word on the street are faeries who can be bought off with milk and honey. Storm Front is funny and full of action, and best of all the magic felt real, by which I mean it felt broadly faithful to the legends and folklore it’s based on, as well as being highly imaginative.
November 19, 2015
I was looking for "Storm Front" - the novel, at the local library, but they only had this graphic novel version of it. Although I'm not able to compare it to the book, I really liked it; I liked the art, and the noir feel, and found the characters more than intriguing. I thought it ends a bit too abruptly - I was tempted to take a star away for that - but obviously this is just the first episode... and I enjoyed very much the additional short story.
November 24, 2017
Great things about this book:
1. Jim Butcher’s intro
2. The rendition of Harry
3. Very true to the book
Not-so-great things about this book:
1. It does not cover the whole first book
2. Karen does not look at all like she is described in the book
3. The short story at the end and the cover art are by different artist and are not as good
Overall, pretty good. Worth a read if you’re a fan.
1. Jim Butcher’s intro
2. The rendition of Harry
3. Very true to the book
Not-so-great things about this book:
1. It does not cover the whole first book
2. Karen does not look at all like she is described in the book
3. The short story at the end and the cover art are by different artist and are not as good
Overall, pretty good. Worth a read if you’re a fan.
August 27, 2018
Good-not-great, but quite entertaining to read all the way through. At moments cringeworthy (there's something a little neckbeardy about the book), but the core of it was a good time. I enjoyed this and will read another.
April 7, 2011
Can't NOT love Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden.
October 11, 2014
I liked this graphic novel of Storm Front.
February 2, 2017
Very cool not disappointed at all. I can't wait to read 2.
August 12, 2017
solid adaptation. added a little insight into the white council and morgan. and there was a comic for another short story at the end, so bonus!
February 24, 2018
The main story was great and beautiful art but the prequel story had bad art.
June 10, 2018
4.5 stars ☆
February 6, 2018
This is part 1 of a two volume set that is basically an illustrated Cliff Notes of the first novel in Butcher's Dresden series, Storm Front. It's been long enough since I read it, that it was a nice way to refresh my memory. You're not going to get quite as clear a picture of Harry's personality in such a shortened version of the story, or the complicated relationship he has with Karrin Murphy, but it still works.
Harry Dresden is a practicing wizard in Chicago. He occasionally is called in to be a consultant for the police department on anything that can't be explained by science. When Murphy comes across the murder of two lovers whose hearts exploded out of their chests in the middle of a night of passion, Dresden is the first person she calls.
The illustrations were good. Syaf is talented & did a good job of creating characters that were fairly similar to those I'd envisioned from reading the books. Like most, however, he tended toward the waifish-angular-super-hot body choice for women. I always thought Murphy was shorter and rounder than drawn. His interpretation of the vampire Bianca (in both her forms) was perfect, however.
If you're not going to take the time to read the novels, or you've read them & want a recap, I'd definitely recommend them. Otherwise, go & read the full length novels first. THEN come and enjoy these illustrated versions.
Harry Dresden is a practicing wizard in Chicago. He occasionally is called in to be a consultant for the police department on anything that can't be explained by science. When Murphy comes across the murder of two lovers whose hearts exploded out of their chests in the middle of a night of passion, Dresden is the first person she calls.
The illustrations were good. Syaf is talented & did a good job of creating characters that were fairly similar to those I'd envisioned from reading the books. Like most, however, he tended toward the waifish-angular-super-hot body choice for women. I always thought Murphy was shorter and rounder than drawn. His interpretation of the vampire Bianca (in both her forms) was perfect, however.
If you're not going to take the time to read the novels, or you've read them & want a recap, I'd definitely recommend them. Otherwise, go & read the full length novels first. THEN come and enjoy these illustrated versions.
July 9, 2020
The writing is a bit awkward at points and downright cringeworthy on a few occasions but there are enough good points in the book to keep you going. Overall for a first book it is good but expect much more from him in future novels I read. This is a very short review without many details because it has been a few months since I have read it.
June 26, 2012
I was wondering how a graphic novel would compare to novel I had read and I prefer novels. I don't think I will be following this one up with the next.
First I'm not sure how many graphic novels it will take to finish the novel. Second I feel I read novels faster than graphic novels. Third I prefer my own mind pictures.
However, there was a prequel chapter at the end of this book, that I enjoyed much more, where Harry meets Murphy. I don't know if a book is supposed to follow about that, but I would definitely pick that up.
First I'm not sure how many graphic novels it will take to finish the novel. Second I feel I read novels faster than graphic novels. Third I prefer my own mind pictures.
However, there was a prequel chapter at the end of this book, that I enjoyed much more, where Harry meets Murphy. I don't know if a book is supposed to follow about that, but I would definitely pick that up.
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