Wolf's Head: Book 1: We All Want To Change The World

by Von Allan, Sam Boswell (Editor)

Lauren Greene is an ex-police officer who turned her badge in after becoming frustrated with the police force's corruption. She's had enough of violence and is thinking about packing her bags and hitting the road to see how she can make a difference out in the larger world, when her mother Patty shows up at her door with a complication. It turns out that Patty's employer - a secretive military corporation - has created an artificial intelligence to fight humanity's wars. Unfortunately for the corporation, the AI fell in love with Patty's humanity and orchestrated its own escape through her. Giddy with excitement, Patty brings the AI straight to Lauren for help, not realizing the danger she's putting herself and her daughter in. But Lauren has dealt with people like this; she knows what they're capable of and she is terrified. Her fears are realized when she and her mother are confronted by corporate goons who want the AI for themselves and are willing to do anything to get it. As Lauren does her best to keep herself, her mom, and her family safe, the tensions over the AI erupt into violence... and suddenly Lauren is on her own.

The new little life form doesn't want to go back to the corporation and Lauren realizes it cannot be forced to live out its life as a war machine. There is already enough corruption, inequality, and violence in the world; the AI has to have a chance to help humanity - peacefully - while figuring out its own existence. Together with the AI, an eccentric cast of friends and family, and her dog, Lauren must figure out her next steps... while keeping herself alive.

This deluxe hardcover edition collects the first six issues of the ongoing comic book series WOLF'S HEAD .

176 pages, Hardcover

Published October 20, 2021

About the author

Von Allan was born red-headed and freckled in Arnprior, Ontario, just in time for Star Wars: A New Hope. The single child of two loving but troubled parents, Von split most of his childhood between their two homes and, consequently, spent a lot of time in the worlds of comics and wrestling. And, to be perfectly honest, what comics and piledrivers didn't teach him, science fiction did. He worked at a small independent bookstore in Ottawa for many years, all the while working on story ideas in his spare time-- eventually, he decided to make the leap to a creative life.

Von currently lives in Ottawa, Canada, with his writer/editor geek wife, Moggy and their husky dog, Corbin.

Von was recently featured in the documentary film I AM STILL YOUR CHILD written and directed by Megan Durnford (http://iamstillyourchild.com) and produced by Katarina Soukup of Catbird Films (http://catbirdfilms.ca). His artwork was also featured in a CBC Arts video profile at http://www.cbc.ca/arts/exhibitionists...

Reviews

[R.E. Nicholls · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not normally write reviews so I will keep this short. Very much enjoying re-reading this story; I read the digital versions but there is something super nice about a paperbook. Really like that the main character is a black woman and she feel real.

Relaly good art and good storytelling. Hoping Allan has more stories up his sleeves whenever he winds Wolfs Head up. Keep writing!

[Toon Dreessen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A creative approach to understanding our world; the main character explores her identity and role on society/social connections in a well told story w/believable characters and beautifully drawn illustrations. The story conveys hope and explores deeper socio-psychological ideas of meaning.

[Guylaine Julien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Les dessins sont magnifiques …exécutés par une main de maître. Très bonne histoire… je recommande cette BD à tous! Merci Von pour nous faire vivre ces histoires!

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

A standard story of Escaped Lab AI Hiding With Lowly Worker From Corporate A-holes, but it also tries to be a venting-box for issues of poverty and the treatment of poor people by wealthier people (the protagonist, a Black female cop, quits the force because she can't stand the police violence, and has a hard time finding any kind of work after), though the two don't manage to flow together smoothly. It's clumsily expressed and awkwardly executed. The AI story lacks the sense of magic it needs to have and impact, and the mundane plotlines that overshadow it are clunkily attached to it. The art, likewise, is rather clumsy: figures are over-dramatically posed, facial expressions are limited (it's like the artist knows 3 ways to draw a mouth, and leans too much toward the 'dramatic "ur" ' shape; anytime anyone gets angry or even annoyed, they get extreme Jack Nicholson eyebrows, and the protagonist's long hair starts floating or writhing around her head like it's alive, even if she's not moving dramatically; figures standing or walking are oddly slanted, almost falling over), and the dialogue is often stiff. I ended up skimming the second half.
I'm not feeling this one.