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Alpha and Omega: Cry Wolf Graphic Novel #1-4
Alpha and Omega: Cry Wolf Volume One
Includes bonus material and a never-before-published version of issue #1!
Patricia Briggs, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mercy Thompson novels, “always enchants her readers" (Lynn Viehl). Now her Alpha and Omega series—set in a world of shifting shapes, loyalties, and passions—comes vividly to life in this collection of four comic books based on Cry Wolf , the first book in the series.
Anna never knew werewolves existed, until the night she survived a violent attack…and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she’s learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. Then Charles Cornick, the enforcer—and son—of the leader of the North American werewolves, came into her life.
Charles insists that not only is Anna his mate, but she is also a rare and valued Omega wolf. And it is Anna’s inner strength and calming presence that will prove invaluable as she and Charles go on the hunt in search of a rogue werewolf—a creature bound in magic so dark that it could threaten all the pack…
Patricia Briggs, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mercy Thompson novels, “always enchants her readers" (Lynn Viehl). Now her Alpha and Omega series—set in a world of shifting shapes, loyalties, and passions—comes vividly to life in this collection of four comic books based on Cry Wolf , the first book in the series.
Anna never knew werewolves existed, until the night she survived a violent attack…and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she’s learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. Then Charles Cornick, the enforcer—and son—of the leader of the North American werewolves, came into her life.
Charles insists that not only is Anna his mate, but she is also a rare and valued Omega wolf. And it is Anna’s inner strength and calming presence that will prove invaluable as she and Charles go on the hunt in search of a rogue werewolf—a creature bound in magic so dark that it could threaten all the pack…
128 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
9 people are currently reading
1431 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Briggs
123 books30k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Patricia Briggs was born in Butte, Montana, to a children’s librarian who passed on to her kids a love of reading and books. Patricia grew up reading fairy tales and books about horses, and later developed an interest in folklore and history. When she decided to write a book of her own, a fantasy book seemed a natural choice. Patricia graduated from Montana State University with degrees in history and German and she worked for a while as a substitute teacher. Currently, she lives in Montana with her husband, children, and six horses and writes full time, much to the delight of her fans.
Patricia Briggs was born in Butte, Montana, to a children’s librarian who passed on to her kids a love of reading and books. Patricia grew up reading fairy tales and books about horses, and later developed an interest in folklore and history. When she decided to write a book of her own, a fantasy book seemed a natural choice. Patricia graduated from Montana State University with degrees in history and German and she worked for a while as a substitute teacher. Currently, she lives in Montana with her husband, children, and six horses and writes full time, much to the delight of her fans.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
October 17, 2015
www.melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com
I'm sad about this graphic novel. I love the Mercy Thompson Series and the Alpha and Omega series of books, but the graphic novel wasn't so good. It's the same story line as the first Alpha and Omega book I read, but I don't like the graphics :( Whyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!! Sigh.....
Anna has a tragic history, she was made a werewolf, but it was by a pack of jerks and they treated her horribly! But she was saved by the wonderful Marrok pack. Charles, who is the son of the leader of the pack and an alpha himself becomes Anna's mate. They make a wonderful couple with his Alpha/witch background and her being an Omega to calm things.
In this first volume they are trying to help Anna get over her trauma and find a rogue wolf to take care of before he makes things worse. What will happen in the wonderful world of werewolves?
Like I said, I love the books, I need to read them from the beginning again, but I just didn't like the graphics of this book because they can do a lot better with these awesome looking werewolves in people and wolf form.
I'm sad about this graphic novel. I love the Mercy Thompson Series and the Alpha and Omega series of books, but the graphic novel wasn't so good. It's the same story line as the first Alpha and Omega book I read, but I don't like the graphics :( Whyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!! Sigh.....
Anna has a tragic history, she was made a werewolf, but it was by a pack of jerks and they treated her horribly! But she was saved by the wonderful Marrok pack. Charles, who is the son of the leader of the pack and an alpha himself becomes Anna's mate. They make a wonderful couple with his Alpha/witch background and her being an Omega to calm things.
In this first volume they are trying to help Anna get over her trauma and find a rogue wolf to take care of before he makes things worse. What will happen in the wonderful world of werewolves?
Like I said, I love the books, I need to read them from the beginning again, but I just didn't like the graphics of this book because they can do a lot better with these awesome looking werewolves in people and wolf form.
December 28, 2012
Why does Bran look like that? He isn't some big-headed built hunk. He's everyman, average young guy, no one would believe to look at him that he's powerful.
And then Charles looks like a hunched over old guy, he should be the one who's comic book model hot. And I'm glad they didn't make Anna a typical comic big boob girl, it focuses on her face mostly, but unfortunately it's pretty ugly and often looks deformed. Anna and Charles both look like wax figures that are constantly being overheated and reset, it's just the worst art I've seen on a graphic novel. I'm not saying that just because they don't look exactly as I imagined them because the elements are there, but because the images are just crude. It really distracted me from the story.
Honestly, I couldn't even finish it, the art was too distracting, I just didn't like to look at it. I put the book down and tried to pick it up again several times, but every time I flipped through the book and saw those faces again and I just did not want to look at it anymore. I found Charles's face just disturbing, it looked fatuous and self-satisfied instead of arrogant and confident but mostly it just looked odd and fake and off-putting. All off the characters looked fake but not in a cool comic book way, it was just odd. It's really a shame because Charles was one of the characters who should have been great in ink and this story should have lent itself to this format. And of all series to have crummy art, it's just a shame that Briggs got this artist since her books are know for having gorgeous covers.
And then Charles looks like a hunched over old guy, he should be the one who's comic book model hot. And I'm glad they didn't make Anna a typical comic big boob girl, it focuses on her face mostly, but unfortunately it's pretty ugly and often looks deformed. Anna and Charles both look like wax figures that are constantly being overheated and reset, it's just the worst art I've seen on a graphic novel. I'm not saying that just because they don't look exactly as I imagined them because the elements are there, but because the images are just crude. It really distracted me from the story.
Honestly, I couldn't even finish it, the art was too distracting, I just didn't like to look at it. I put the book down and tried to pick it up again several times, but every time I flipped through the book and saw those faces again and I just did not want to look at it anymore. I found Charles's face just disturbing, it looked fatuous and self-satisfied instead of arrogant and confident but mostly it just looked odd and fake and off-putting. All off the characters looked fake but not in a cool comic book way, it was just odd. It's really a shame because Charles was one of the characters who should have been great in ink and this story should have lent itself to this format. And of all series to have crummy art, it's just a shame that Briggs got this artist since her books are know for having gorgeous covers.
March 7, 2024
Bungling exposition, flat emotionally, and how dare they draw Charles not handsomely. But it's readable.
September 24, 2013
I am so enamored of Patricia Briggs, I will read anything she writes. I was excited that my library has some of her works in the graphic novel format, since I do enjoy them. I have already read Mercy Thompson: Homecoming and I loved it. Of course, I also love the Alpha and Omega series and looked on this opportunity to in essence get in a quick reread of Cry Wolf.
I have to be honest that I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as I had hoped. I think my problem was the illustrations didn’t quite work for me. I agree with another reviewer friend that their faces don’t look right. I especially didn’t think that the drawings of Charles, Bran, and Samuel did these adored characters justice. I was more or less happy with the artist rendering of Anna. The artist captured her sweetness, integrity and strength of character.
Also, the illustrations just felt a bit barebones. Usually the illustration fills in for the sketchy dialogue which more or less defines the graphic novel format. In this case, I felt like I was missing something as I read through the panels. Let myself be clear in saying that I absolutely loved the prose format of this book, so I know that I am biased to have very high standards and took that into my read of this graphic novel.
Is this a bad graphic novel? Certainly not! It’s pretty good. Most likely I would have rated it slightly higher if I had read this GN before reading the prose version. I think the artwork could have been better in comparison to my image of the characters from the book. Although the rendering of favorite characters didn’t work for me, I felt that the drawings conveyed action well, and the colors were vivid and made me want to keep my eyes on the panels despite my not liking some of the facial drawing. The lettering and dialogue was true to the essence of the novel format of this story. This book does capture the menace of the villain quite well, and of course Charles and Anna together are magic (no pun intended).
I would say that if a reader is in love with this series and just wants to see it in a more visual format, it’s worth checking out. However, keep your expectations down to earth. You might not be as disappointed as I was in that case.
Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars. Hurts my heart to give my beloved Patricia Briggs less than four stars, but my reasons are sound and I have to stay true to my rating criteria.
I have to be honest that I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as I had hoped. I think my problem was the illustrations didn’t quite work for me. I agree with another reviewer friend that their faces don’t look right. I especially didn’t think that the drawings of Charles, Bran, and Samuel did these adored characters justice. I was more or less happy with the artist rendering of Anna. The artist captured her sweetness, integrity and strength of character.
Also, the illustrations just felt a bit barebones. Usually the illustration fills in for the sketchy dialogue which more or less defines the graphic novel format. In this case, I felt like I was missing something as I read through the panels. Let myself be clear in saying that I absolutely loved the prose format of this book, so I know that I am biased to have very high standards and took that into my read of this graphic novel.
Is this a bad graphic novel? Certainly not! It’s pretty good. Most likely I would have rated it slightly higher if I had read this GN before reading the prose version. I think the artwork could have been better in comparison to my image of the characters from the book. Although the rendering of favorite characters didn’t work for me, I felt that the drawings conveyed action well, and the colors were vivid and made me want to keep my eyes on the panels despite my not liking some of the facial drawing. The lettering and dialogue was true to the essence of the novel format of this story. This book does capture the menace of the villain quite well, and of course Charles and Anna together are magic (no pun intended).
I would say that if a reader is in love with this series and just wants to see it in a more visual format, it’s worth checking out. However, keep your expectations down to earth. You might not be as disappointed as I was in that case.
Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars. Hurts my heart to give my beloved Patricia Briggs less than four stars, but my reasons are sound and I have to stay true to my rating criteria.
January 24, 2013
One star based on the interior art alone. It wasn't to my taste. I didn't like the character designs and I thought the panel compositions were static and boring. Any sense of the characters' emotions and interactions came more from my memories of the novel than how they appeared on the page.
By contrast, the cover art by Daniel Dos Santos is completely gorgeous. I want it framed on my wall. The issue covers by Jenny Frison are very good.
The story adaptation seems just fine but that may only be because I know the book so well. It's difficult to say.
Overall, read the original Cry Wolf novel instead. It's better.
By contrast, the cover art by Daniel Dos Santos is completely gorgeous. I want it framed on my wall. The issue covers by Jenny Frison are very good.
The story adaptation seems just fine but that may only be because I know the book so well. It's difficult to say.
Overall, read the original Cry Wolf novel instead. It's better.
October 6, 2012
I liked seeing this story in pictures, but the drawings were odd to me. The lines were hard and the people didn't look anything like I thought. It wasn't until the end when when the pencil line drawings that I realized how everyone looked alike, with only small differences.
March 20, 2022
Yeah, my memory wasn't wrong. The artwork is awful and ruins what actually translates into a decent graphic novel.
April 11, 2020
Unfortunately I just really didn’t like the art in this graphic novel. The front cover is so beautiful I guess I had different expectations. I still love the story of course but the graphic novel didn’t do it for me.
October 2, 2012
I do not like giving bad reviews, particularly to authors or series which I love. Patricia Briggs is superb, and I've enjoyed each of her books. This graphic novel is a disappointment in comparison. The art makes each of the characters look and seem childish, or "less" somehow. The writing seems purposefully dumbed down. I've read amazing graphic novels which with only a few words can create a vivid and deeply moving story. The people behind this work had an amazing novel to draw from, but the end result seems like a rushed, overly simplified treatment of an Urban Fantasy standout.
September 4, 2021
"Brother...
Did you just growl at me?"
"Samuel. I know you're not really flirting with my mate but brother wolf inside me isn't so sure." — Samuel and Charles
Disclosure I have not read any of the Alpha & Omega series books. I have read some of the Mercy Thompson books so know the basics of the world but know nothing of most of these characters. I do want to read this series though.
Okay so Cry Wolf: volume one feels like it drops you into the middle of the story. That does feel like Patricia Briggs style so I think that might be in line with the events with the novel. There is some division in reviews about the art style used. I'm a bit torn on it. The light and shadow feels quite stark at times, too opposing. But one thing it does well is use differing palettes for Anna's memories good and bad. Anna's growing power and when her wolf is showing on her human skin is also done well but both of those things are more in the colouring than the art. I guess everything looks a little off, the people don't look human and they should if I remember the lore correctly an in control wolf can pass as human (see also Samuel). *shrugs* It's personal preference I guess. The story is easy enough to follow. When/if I ever get around to reading the novel I might reread this to see what the changes made are. Until then I'm giving it an average rating.
A representative gif:
September 17, 2020
I always have a hard time reading graphic novels and to be honest I've read very few. The artwork in this didn't appeal to me but the storyline was ok, though difficult to follow since I'm unfamiliar with the storyline of the novels. I did like the mini story (4 pages) at the end.
December 22, 2025
Really don’t care for the art style in this one (why does Charles look different in every frame, and none look flattering or how I pictured him??), but I love the story and these characters. It was a decent adaptation from the book!
April 9, 2014
Isn't that cover gorgeous? Just saying, Daniel Dos Santos always makes me a happy girl. Now if only the artwork continued to be as well drawn in the book itself...
I read a lot of comics--from the 'Big Two' (Dc and Marvel) to the comparatively smaller imprints (Top Cow, Image, Oni, IDW) to web comics (Full Front Nerdity, Otaku no Yen, The Dreamer) so I'm used to all sorts of artwork styles and can usually find little fault in the overall style if it suits the book/series. Unfortunately Todd Herman's artwork style did nothing for me. At all. And this hurt my overall enjoyment of the volume.
< href="http://damnlayoffthebleach.tumblr.com..., Lay Off the Bleach" has an excellent post about why none of the above matches the book descriptions at all (though their grief is with the 'white-washing' moreso then anything else...and I can see where that could be an issue).
While I understand there is room for changes from one medium to the other, I think I'd forgive the book more if the artwork was at all appealing. Laying aside how not attractive any of the folk or wolves are, the art makes everyone appear sinister, evil and/or angry. The backgrounds are barely worth mentioning and the awkwardness in the body posing is obvious (look at Charles' arm around Anna, his right shoulder is way above where his left shoulder is, despite the fact Anna is shorter then him).
The storyline hems very close to the book itself--which is a saving grace since I eventually abandoned looking at the artwork to just read the captions and speech bubbles. But the fact remains if I was going to do that why would I pay $25 for the graphic novel when I can get the paperback novel for under $8?
When this book was originally announced (like...4 years ago? More?) I was so excited. I love the Cry Wolf and to have it in comic form as well sounded great. But I wasn't able to get the individual issues (my comic shop didn't carry them) and until I received this in the mail I hadn't realized it was being re-compiled by 'InkLit', the graphic novel imprint of Penguin.
This isn't worth it for $25, do yourself a favor and just buy the paperback.
I read a lot of comics--from the 'Big Two' (Dc and Marvel) to the comparatively smaller imprints (Top Cow, Image, Oni, IDW) to web comics (Full Front Nerdity, Otaku no Yen, The Dreamer) so I'm used to all sorts of artwork styles and can usually find little fault in the overall style if it suits the book/series. Unfortunately Todd Herman's artwork style did nothing for me. At all. And this hurt my overall enjoyment of the volume.
< href="http://damnlayoffthebleach.tumblr.com..., Lay Off the Bleach" has an excellent post about why none of the above matches the book descriptions at all (though their grief is with the 'white-washing' moreso then anything else...and I can see where that could be an issue).
While I understand there is room for changes from one medium to the other, I think I'd forgive the book more if the artwork was at all appealing. Laying aside how not attractive any of the folk or wolves are, the art makes everyone appear sinister, evil and/or angry. The backgrounds are barely worth mentioning and the awkwardness in the body posing is obvious (look at Charles' arm around Anna, his right shoulder is way above where his left shoulder is, despite the fact Anna is shorter then him).
The storyline hems very close to the book itself--which is a saving grace since I eventually abandoned looking at the artwork to just read the captions and speech bubbles. But the fact remains if I was going to do that why would I pay $25 for the graphic novel when I can get the paperback novel for under $8?
When this book was originally announced (like...4 years ago? More?) I was so excited. I love the Cry Wolf and to have it in comic form as well sounded great. But I wasn't able to get the individual issues (my comic shop didn't carry them) and until I received this in the mail I hadn't realized it was being re-compiled by 'InkLit', the graphic novel imprint of Penguin.
This isn't worth it for $25, do yourself a favor and just buy the paperback.
August 14, 2019
Well...damn. Unfortunately, the graphics part of this graphic novel would not allow me to enjoy the actual storyline. The illustration was so odd and looked rushed. Same with the colors. I just couldn't get past the weird faces and bodies.
May 14, 2018
The art was terrible. The writing? Terrible. This adaptation was a poor choice for Cry Wolf. Honestly it was perhaps the worst book to comic adaptation I've ever read.
January 22, 2022
This is Volume 1 (Issues 1-4) of the graphic novel adaptation of Cry Wolf, the first book in Patricia Briggs' Alpha and Omega Series. To start, I'm not impressed by the art. It is 3⭐ average at the best - better than the 1⭐ quality of the drawing in Homecoming but nowhere as beautiful as the 5⭐ Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson: Moon Called. Anna and Charles are nowhere as good looking as their book cover counterparts.
This impacted my overall enjoyment of the graphic novel since the art HAS to be good for a medium where art matters. Consider this panel of Bran, Charles and Samuel, all of whom are supposed to be really good looking.
Art aside, it's a great adaptation of the written material. The dialogue and most of the salient plot points are well set up, the paneling and scene transitions are very natural and seamlessly tell the story with no hiccups. I particularly liked how Charles managed to comfort Anna's fears at the start when she almost has a meltdown from PTSD at the thought of being among many werewolves, since her past pack abused her.
Charles "I know how you were abused by Justin and Leo - but we are not all monsters, any more than our wild brothers are. I was born a werewolf, I was never entirely human as you were - but consider what humans have done ... to my mother's people long ago - to peaceful fae today, who they confine on modern reservations. Are you truly convinced WE are the monsters?"
Honestly I was happy that he was mature enough to tell her not to judge people based on their outward appearance or group, but on their actions since there are bad people of any race, supernatural or not. The message really hit home. Especially sadder because while the white people consider America their land, history says they committed mass genocide to displace the original native inhabitants of this land. And the ones who did that, ARE monsters.
So to sum up Volume 1, good writing, average graphics.
This impacted my overall enjoyment of the graphic novel since the art HAS to be good for a medium where art matters. Consider this panel of Bran, Charles and Samuel, all of whom are supposed to be really good looking.
Art aside, it's a great adaptation of the written material. The dialogue and most of the salient plot points are well set up, the paneling and scene transitions are very natural and seamlessly tell the story with no hiccups. I particularly liked how Charles managed to comfort Anna's fears at the start when she almost has a meltdown from PTSD at the thought of being among many werewolves, since her past pack abused her.
Charles "I know how you were abused by Justin and Leo - but we are not all monsters, any more than our wild brothers are. I was born a werewolf, I was never entirely human as you were - but consider what humans have done ... to my mother's people long ago - to peaceful fae today, who they confine on modern reservations. Are you truly convinced WE are the monsters?"
Honestly I was happy that he was mature enough to tell her not to judge people based on their outward appearance or group, but on their actions since there are bad people of any race, supernatural or not. The message really hit home. Especially sadder because while the white people consider America their land, history says they committed mass genocide to displace the original native inhabitants of this land. And the ones who did that, ARE monsters.
So to sum up Volume 1, good writing, average graphics.
February 5, 2020
Love the story, kinda hated the art work and how ugly and odd it made all the characters
February 4, 2021
Such beautiful illustrations. I really enjoyed this graphic novel. But it felt too short. Nonetheless I really enjoyed getting to see Charles and Anna.
August 27, 2018
Drawings could be better but the dialogue follows the book really well.
November 1, 2018
I enjoyed Anna and Charles together. I think Bran is a strong pack leader. Anna had a tough life back in Chicago. I hope she lets her wolf out to play.
August 27, 2018
Coyer summer bash
This is an adaptation of one of my favorite books. A young wolf is rescued from an abusive pack and discovers her power and her mate in the midst of a dangerous attack by a witch.
This is an adaptation of one of my favorite books. A young wolf is rescued from an abusive pack and discovers her power and her mate in the midst of a dangerous attack by a witch.
November 12, 2012
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: This is a graphic novel based off of the urban fantasy book, Alpha and Omega by Patricia Briggs.
Opening Sentence: No, don’t…Justin…Leo…Charles…NO!
The Review:
I am a longtime fan of the Mercy Thompson world, including the original series and its spin-off, Alpha and Omega. Both are filled to the brim with memorable one-liners and vivid imagery. Each character charms their way into your heart with their personalities and indomitable wills. They are all strong in their own way and Charles and Anna are no exceptions. David Lawrence and Todd Herman offer up a unique vision of these beloved characters outside the wilderness of our own imagination.
Charles is the Marrok’s, the leader of the North American Werewolves, enforcer. His job is to investigate and punish naughty werewolves that don’t follow the rules: Don’t bring attention to yourself and risk our discovery. After going to Chicago on assignment, he meets his mate, Anna. The pack she belonged to abused her thoroughly to make her more submissive, even though she is a rare Omega and therefore outside of the normal pack structure. While Charles and Anna’s werewolves claim one another at first glance, their human sides are left with the fallout of their unusual relationship. Charles brings her to his home to Montana in an effort to for them to learn more about one another. It is also a chance for Anna to see how a more stable pack works before the two of them make any more permanent decisions. Unfortunately, there is a situation that arises that requires Charles’ expertise and immediate attention, so their “honeymoon” must wait. Can Charles and Anna team up and overcome their personal issues as well as stop a rogue werewolf before it does anymore damage?
The characters really come to life in this graphic novel. Charles’ stoic nature and Anna’s fear definitely translate well through their facial expressions as well as their words. The only thing that seems to not come across for me is the awkwardness between the two about their relationship. To be honest, I am not sure how much better it could have been done in comic format. The gestures and mannerisms drawn do reflect the volatile nature of all the werewolves, both within town and in the woods.
Anna’s Omega nature is expressed in both words and coloring. As she begins to realize the extent of her inner strength, so does the reader. The most obvious scene that proves this point is when Anna first meets Leah, Female Alpha of the North American Werewolves. Leah cannot use her influence on Anna, since her Omega status makes her immune to it. Though the magic that Leah welds is hard to translate, it is drawn in such a way that makes it easier to understand, especially Anna’s resistance to it. I will freely admit to enjoying seeing Bran’s mate get smacked down; that never gets old.
I liked how the original novella is incorporated into Anna’s dreams, so that new readers to the series don’t get confused, while still following the original storyline of Cry Wolf. I would recommend this thrilling and emotionally charged graphic novel to fans and newbies alike. Take a chance and go to where the wild things are and you won’t regret it!
FTC Advisory: Penguin USA/Ace Books graciously provided me with a copy of Cry Wolf Vol. 1. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payment I receive are hugs and kisses from my little boys.
Quick & Dirty: This is a graphic novel based off of the urban fantasy book, Alpha and Omega by Patricia Briggs.
Opening Sentence: No, don’t…Justin…Leo…Charles…NO!
The Review:
I am a longtime fan of the Mercy Thompson world, including the original series and its spin-off, Alpha and Omega. Both are filled to the brim with memorable one-liners and vivid imagery. Each character charms their way into your heart with their personalities and indomitable wills. They are all strong in their own way and Charles and Anna are no exceptions. David Lawrence and Todd Herman offer up a unique vision of these beloved characters outside the wilderness of our own imagination.
Charles is the Marrok’s, the leader of the North American Werewolves, enforcer. His job is to investigate and punish naughty werewolves that don’t follow the rules: Don’t bring attention to yourself and risk our discovery. After going to Chicago on assignment, he meets his mate, Anna. The pack she belonged to abused her thoroughly to make her more submissive, even though she is a rare Omega and therefore outside of the normal pack structure. While Charles and Anna’s werewolves claim one another at first glance, their human sides are left with the fallout of their unusual relationship. Charles brings her to his home to Montana in an effort to for them to learn more about one another. It is also a chance for Anna to see how a more stable pack works before the two of them make any more permanent decisions. Unfortunately, there is a situation that arises that requires Charles’ expertise and immediate attention, so their “honeymoon” must wait. Can Charles and Anna team up and overcome their personal issues as well as stop a rogue werewolf before it does anymore damage?
The characters really come to life in this graphic novel. Charles’ stoic nature and Anna’s fear definitely translate well through their facial expressions as well as their words. The only thing that seems to not come across for me is the awkwardness between the two about their relationship. To be honest, I am not sure how much better it could have been done in comic format. The gestures and mannerisms drawn do reflect the volatile nature of all the werewolves, both within town and in the woods.
Anna’s Omega nature is expressed in both words and coloring. As she begins to realize the extent of her inner strength, so does the reader. The most obvious scene that proves this point is when Anna first meets Leah, Female Alpha of the North American Werewolves. Leah cannot use her influence on Anna, since her Omega status makes her immune to it. Though the magic that Leah welds is hard to translate, it is drawn in such a way that makes it easier to understand, especially Anna’s resistance to it. I will freely admit to enjoying seeing Bran’s mate get smacked down; that never gets old.
I liked how the original novella is incorporated into Anna’s dreams, so that new readers to the series don’t get confused, while still following the original storyline of Cry Wolf. I would recommend this thrilling and emotionally charged graphic novel to fans and newbies alike. Take a chance and go to where the wild things are and you won’t regret it!
FTC Advisory: Penguin USA/Ace Books graciously provided me with a copy of Cry Wolf Vol. 1. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payment I receive are hugs and kisses from my little boys.
September 10, 2015
This review was posted at Under the Covers
When reading a graphic novel you either already know about the series, in which case you have a preconceived idea of what you are expecting of the graphic novel; or this might be your first taste and it will determine whether you will read the books.
I've been a fan of Patricia Briggs for a while now and, although I haven't caught up yet to the current Alpha & Omega novel, I do love their world. This graphic novel picks up right were Cry Wolf starts. Charles rescued Anna and he's brought her home. Anna is still dealing with her past, Charles is still healing from the battle to rescue her and there's some pack issues to deal with.
As far as the story goes, I like to see new stories in the world of the series as opposed to see the book translated to a graphic novel. However I think they did a great job at telling the story.
The graphics were ok, some pages or scenes better than others and definitely not my favorite graphic novel as far as the illustrations. Characterizations were pretty dead on to what I saw the characters as though, so I enjoyed seeing them come to life.
I think this book would be a great read for both fans and newbies.
*ARC provided by publisher
When reading a graphic novel you either already know about the series, in which case you have a preconceived idea of what you are expecting of the graphic novel; or this might be your first taste and it will determine whether you will read the books.
I've been a fan of Patricia Briggs for a while now and, although I haven't caught up yet to the current Alpha & Omega novel, I do love their world. This graphic novel picks up right were Cry Wolf starts. Charles rescued Anna and he's brought her home. Anna is still dealing with her past, Charles is still healing from the battle to rescue her and there's some pack issues to deal with.
As far as the story goes, I like to see new stories in the world of the series as opposed to see the book translated to a graphic novel. However I think they did a great job at telling the story.
The graphics were ok, some pages or scenes better than others and definitely not my favorite graphic novel as far as the illustrations. Characterizations were pretty dead on to what I saw the characters as though, so I enjoyed seeing them come to life.
I think this book would be a great read for both fans and newbies.
*ARC provided by publisher
May 26, 2017
I didn't care for the art at all. Particularly, the characters look nothing like I imagined them from the novels' descriptions. Bran was described more than once as looking like an innocuous college student (paraphrasing here), yet here he's stiff and menacing. Also blond, which is not what I'd figured for a Welshman. Actually, he looks kind of like a posterboy for the 'Aryan Race'. The other characters are a bit better as far as overall design, though not great.
As far as body language goes, there's very little. This seems less than ideal for a book about werewolves who do much of their interacting without words. Same with facial expressions. There's 'terror', 'scowling', and 'I'm feeling cheeky', as far as I can tell. Charles has the best range of expressions, Bran the worst.
What I read seems to follow the book well, but I only actually read the first issue. After that I skimmed to see if the art got better, which it didn't, then I decided I'd rather just reread the novel. The illustrations are irritating and while the plot is close, the text is rephrased and/or abridged in most places (and not for the better).
As far as body language goes, there's very little. This seems less than ideal for a book about werewolves who do much of their interacting without words. Same with facial expressions. There's 'terror', 'scowling', and 'I'm feeling cheeky', as far as I can tell. Charles has the best range of expressions, Bran the worst.
What I read seems to follow the book well, but I only actually read the first issue. After that I skimmed to see if the art got better, which it didn't, then I decided I'd rather just reread the novel. The illustrations are irritating and while the plot is close, the text is rephrased and/or abridged in most places (and not for the better).
October 2, 2012
After bringing Anna home Charles still needed to tread carefully with her. Her abuse from her previous pack still has her spooked and is preventing her from letting down her guard and fully mateing with Charles. But there personal issues will have to wait Charles needs to go and find out what or who is attacking people in the mountains and of course Anna will go with.
I read whole series before it was interesting viewing it in a graphic novel. The artwork was very well done. The story follows the book hitting all the important parts. I felt that they drew Anna a bit to masculine than I would have pictures her but otherwise I enjoyed the book. It was entertaining and a quick read. If you enjoyed this series as a book you would most deferent the graphic novel.
- Athenna
January 23, 2013
Definitely not the best graphic novel I've read. I thought the characters were stiff & awkward and most of the faces were ugly. Not even Charles is attractive and he should be the the best of the bunch. And all of them look old. In Briggs's universe werewolves should all look to be in their mid-20s and most of them look in their 50s, at least.
I also much prefer the novel to the much-curtailed story in the graphic novel. I did however like how they incorporated bits of the original Alpha and Omega novella (from the collection On the Prowl), which introduced Charles and Anna.
I also much prefer the novel to the much-curtailed story in the graphic novel. I did however like how they incorporated bits of the original Alpha and Omega novella (from the collection On the Prowl), which introduced Charles and Anna.
April 4, 2016
I had to read a graphic novel for a book club of which I'm a member. I chose this two volume set along with the 8 volume serial of Brigg's Mercy Thompson, Moon Called. Both are graphic novels based on Brigg's series of novels of the same names. The Mercy Thompson set is well done, and I thought the artwork is amazing. Not as much with Alpha and Omega. Love the cover, but the story artwork doesn't fit with the character descriptions from the books which threw me a bit. Neither is bad, but I'll stick with the full novels. (Same review posted for Mercy Thompson, Moon Called graphic novels.)
August 19, 2015
I couldn't finish it. As much as I love the Patricia Briggs and the Alpha and Omega series, the art put me off of the story. It's not just that the characters were a little different than I imagined, they looked completely wrong. For example, Bran is not supposed to be a big hulking Alpha looking guy.
And this is Charles:
No thank you, I'll stick to the books.
And this is Charles:
No thank you, I'll stick to the books.
September 27, 2019
As a new way to take in this story I was so into this. It is endlessly frustrating that the cover artist apparently isn’t anything close to the artist in book as I clearly prefer one over the other. Still I will be continuing onto volume 2.
April 8, 2018
This graphic novel collection is based on Patricia Briggs' novel Cry Wolf, this book rounding up the first four issues of the graphic novel adaptation. The cover also proclaims that this special edition offers a previously unpublished version of Issue 1.
In a nutshell, here's the rundown of the story: Anna Latham goes on what amounts to a pity date with this guy (she's not really feelin' him but agrees to go out anyway). Turns out the guy is a werewolf who essentially kidnaps her, takes her to his pack in Chicago (or the area anyway), transforms her into a werewolf and then him and his crew proceed to torture her in various ways until she is somehow rescued by the Cornick werewolves of Montana (this book doesn't really offer too much in details on that portion of the story, guess you'll have to rely on the novel to fill you in).
Bran Cornick is the "marrok" -- or basically the Godfather -- of ALL North American werewolves. His son, Charles, insists that newcomer Anna is an Omega wolf and claims her as his mate. But Anna is still struggling with some PTSD from her hellish experience in Chicago... and it seems there's also some more protocol ceremonial stuff to be done before these two are officially mated... so, in the meantime, they team up to try to track down and capture an elusive rogue werewolf who is on a murderous rampage lately, threatening the safety of the Cornick pack.
I have many friends who rave about Briggs' books and even though I'm a lover of the paranormal genre, I've never tried her books myself. Maybe because my personal interest gravitates to ghost stories over werewolves. Still, I found a bargain priced copy of this one and figured I'd finally give the woman's work a go. That said, I did notice that the title page notes "text adaptation by David Lawrence"... so maybe Briggs' name is just stamped on the cover because they're her characters but is Lawrence doing the actual story writing here? Not sure.
Plotwise, this fell short for me. I was left with so many questions. Granted, those questions might've been answered if I was an avid follower of this series in its novel form but as a Briggs newbie, I definitely felt out of the loop here. I also found it mildly irritating how everyone kept talking about what a superpower Omega Anna was, how strong and all that.. but her actions SCREAMED delicate, trembling snowflake most of the time. I realize there's only four issues in this collection but I didn't feel like I got a strong enough grasp on her character or what was supposed to be so amazing about her and I'm sorry, if you can't at least somewhat snag my curiosity by four issues, this series is probably not for me. To be honest, I was left not really giving a flip about ANY character in this story. Not. A. One.
Artwork: The issue covers for each section, done by Jenny Frison, were very nice. Clean, fluid lines, attractive color work. The artwork within the issues themselves? Not so much. Todd Herman's art had an overall muddled look to me. What was going on with the faces? In nearly every shot, the characters look either angry, murderous, or even sometimes a little lecherous...even when it was a very average, uneventful conversation.. almost as if the act of conversing were the most painful thing ever. Everyone just walking around rockin' Joker faces at all times. Weird. Thankfully, this was toned down some by Issues 3-4.
The end of the book features a "Gallery" section where you can see samples of the artwork uncolored, initial sketches, etc. which I found interesting, especially when looking at the uncolored version of Issue 1 cover. It was nice with color, but I was surprised to see how much prettier I found the black and white sketch version.
Following the Gallery section is an excerpt from Patricia Briggs' novel FAIR GAME, so you can sample her writing style if you're a newbie to her work like me.
In a nutshell, here's the rundown of the story: Anna Latham goes on what amounts to a pity date with this guy (she's not really feelin' him but agrees to go out anyway). Turns out the guy is a werewolf who essentially kidnaps her, takes her to his pack in Chicago (or the area anyway), transforms her into a werewolf and then him and his crew proceed to torture her in various ways until she is somehow rescued by the Cornick werewolves of Montana (this book doesn't really offer too much in details on that portion of the story, guess you'll have to rely on the novel to fill you in).
Bran Cornick is the "marrok" -- or basically the Godfather -- of ALL North American werewolves. His son, Charles, insists that newcomer Anna is an Omega wolf and claims her as his mate. But Anna is still struggling with some PTSD from her hellish experience in Chicago... and it seems there's also some more protocol ceremonial stuff to be done before these two are officially mated... so, in the meantime, they team up to try to track down and capture an elusive rogue werewolf who is on a murderous rampage lately, threatening the safety of the Cornick pack.
I have many friends who rave about Briggs' books and even though I'm a lover of the paranormal genre, I've never tried her books myself. Maybe because my personal interest gravitates to ghost stories over werewolves. Still, I found a bargain priced copy of this one and figured I'd finally give the woman's work a go. That said, I did notice that the title page notes "text adaptation by David Lawrence"... so maybe Briggs' name is just stamped on the cover because they're her characters but is Lawrence doing the actual story writing here? Not sure.
Plotwise, this fell short for me. I was left with so many questions. Granted, those questions might've been answered if I was an avid follower of this series in its novel form but as a Briggs newbie, I definitely felt out of the loop here. I also found it mildly irritating how everyone kept talking about what a superpower Omega Anna was, how strong and all that.. but her actions SCREAMED delicate, trembling snowflake most of the time. I realize there's only four issues in this collection but I didn't feel like I got a strong enough grasp on her character or what was supposed to be so amazing about her and I'm sorry, if you can't at least somewhat snag my curiosity by four issues, this series is probably not for me. To be honest, I was left not really giving a flip about ANY character in this story. Not. A. One.
Artwork: The issue covers for each section, done by Jenny Frison, were very nice. Clean, fluid lines, attractive color work. The artwork within the issues themselves? Not so much. Todd Herman's art had an overall muddled look to me. What was going on with the faces? In nearly every shot, the characters look either angry, murderous, or even sometimes a little lecherous...even when it was a very average, uneventful conversation.. almost as if the act of conversing were the most painful thing ever. Everyone just walking around rockin' Joker faces at all times. Weird. Thankfully, this was toned down some by Issues 3-4.
The end of the book features a "Gallery" section where you can see samples of the artwork uncolored, initial sketches, etc. which I found interesting, especially when looking at the uncolored version of Issue 1 cover. It was nice with color, but I was surprised to see how much prettier I found the black and white sketch version.
Following the Gallery section is an excerpt from Patricia Briggs' novel FAIR GAME, so you can sample her writing style if you're a newbie to her work like me.
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