Rob reviews Woodland Creatures Vol.1...
Woodland Creatures is an engaging fantasy tale that's set within modern times. Both opening volumes of Woodland Creatures tell the tale of Callie and Christopher - two normal people - who hide a very unique talent. As lycanthropes, Callie and Christopher live in secret amongst the human world. However, with lycan attacks on the rise. What happens when the humans who do know about the wolves in amongst the flock attempt to use them as a weapon?
At the time of writing Woodland Creatures creator, Christina Roswell is currently running a crowdfunding campaign for Volume 3. With this latest instalment exceeding its target goal, there's no better time to get reacquainted with this world - or like me - jump into it.
As mentioned in the intro, Woodland Creatures revolves around Callie and Christopher, two very different lycanthropes whose paths are entwined by their shared connection. The duo can call upon their wolf spirits in times of need and can mentally control their wolf as if it were their own body. Volume 1 wastes no time in showing that while Callie and Christopher share this ability, they're two very different people. Callie is a 25-year old who despises humanity and uses her companion to roam the darkness as a pretty effective serial killer. Meanwhile, Christopher is a 35-year old ex-military veteran who also suffers from a form of PTSD.
The novel starts as Callie has taken a random stranger on a night out that he'll never forget. Once alone, Callie reveals who she is as her Amaroq stalks the terrified human through the woods. Help soon arrives in the form of Christopher as he attempts to reason with Callie, and get her to stand down. However, we soon get to see that while Christopher is a source of reasoning, he's not one for blowing their cover and it's soon lights out permanently for the defenceless human.
After this brief and bloody introduction, Roswell then slows things down as we get into the nitty-gritty of the narrative. What then follows is a bit of a clichéd story as a U.S. military official attempts to prove to the UN that lycanthrope is dangerous and as such, they need to be registered with the military (think back to Marvel's Civil War and you're on the right path). The rest of the narrative plays out via plenty of character-driven moments as Christopher attempts to stop Callie from being used as a pawn in Colonel Harris' plan.
When it comes to the overall story, Woodland Creatures Vol. 1 paces itself pretty well. We get some exposition to this world, however, it's not enough that it bogs everything down in explanation. This not only allows us to focus on the here and now, but it also keeps the reader interested in the wider picture that's being created. Both our leading characters work well together and there are enough differences in their personalities that they feel organic. Callie plays the part of your typical anger-fulled hate-fest. She despises humanity and is ever the danger that Colonel Harris suggests that the Lycanthrope are. However, Roswell does show a different side to her - especially when her Amaroq escapes. It's here where we see Callie's vulnerable side as she truly threats about her Amaroq, and Christopher - who's the lifeless body she's had to drag through New York
Christopher on the other hand is the more intriguing. Through this opening volume, he's portrayed as the more human of the two characters. He's very quick to stop Callie from doing things too drastically, yet he's also quick to show his mean side when either of them is threatened. His PTSD is also briefly touched upon as Roswell starts to explore his past with Colonel Harris and his deployment overseas. While it doesn't go into too much depth, it's something that I hope gets developed further in the future.
The artwork comes from Tomás Aira who utilises a black & white style to bring the script to life. There's great attention to detail as Aira uses small expressions within the characters that exponents further their thoughts and feelings. Away from this and we're treated to page after page of stunning linework with plenty of close-up and wide-angle shots. And just check out those use of shadows too!
Overall, Woodland Creatures Vol.1 is a brilliant read that sets itself off to a good start. Its narrative flows effortlessly as Roswell builds the mystery surrounding the two characters and their world through plenty of character-driven moments. The icing on the cake comes from Tomás Aira whose artwork is a real thing of beauty.
With Volume 2 already out, and with Volume 3 on the way - there's no better time to get stuck into what Woodland Creatures has to offer!
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