Review – Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files: Downtown #2 (Dynamite)

DresdenDowntown02-Cov-Sejic - Copy Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Writer(s): Jim Butcher, Mark Powers
Artist: Carlos Gomez
Release Date: 11th March, 2015

When it comes to anything Dresden Files related, it’s hard for me not to go all out-of-control fanboy, being a longtime fan of the novel series. I can’t say that I’ve read all the graphic novel adaptations or new stories, but when I get the chance to read them – as I have with this series so far – I generally ‘fanboy’ out. This new series is no different.

As I mentioned in my review of the first issue of this series, it takes place somewhere after the novels ‘Proven Guilty’ and ‘White Knight’, yet the battle with the Red Court of Vampires is also still raging on so it hasn’t quite made it to ‘Changes’. Dresden is on the hunt for a killer of a supernatural order that even he is unsure of, and this… well… this is never a good thing. Not only is Dresden after him but Marcone is also seeking this creature and wanting to do so without interference from Dresden. Bob the Skull is brought into the fray right off the bat in the second issue to help Dresden sort out the destruction of the first murder to help find clues that Dresden may have missed.

When it comes to Jim Butcher’s writing, I again refer back to the fact that I am a huge fan of the novels, so it should be no surprise that I thoroughly enjoy these stores told in comic form as opposed to in the pages of a novel. With these shorter stories Butcher still has that innate ability to grab my attention and immerse me in Dresden’s hunt as though I were right beside him. Much like the novels, you feel as though you are right there in the trenches with Dresden and company while he is doing what he does to protect his city; not always an easy task in comic writing, especially for a writer going from 4-500 pages to four issues of 24. Being able to pull that off while keeping in place all the elements fans of the novels love about the series is a testament to what Butcher and Powers are doing with these stories. Plus, it’s also a nice bonus to read some of the stories that take place between the books and get more insight into the characters in the process.

Carlos Gomez does a fantastic job bringing these beloved characters to life panel to panel. I like the character designs but they aren’t exactly what I pictured in my head, which I guess is how it goes with any character that transfers from a medium of words to a medium with pictures. That’s not to say I’m displeased with the artwork – on the contrary, it’s quite brilliant. There are just enough elements of comic art and realism to each character that it’s not too much one or the other. The artwork is very clean, choosing more solid linework and brighter colors as opposed to heavy shading and dark environments.

Overall, if you have been a fan of the stories done in graphic format since they started – or consider yourself a fan of the longtime novels – you’ll definitely want to pick this new story up, if for no other reason than getting your Dresden fix while you wait for the next novel.

Rating: 4/5.

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