Werewolf By Night #1 was much better than I thought it would be. Don't be put off by the cover--it doesn't do it justice. The artwork is good. It is dark and moody. Leonardo Manco uses the shadowy imagery to convey the impending horror. There is a variation of colors and tones even within the bleak spectrum. There is a kind of covert dynamism to the book. The drama is subtle; after all, horror is really what you don't see...

The art isn't eyepopping. On first viewing I didn't like it much, but it grows on you. It becomes richer with each subsequent viewing. It must be looked at, not merely seen, and it is complex enough to pore over a bit. Toward the middle of the book I had to turn back to the first page to make sure this was still pen and ink. But perhaps most importantly the art supports the narrative well.

Paul Jenkins doesn't hand us the same old story either. In fact he pretty much dismisses the entire original series as "kid's games" right off the bat. It's clear there is to be no tribute to the past here. As much as that might bother a devoted fan of the old series (like myself), I have to admit that Jenkins is forcefully claiming the title as his own. Occult elements have already popped up; it seems as if perhaps the entire history of lycanthropy will be explored. This is a great set-up issue. If the subsequent issues follow through this could be a series well worth following.