HOUR OF THE WOLF #1, by Mad Cave Studios on 10/23/24, presents a tale of supernatural thrills when a member of Wolvenheart races to save a family from a deadly painting.
Credits:
- Writer: Mark London
- Artist: Danilo Beyrouth
- Colorist: Fabi Marques
- Letterer: Dave Sharpe
- Cover Artist: Andrei Bressan (cover A)
- Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
- Release Date: October 23, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 22
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of HOUR OF THE WOLF #1:
First Impressions:
Writer Mark London expands the Wolvenheart series with a spinoff tale that delivers thrills, nail-biting tension, and dramatic urgency in Hour Of The Wolf #1. Fans of Mad Cave’s Wolvenheart series will find the episodic-style storytelling an enjoyable expansion of the original series, but new readers will have no trouble jumping in.
Plot Analysis:
Hour Of The Wolf #1 begins with a man named Phil looking over an oddly grotesque painting he bought some years ago. Phil keeps the painting in his vacation home, but he intends to bring the painting with him to his primary residence. While on a call overseas to his mother, Phil happens to gaze upon the painting at 3 AM, the hour of the wolf, when all Hell breaks loose.
Mark London gets into the rules of this world in a bit, but the setup gives readers enough chills and atmosphere to let you know this series leans heavily into its horror roots. London’s opening scene gives you a distinct Tales From The Crypt vibe that warns you early that Phil is in for a rough time.
Phill finds himself in the painting, confronted by a faceless man and two children armed with tools. The faceless man uses a straight razor to slice open a mouth to speak and an eye to see. He then offers Phil a deal – Phil must choose to forfeit his life or the life of his wife and child.
Phil’s encounter with the faceless man is, in a word, disturbing. There’s nothing like seeing a maniac use a straight razor with surgical precision to set your skin on edge, and the devilish choice instantly escalates the tension by forcing Phil into an impossible position.
In another corner of Time & Space, we meet Owen Blackwood, a member of the supernatural defense organization known as Wolvenheart. Owen and his colleagues operate within the hour of the wolf, 3 AM to 4 AM, to stop innocents from being consumed by supernatural threats. If a Wolvenheart agent doesn’t resolve the problem within the hour, they remain trapped or worse.
New readers will find value in Owen’s lengthy narration to establish the rules of the world, explaining how the agents get from time and place to time and place and what restrictions they must abide by. Admittedly, Owen’s narration is an exposition dump, but it’s clear, concise, and helpful to establish the stakes.
Own wraps up his current mission to put down a werewolf when he receives an alert regarding Phil’s family and the painting. When Owen arrives at Phil’s vacation home several days after the painting incident, he finds he may be too late for Phil, but the painting’s reach has extended to the rest of the family.
Overall, Hour Of The Wolf #1 is a perfect addition to the comic shelves in time for Halloween, with a spinoff series that expands Wolvenheart into new tales with new characters. Mark London’s first issue is creepy, sharp, fast-paced and well-constructed.
Artwork and Presentation:
Danilo Beyrouth’s art style is clean, crisp, dramatic, and suspenseful. London’s script calls for an artist who can handle horror with a slight sci-fi twist, and Beyrouth accomplishes that blend beautifully.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
If you see the name Wolvenheart and have no idea what it means, Wolvenheart is a Mad Cave series focusing on a team of individuals who traverse time and space to deal with supernatural threats. The organization has employed or faced everyone from Van Helsing to Elizabeth Bathory to DaVinci and even Rasputin.
Final Thoughts:
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HOUR OF THE WOLF #1 is an entertaining, episodic spinoff of Mad Cave’s Wolvenheart series, focusing on an agent sent to help a family face a supernatural threat. Mark London’s script is tight and effective, and Danilo Beyrouth’s art style presents the right mix of horror and supernatural steampunk.
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