THE DRESDEN FILES: GHOUL GOBLIN review

(Reviewed by Melody Werner)
Ghoul Goblin is a six issue long spinoff series and a Dresden Files story, if you can believe that. It's published by Dynamite Entertainment and co-written by the writer of the main entries to the series, Jim Butcher, alongside Mark Powers; with Joseph Cooper providing the artwork (and serial ghoul goblins, Ardian Syaf and Kyle Ritter, doing the covers). It's about our wise-cracking sorcerer and private detective, Harry Dresden, as he tries to crack a case involving a cursed blood line, ghouls, and goblins.

Unlike the previous Dresden Files comic spinoff I read, War Cry, this one is actually pretty accessible to new readers. You don't need to have read Storm Front or Fool Moon (the two main stories that came before this one chronologically in the Dresdenverse) to understand what's going on here. If it references something from an older book, it actually gives a recap, like the main series always does. So that's a plus, because more people can actually read it and understand it.

The series very much feels "Dresden Files", as it should. The writing is what you'd expect from one of the main books and the threats are, again, what you'd expect from Butcher. One thing I did dislike was that there was no real comedy or smartassery to the issues, which is one of the main series's biggest boons, methinks. Still, almost any Dresden fan will enjoy the series just fine because, well, it's more Dresden, and for new readers it's pretty decent. It's not Changes or Skin Game levels of terrific, I don't think--but it isn't horrible, writing wise, by any means.

The plot's pretty good. It has its ups and downs and the twists aren't amazing, but it has some pretty satisfying moments that do well to make up for disappointments here and there. All of the important parts tie together nicely, though some of the minor threads are left hanging. The side characters aren't particularly interesting, though Dresden's characterized pretty well here, minus his usual snarky disposition. The dialogue is fine, but not fantastic or even great unfortunately. Very workman-like.

The art is enjoyably caricatured. The faces look good and the creature designs are top-notch. I don't like that Fuego looks just like Forzare here, but that's just a nitpick, honestly. The characters do portray emotion and I honestly think this gets Dresden's looks down perfectly, unlike War Cry or the dreadful TV series.

Ghoul Goblin is a pretty decent series that I think could've been better with more charm and some more clever writing, but it's definitely not Ghost Story or the dreaded TV show. I honestly also prefer it to War Cry, though they aren't that different in terms of levels of quality. Dresden Files: Ghoul Goblin gets a 7.5/10.

Good

Summary:
A decent series with good art, a decent plot, decent dialogue, and meh characters. It feels like a Dresden Files entry, though it still isn't as great as the main entries generally are.

(originally posted: 2/2/2016)