Jaskier may sing about Geralt’s glory and implore good folks to loosen their purse strings, but the realities of monster hunting are far less glamorous. As the bard’s songs turn the White Wolf’s capers into tales of myths and legends, CD Projekt Red creative and Witcher comic book scribe tackles fairy tales with a dark twist. Published by Dark Horse Comics, Witcher: The Ballad of Two Wolves #1 tells a dark tale about a werewolf on the prowl. Written by Bartosz Sztybor, the issue features artwork from Miki Montlló and letters from Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.
Witcher: The Ballad of Two Wolves #1 opens with one of Jaskier’s carefree singalongs as his grumpy old friend fends off wraiths in a graveyard. While the bard gets new material for his songs, for the Witcher, it is just another coinless affair. Geralt soon learns of a nearby town called Grimmwald, where a werewolf has been on the prowl. The two make the acquaintance of a young girl named Red, who reveals the sad tale behind the town’s latest miseries, pointing the blame toward the wealthy Hogge sisters. But Geralt soon learns there’s more to Grimmwald than meets the eye.
Bartosz Sztybor takes inspiration from the tales of Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs and uses the big bad wolf as the overarching shadow leaving behind a trail of clues throughout the story. Witcher: The Ballad of Two Wolves #1 works like a mystery novel, with the Witcher playing a world-weary sleuth. Alongside him is the ever-jovial Jaskier, who has long been the ideal foil for Geralt’s surly demeanor. Sztybor places much emphasis on that point, as the push and pull between the characters creates a great foundation for the dialogue, with Geralt asking the tough questions and Jaskier alleviating the tension with his timely quips. The first issue explores the town’s history and the plight of its residents, making the setting of this tale a living, breathing part of the plot.
Miki Montlló’s artwork creates a gloomy atmosphere with gristly lines giving the monsters a ghastly appearance, and his wavy line imparts a Disney-esque innocence on the faces of the supporting characters. The muted tones and sprightly colors especially evoke memories of classic fairy tales. Montlló’s splash pages illuminate Jaskier’s ballads with a fun style that’s sure to captivate the reader. Montlló incorporates the popular witcher armor from the Netflix Witcher show into his design and includes a few outfits from the Witcher games to give fans the best of both worlds.
Witcher: The Ballad of Two Wolves #1 unfolds like a detective story and a fairy tale. It feels reminiscent of CDPR’s Witcher games, but Sztybor brings his unique voice to the characters to enrich the reading experience. Witcher: The Ballad of Two Wolves #1 ends with a foreboding cliffhanger that will leave fans eagerly awaiting the next installment of the series.
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