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Wolfskin #1
Wolfskin, Volume 1
The only way a nomadic barbarian can survive an onslaught of enemies is by consuming a sacred mushroom and communing with the murder god of his warrior people... an act that may bring about an uncontrollable fury and the slaughter of many innocents.
Before history was recorded in stone and ink, some men wrote it in blood! Tormented by his past deeds on the field of battle, a nomadic warrior wrapped in wolfpelts wanders south from the harsh climes at the top of the world, only to find himself at the center of bloody conflict once more. Stumbling upon a village torn apart by rival tribal leaders, Wolfskin unknowingly rekindles an ancient enmity. Soon, he too is torn -- between duty to the lives he has ruined by his mere presence, and duty to the hideous murder-god of the Northish wastes and the berserker drugs that are his sacrament!
Before history was recorded in stone and ink, some men wrote it in blood! Tormented by his past deeds on the field of battle, a nomadic warrior wrapped in wolfpelts wanders south from the harsh climes at the top of the world, only to find himself at the center of bloody conflict once more. Stumbling upon a village torn apart by rival tribal leaders, Wolfskin unknowingly rekindles an ancient enmity. Soon, he too is torn -- between duty to the lives he has ruined by his mere presence, and duty to the hideous murder-god of the Northish wastes and the berserker drugs that are his sacrament!
120 pages, Paperback
First published June 29, 2009
99 people want to read
About the author
Warren Ellis
1,912 books5,770 followersWarren Ellis is the award-winning writer of graphic novels like TRANSMETROPOLITAN, FELL, MINISTRY OF SPACE and PLANETARY, and the author of the NYT-bestselling GUN MACHINE and the “underground classic” novel CROOKED LITTLE VEIN, as well as the digital short-story single DEAD PIG COLLECTOR. His newest book is the novella NORMAL, from FSG Originals, listed as one of Amazon’s Best 100 Books Of 2016.
The movie RED is based on his graphic novel of the same name, its sequel having been released in summer 2013. IRON MAN 3 is based on his Marvel Comics graphic novel IRON MAN: EXTREMIS. He is currently developing his graphic novel sequence with Jason Howard, TREES, for television, in concert with HardySonBaker and NBCU, and continues to work as a screenwriter and producer in film and television, represented by Angela Cheng Caplan and Cheng Caplan Company. He is the creator, writer and co-producer of the Netflix series CASTLEVANIA, recently renewed for its third season, and of the recently-announced Netflix series HEAVEN’S FOREST.
He’s written extensively for VICE, WIRED UK and Reuters on technological and cultural matters, and given keynote speeches and lectures at events like dConstruct, ThingsCon, Improving Reality, SxSW, How The Light Gets In, Haunted Machines and Cognitive Cities.
Warren Ellis has recently developed and curated the revival of the Wildstorm creative library for DC Entertainment with the series THE WILD STORM, and is currently working on the serialising of new graphic novel works TREES: THREE FATES and INJECTION at Image Comics, and the serialised graphic novel THE BATMAN’S GRAVE for DC Comics, while working as a Consulting Producer on another television series.
A documentary about his work, CAPTURED GHOSTS, was released in 2012.
Recognitions include the NUIG Literary and Debating Society’s President’s Medal for service to freedom of speech, the EAGLE AWARDS Roll Of Honour for lifetime achievement in the field of comics & graphic novels, the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire 2010, the Sidewise Award for Alternate History and the International Horror Guild Award for illustrated narrative. He is a Patron of Humanists UK. He holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Essex.
Warren Ellis lives outside London, on the south-east coast of England, in case he needs to make a quick getaway.
The movie RED is based on his graphic novel of the same name, its sequel having been released in summer 2013. IRON MAN 3 is based on his Marvel Comics graphic novel IRON MAN: EXTREMIS. He is currently developing his graphic novel sequence with Jason Howard, TREES, for television, in concert with HardySonBaker and NBCU, and continues to work as a screenwriter and producer in film and television, represented by Angela Cheng Caplan and Cheng Caplan Company. He is the creator, writer and co-producer of the Netflix series CASTLEVANIA, recently renewed for its third season, and of the recently-announced Netflix series HEAVEN’S FOREST.
He’s written extensively for VICE, WIRED UK and Reuters on technological and cultural matters, and given keynote speeches and lectures at events like dConstruct, ThingsCon, Improving Reality, SxSW, How The Light Gets In, Haunted Machines and Cognitive Cities.
Warren Ellis has recently developed and curated the revival of the Wildstorm creative library for DC Entertainment with the series THE WILD STORM, and is currently working on the serialising of new graphic novel works TREES: THREE FATES and INJECTION at Image Comics, and the serialised graphic novel THE BATMAN’S GRAVE for DC Comics, while working as a Consulting Producer on another television series.
A documentary about his work, CAPTURED GHOSTS, was released in 2012.
Recognitions include the NUIG Literary and Debating Society’s President’s Medal for service to freedom of speech, the EAGLE AWARDS Roll Of Honour for lifetime achievement in the field of comics & graphic novels, the Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire 2010, the Sidewise Award for Alternate History and the International Horror Guild Award for illustrated narrative. He is a Patron of Humanists UK. He holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Essex.
Warren Ellis lives outside London, on the south-east coast of England, in case he needs to make a quick getaway.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 11, 2026
Lots of blood and gore and not a bad story. Recommended
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November 20, 2016Warren Ellis' Conan riff takes full advantage of Avatar's editorial slant and preferred art style to provide all the lovingly-detailed disembowelment and bad language the originals couldn't quite get away with. Also the PTSD, which may explain why this barbarian antihero seems oddly chaste. Effective at what it sets out to do, but I'm not sure there was ever much mileage in the concept, and the last issue here really feels the loss of Ryp's art.
September 2, 2017
Warren Ellis mixes Conan with Vikings and comes up with Wolfskin. There seems to be a story behind the story which we aren't privy to, but what we do get to read features all the ultra-violence and depraved villains this type of story needs. Most of the art is by Juan Jose Ryp and its him near his hyperdetailed best. If you're a Conan and/or Ellis fan, this one is worth checking out.
July 17, 2023
An ultra-violent pastiche of Conan with some hidden depths.
Intriguing enough to persuade me to go for the next part.
Let's see how it unfolds.
Intriguing enough to persuade me to go for the next part.
Let's see how it unfolds.
October 21, 2020
Wolfskin
Warren Ellis
For a second there I thought this was a joke, but I guess it isn't... maybe? Never read Conan, so I can't relate, and without the name on the front cover I most likely would have passed on this, but here I am.
Big banished barbarian walks in the forest, ran into two feuding groups, gets tangled up. At some point, he catches an arrow with his bare hands and kill the archer by throwing back the arrow! That's some Aroldis Chapman stuff going on here! BBB seems to have a knack for randomly running into bad people, which is a great outlet for his anger. The art is a bloody mess, but it's well drawn, I think? Very detailed for sure.
There are a couple of good one liner, but the story overall feels cliché. Still I don't regret reading it, and I wouldn't mind getting my hands on the second part to see if there is more substance. I suspect not, but heck at least there will be more gore.
Warren Ellis
For a second there I thought this was a joke, but I guess it isn't... maybe? Never read Conan, so I can't relate, and without the name on the front cover I most likely would have passed on this, but here I am.
Big banished barbarian walks in the forest, ran into two feuding groups, gets tangled up. At some point, he catches an arrow with his bare hands and kill the archer by throwing back the arrow! That's some Aroldis Chapman stuff going on here! BBB seems to have a knack for randomly running into bad people, which is a great outlet for his anger. The art is a bloody mess, but it's well drawn, I think? Very detailed for sure.
There are a couple of good one liner, but the story overall feels cliché. Still I don't regret reading it, and I wouldn't mind getting my hands on the second part to see if there is more substance. I suspect not, but heck at least there will be more gore.
May 8, 2013
How do you out-Conan, Conan?
You get Warren Ellis to re-invent him.
The story was over the top and the art is so busy my eyes started getting crossed a few pages in.
I'll be reading Volume 2 this evening. Overall, not bad, but m'eh.
You get Warren Ellis to re-invent him.
The story was over the top and the art is so busy my eyes started getting crossed a few pages in.
I'll be reading Volume 2 this evening. Overall, not bad, but m'eh.
December 27, 2017
Warren Ellis tackles straight up sword-and-sorcery and fuckin' nails it. Mike Wolfer continued the series, but it lacked that Ellis-ian panache.
June 6, 2021
What if Conan was a Nordic blonde with a horse cock? O.K. you got my attention....
August 6, 2023
3/5, but the art from Juan Jose Ryp is out of this world, amazing !!!
February 19, 2026
very, very gory.
February 27, 2012
A barbarian wearing a wolfskin ventures through the woods - suddenly he's attacked! After cleaving in twain his would-be killers he is caught in the midst of a struggle between two disparate groups of people, each led by a mad brother. Each try to woo him to fight for them until they push him too far and the wolf within is unleashed.
Warren Ellis does Conan the Barbarian. That's basically the book summed up. Not to say that's bad but the very graphic violence (he literally slices men in two with his swords and decapitates a man with a hammer) becomes a bit stale when I realised there was little else to this book. Juan Jose Ryp provides some beautiful art throughout, even when it's bloody as hell and showcases Wolfskin going berserker crazy with his weapons (both of which are often) but I would say that despite having a gifted writer like Ellis scripting it, the best thing about the book is the artwork.
Warren Ellis is a fine writer but this isn't his best work, not by a long chalk, but it is an enjoyable romp especially if you enjoyed reading Conan the Barbarian growing up. But if you're looking for something a bit more substantial than mindless violence, you'll find the book wanting. For Ellis fans only.
Warren Ellis does Conan the Barbarian. That's basically the book summed up. Not to say that's bad but the very graphic violence (he literally slices men in two with his swords and decapitates a man with a hammer) becomes a bit stale when I realised there was little else to this book. Juan Jose Ryp provides some beautiful art throughout, even when it's bloody as hell and showcases Wolfskin going berserker crazy with his weapons (both of which are often) but I would say that despite having a gifted writer like Ellis scripting it, the best thing about the book is the artwork.
Warren Ellis is a fine writer but this isn't his best work, not by a long chalk, but it is an enjoyable romp especially if you enjoyed reading Conan the Barbarian growing up. But if you're looking for something a bit more substantial than mindless violence, you'll find the book wanting. For Ellis fans only.
September 7, 2016
This comic seems to have more pencil lines in one panel than other comics have in an entire issue. The artist added a staggering amount of detail, most of it colored red, in blood. The story is kinda weak, but it's a quick read, so I'll take it. The focus is mainly on the artwork, but the world is in a fantasy setting with a surprising amount of complexity given its short run of three issues.
The story revolves around a small town whose inhabitants were split into two warring factions that reached a stalemate when the main character enters the scene. He stumbles onto a group of warriors from one of the two sides and defeats them swiftly. The group's leader begs for mercy and is spared. He asks the main character for help in defeating the other side, given that he is from a race of men that are excellent fighters, each worth several regular fighters. It doesn't end well for the village, a thing presented in gruesome detail.
The story revolves around a small town whose inhabitants were split into two warring factions that reached a stalemate when the main character enters the scene. He stumbles onto a group of warriors from one of the two sides and defeats them swiftly. The group's leader begs for mercy and is spared. He asks the main character for help in defeating the other side, given that he is from a race of men that are excellent fighters, each worth several regular fighters. It doesn't end well for the village, a thing presented in gruesome detail.
June 19, 2011
Excellent, original story. Ellis does his research and hones the writing down to its bare essentials. This is very compelling or me to read - people talking clearly and plainly, and even though they're barbarians, the people seem very authentic and true to their character. I love the sharp, pointed dialogue.
I'm not as in love with the art here - the same artist as on Ennis' Crossed. It's also just as gory and detailed, which is great - but with that detail comes his fascination with extra linework and pencil marks, to the point that there's no place in most panels for my eyes to rest.
The three-issue series is really well done, but take note that the rest if the book is an unrelated (but more lightly entertaining) story that continues our hero's journey. Wish Ellis had continued with this character and his trials.
I'm not as in love with the art here - the same artist as on Ennis' Crossed. It's also just as gory and detailed, which is great - but with that detail comes his fascination with extra linework and pencil marks, to the point that there's no place in most panels for my eyes to rest.
The three-issue series is really well done, but take note that the rest if the book is an unrelated (but more lightly entertaining) story that continues our hero's journey. Wish Ellis had continued with this character and his trials.
July 18, 2011
I'm not really sure what I expected from this story, but I really found myself wanting more. The characters just seem...so ambiguous... Perhaps because there is no narration, only dialogue and action panels. This story seems like an in-between piece, and I am wondering if I am missing the other installments of a larger Wolfskin saga? I want this story to go farther. I want to know more about Wolfskin. As a character he holds a lot of promise for interesting adventures, and it seems as though Ellis has created a wide fictional world in which Wolfskin can roam. So where does Wolfskin go from here, and where does he come from? Give us more, Warren Ellis!
July 27, 2011
A berserker mercenary -- who accepts payment only in magic mushrooms -- gets recruited to take sides in a battle between two "brothers", each ruler of divided war-torn city. The results are a rollicking action-packed blood-tsunami, by turns hilarious and poignant. The well-named Juan Jose Ryp sure does enjoy rendering those glistening viscera, and yea verily my jaw dropped when I saw the god conjured by the psilocybins. There is also a potent, nihilistic nordic-spartacus political metaphor creeping up here, I'm certain of it... can't wait for the next installment.
September 1, 2013
Who could resist Warren Ellis taking on the "barbarian" trope... well, there's good and bad here. Lovely dialogue, sparse writing, great central character, lovely mix of weirdness and violence and historical context (ish) and evidence of good anthro thought... but I'll admit to tiring very rapidly of Juan Jose Ryp's artwork. I'd much rather see this drawn by someone else - it's not bad, it's just ...bitty and tiring to look at for too long... I like a cleaner line. Story deserves four, but I'm not overly keen on the art as is - but that's unfair to Ryp so let's call it a 3.5. I will definitely be reading more, in any case.
August 9, 2011
No es una mala historieta de espadas, sangre y tragedias, pero la verdad que no está de cerca de ser de las obras que más disfruté de esta dupla. Historia cumplidora, entretenida y bastante lineal y dibujo rico en detalles pero que falla a la hora de la acción y en el modo de retratar la crudísima violencia que explicita el guion. De todos modos, se dejó leer cómodamente, la historia extra no estuvo mal, y si baja de precio probablemente le dé otra chance.
June 29, 2024
Holy crap! Excellent writing by Warren Ellis and brilliant artwork by Juan Jose Ryp on the core series make this an absolute must-read. I love how something so violent and gory is so beautifully rendered. Colorist Andrew Dalhouse also deserves a major shout out for his tasteful palette choices. Seriously, the artwork and coloring in Issues 1-3 are things of beauty. I am not a huge medieval/ Dungeons and Dragons type, but the premise works here.
January 8, 2010
Awesome...with lots of blood too. Even when Warren Ellis directs his artists to spend 50% of their art drawing blood spatter he manages to eke out a pretty compelling story with intriguing characters. I really hope that I get to read more about this Wolfskin. Oh, and if you like disemboweling, and you know you do: this is THE book for you.
April 15, 2010
warren ellis doing a conan style book turns out to be a pretty good read. its quick, has fantastic Ryp art for the main story, and has enough opportunities for Ellis to add his own touch to a seemingly one-note character. definitely interested in more of this depending on how much ellis is involved.
November 8, 2011
I love Warren Ellis, and I'm cursed with being a completionist. But a lot of his Avatar work feels phoned in, and this is no exception. The artwork doesn't do it any favors either, nor does the fact that the last story isn't written by Ellis.
There are at least 30 other, better Ellis graphic novels out there. Start with those, and then come to this with as low expectations as possible.
There are at least 30 other, better Ellis graphic novels out there. Start with those, and then come to this with as low expectations as possible.
January 24, 2016
Gory.
That neither helps nor hinders the story, it just takes up space.
The two stories themselves are rather thin. Not bad per se but I finished this feeling I could have spent my time reading something else.
Closer to two than three stars.
That neither helps nor hinders the story, it just takes up space.
The two stories themselves are rather thin. Not bad per se but I finished this feeling I could have spent my time reading something else.
Closer to two than three stars.
Read
May 29, 2010epic brutality
October 31, 2010
An ok interpretation of a neo-Conan character, but this doesn't go far enough, really. A surprisingly disappointing read.
Read
August 26, 2015A fun little Conan pastiche, but even Ellis writing Conan sounds unmistakably like Ellis.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews