WARRIORS GRAPHIC NOVEL

Rising tensions culminate in a savage battle even as Tigerstar’s bid for dominance over all the forest Clans fulfills the prophecy that “Lion and tiger will meet in battle…and blood will rule the forest.”

In this graphic novel, which adapts the events of the fifth and sixth novels in the Prophecies Begin series, Fireheart becomes Firestar, leader of ThunderClan, after Bluestar is killed while fighting off a pack of wild dogs. He then goes on to unite the Clans against threats from both within and without. The switch in format doesn’t help readers much in keeping track of the teeming cast; there’s no visual key, and so many of the cats differ so slightly in individual markings that even confirmed series fans may struggle to keep track of who’s who. Name changes are another issue: Following an attack in which she has an eye torn out, Brightpaw is renamed Lostface, and finally Brightheart, and she spends much of the tale with medicinal leaves covering the healing wound, which at least makes her easy to identify. The art allows wordless montages to speed the plot along and also gives the artists license to depict tender moments of head bumping and anthropomorphic smiles and other expressions—not to mention lots of hideously vicious claws and teeth, and savage fights. Concept and character sketches at the end offer insights into the artists’ process.

Unwieldy as ever cast-wise, but the visual format suits the violent, dramatic storylines.