Homecoming, by Patricia Briggs and David Lawrence

I have never read Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson books, but if Homecoming—the first entry in a projected series of graphic novel tie-ins to the series—is any indication of her storytelling ability, I've missing out. Homecoming is colorful, solidly illustrated, and its beleaguered heroine, shape-shifting car mechanic Mercy Thompson, is tremendously appealing.

While the future installments in this series look like they'll be direct adaptations of the novels, Homecoming is a standalone entry. As the story opens, Mercy has just arrived in the Tri-Cities area in Washington State. She's hoping to land a teaching position (ideally one far, far away from her nagging mother). There are a few barriers standing in her way, however: one, she blows up at the interview committee, and two, she's a shape-shifter who seems to have made enemies of the local vampires, werewolves, and fae—all without even trying!

Homecoming's biggest problem is its artwork. Francis Tsai and Amelia Woo's panels are gorgeously painted and nicely laid out, but the character designs periodically shift between two very different styles. It's always clear who the characters are meant to be, but the unexplained changes distract from the flow of the story. Still, this minor irritant doesn't seriously detract from the book's charm, most of which comes from its mouthy, stubborn heroine, whose remarkable ability to get herself out of trouble can barely keep up with her unfortunate tendency to stumble into it. I'm really looking forward to the next book, and have every intention of checking out the printed novels while I wait.