Coyotes: Volume One

A primal war between men and women is writ large and mystical against the backdrop of a present-day American desert in this eerie series’ inaugural collection. In the border town known as “the City of Lost Girls,” adolescent Analia is orphaned when her mother and sister are devoured by the werewolves that prey upon the town’s women. Falling in with the Victorias, an all-female secret society that’s empowered by an earth goddess and has united to fight the masculinist lycanthropes, Analia trains her mind and body, gaining mastery of the samurai sword and renaming herself “Red.” Recently transferred cop Frank Coffey is called to the gory scene of the werewolves’ latest mass slaughter, bringing him to the front lines of battle against the monsters and into the sights of the Victorias’ powerful matriarchs, who disapprove of outsiders (“He’s got no idea what he’s in for”) and men. The tropes that Lewis (The Few) deploys here will be familiar to followers of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but newcomer Yarsky’s offbeat, expressionistic art style gives them fresh expression. This fast-paced, bloody romp is recommended for fans of The Howling and other “werewolves vs. the modern world” tales. (Apr.)