Welcome to the Jungle

Welcome to the Jungle is a 2008 hardback graphic novel written by science fiction and fantasy author Jim Butcher and illustrated by Ardian Syaf. Set in the world of Butcher's contemporary fantasy/mystery novel series, The Dresden Files, Welcome to the Jungle was written as a prequel to the first novel, Storm Front. It was nominated for a Hugo Award in the Best Graphic Novel category. Plot A security guard at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo is brutally mauled to death; normally the city authorities would not consider this very important, but the guard is the son of a prominent politician. The Zoo's administrators accuse Moe, the zoo's alpha gorilla, of the murder and schedule him for euthanasia. Under pressure from her superiors and the mayor's office to close the case, Lt. Murphy calls in Harry Dresden, Chicago's only consulting wizard. She needs him to find the real killer within 24 hours. When Dresden interviews the zoo staff, he encounters anger and outright hostility from many of them, who blame him for the administration's decision to kill Moe. Finally, Dresden is able to interview Dr. Reese, Director of the Gorilla Program and later he meets Reese's assistant, Willamena "Will" Rogers. Dresden tells Reese that he doesn't believe Moe to be guilty. Later, Dresden and Will are attacked in Reese's office by a pack of various jungle cats (lions, leopards, and tigers). Dresden knows that only a powerful magical spell could make that many big cats hunt in a pack, and breaks the spell with running water. The zoo is closed so the staff can round up all the escaped cats. Suspecting one of the staff, Dr. Watson, Dresden takes advantage of the cat roundup to break into her office. He find a casting circle on the floor, the residue of powerful magical workings, and a filing cabinet with ritual jars full of animal blood.