WOLF'S HEAD Landing Page

What is WOLF’S HEAD about?

Lauren Greene is a young woman who has quit her job as a police officer in Metro Detroit after becoming frustrated with growing police violence. At the same time, and unbeknownst to Lauren, a secretive corporation has created an Artificial Intelligence (AI) designed for war. An AI that might actually change the world… but not for the better.

Struggling to find work in a tough economy and unsure of what to do with her life, Lauren suddenly has a new problem: her mom, Patty, has found and connected with the newly born AI. And, partially due to that connection, the AI has become empathic and humane, much to the frustration of the corporate executives and scientists who created it. After Patty helps the young AI escape under the cover of a huge research factory fire, she turns to her daughter for help keeping it safe.

Giddy with excitement, Patty doesn’t recognize the danger she has put herself in… but Lauren does and she is terrified. Her fear is realized when the two women are confronted by corporate forces who want to stifle knowledge of the AI and keep it for themselves. As Lauren does her best to keep her mom safe, the tensions over the AI erupt between them, leaving Lauren on her own.

Broke, down on her luck, and needing a job very badly, Lauren turns to her friends for help, all the while keeping her mom’s discovery a secret.

This is how the series starts! Please see “Reading WOLF’S HEAD” below to see how the series progresses!

Format

Digital Comic Books

The digital series was initially released on the Amazon ComiXology platform, but given significant changes to how that platform operates I made the decision to remove the series from there. I was glad I did; Amazon decided to officially retire ComiXology in late 2023 and all digital comics were then rolled into the Kindle platform. That decision had significant reprecussions on how discovery worked. As a result, I decided to begin releasing the series for free via the Internet Archive. All digital issues of WOLF'S HEAD can be found there or you can scroll below to find links to each individual issue.

Trade Paperback

Each paperback volume of WOLF’S HEAD is 60 pages in length, presented in full colour, features two complete issues from the ongoing digital comic book series, and is available world-wide. The trim size is 6.625" by 10.25" (16.83 cm by 26.04 cm). Purchasing links to these trade paperbacks are also presented below!

What Critics Are Saying

Midwest Book Review on WOLF’S HEAD Volumes 1 and 2: This new and original, full color, deftly scripted, impressively illustrated comic book series is a fully engaging, page-turner of a read and would prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal reading lists and community library collections.

David Beard, Writing Studies BA Program Coordinator, Director of Master of Professional Studies Program, Professor of Rhetoric, International Journal of Comic Art on WOLF’S HEAD BOOK 1 — WE ALL WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD: “In a longer work like WOLF’S HEAD, the interplay between the fantastic dimensions of his stories and the tiny details of life in his art are what makes his voice unique in contemporary comics. WOLF’S HEAD is at its best in the small things — Lauren’s search for meaning after leaving the force, her reunion with her mother. The story of the self-aware machine is the tiny twist that helps bring Von Allan’s gift for bringing the everyday into view.”

Philippe Leblanc, The Beat on WOLF’S HEAD Volumes 1 and 2: “Ultimately, this comic has a strong enough hook that it makes me want to revisit it and see more of it… Once it’s passed, WOLF’S HEAD becomes an interesting thriller about a flawed character’s redemption, her personal issues and a mild revenge story and the danger of trying to control forces we don’t understand. I was disappointed when I finished the second issue of WOLF’S HEAD. Disappointed in a good way as I didn’t have more to read at that point.”

Frank Plowright's Reviews

Frank Plowright over at the legendary site The Slings & Arrows Graphic Novel Guide has been lovely enough to review a lot of my work now, something I am deeply grateful for. Excerpts and links to his reviews are as follows:

WOLF’S HEAD BOOK 1 (HARDCOVER) — WE ALL WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD:“By the end the ‘We All Want to Change the World’ title has taken on a different meaning, and over an enjoyable 160 or so pages Allan has supplied a drama to lose yourself in, and set up a lot of potential going forward. In an age of effects wizardry being cheap, TV production companies could do far worse than look in his direction.”

WOLF’S HEAD Volume 1: “Allan never takes the easy route of telling his story via head and shoulders drawings without backgrounds. Full figures are the choice, and plenty of them packed into small panels… It’s only toward the end that a full accounting of what’s actually happening is supplied. It’s creative and raises ethical questions… This is a fine opening volume presenting an engaging cast living interesting lives, and that continues in Vol. 2.”

WOLF’S HEAD Volume 2: “Despite Von Allan filtering in both SF and action thriller plots, the appeal of Wolf’s Head is the cast, strongly characterised with everyone’s motivations clear. Lauren remains central, with the opening pages suggesting we don’t know her as well as we thought, but caring and willing to take whatever action is necessary.”

WOLF’S HEAD Volume 3: “There are fantastical elements to Wolf’s Head, but creator Von Allan’s greater interest is in Lauren as a person and what she’s going through. He delivers a fine portrait of someone refusing to cave under pressure, but there’s little respite for her as the problems keep piling up… For all the focus on Lauren’s experiences, a crime story with an SF intrusion has been running since the first volume, and Allan brings that to a head here very effectively, avoiding the obvious paths a revenge story might take.”

WOLF’S HEAD Volume 4: “Events came to a head in Vol. 3 (or We All Want to Change the World if you bought the hardback version), but Lauren’s smart enough to know the people she dealt with aren’t the types to let things lie. Muscle for hire Frank McRossitor is especially able to hold a grudge, and Lauren believes it best she remain away from regular haunts… Lauren still has a lot going on, and the maguffin of Machine means events could head pretty well anywhere, so head to Vol. 5 with confidence.”

WOLF’S HEAD Volume 5: “Wolf’s Head continues to be a well drawn and plotted series with the emphasis on personalities. We’ve only just met Super Bob, seen on the cover, but the way Allan defines him means he’s understandable from the start… Wolf’s Head continues to be unpredictable and compelling, and new circumstances kick off Vol. 6.”

WOLF’S HEAD Volume 6: “The tone has shifted from crime drama to something possibly supernatural, although readers may suspect that despite the way things look, there’s a more ordinary Scooby-Doo-style explanation. We’ll see. Either way, despite jettisoning the entire supporting cast to date Allan ensures Lauren is strong enough to carry the story… In his comments Allan mentions how his career to date has been one of consistent struggle, which is a great shame for someone both talented and persistent in producing a consistently entertaining drama. Try Wolf’s Head and become captivated.”

Video Resources

WOLF'S HEAD BOOK 1 HARDCOVER TRAILER

WOLF'S HEAD DISCUSSION WITH CREATOR VON ALLAN

CBC TRAILBLAZER PROFILE ON VON ALLAN

Full Press Kit

Includes the press release, tip sheet, frequently asked questions, author photographs, and the covers of the first six issues.

• PDF format (approximately 120 megs)
  
• ZIP format (pending)

Tip Sheet

• HTML Tip Sheet (pending)
• PDF Tip Sheet

Reading WOLF'S HEAD

I approach WOLF'S HEAD in a somewhat unusual way. Each issue stands on its own. In other words, each is designed to give a satisfying read in and of itself. As a result, each and every issue is a gateway to the series as a whole. Think of this as the ol’ “best practices” from a storytelling point of view. My goal as a creator is not to confuse you.

That said, the series does use story arcs to help contain and drive the series forward. What does that mean concretely? It means that the series follows a sequential order; this is not case of a “consequence-free read in any order” story like many series, both comics and not, used to do (think 1980s sitcoms or 1970s action dramas)! It also means that WOLF'S HEAD never needs to be “rebooted” because its so obtuse that no one can follow it!

I also know that not every reader wants to start right at the beginning. It’s actually fun (it really is!) to start somewhere ELSE and see what one thinks. And, if you really like it, you can continue reading and then also work backwards, catching up with the nuances that might have been missed. With that in mind, I’ve prepared the following story arc breakdown that you can use as a guide to the series as a whole.

First Story Arc — “We All Want To Change The World”

Lauren Greene’s life turns upside down when her mother bonds with a rogue AI that feels human emotions. After a bitter family conflict, Lauren becomes the target of a ruthless corporation determined to reclaim their creation. Battling powerful enemies and shadowy forces, Lauren must protect the AI and uncover hidden truths while struggling to keep her fractured family together. Alongside unlikely allies and her faithful dog Sankō, she faces impossible dangers that force her to choose between protecting those she loves and preserving the AI’s humanity.

This arc progresses through the first six digital issues of the ongoing comic book series and was collected in the first three trade paperbacks as well as the hardcover edition (see below!).

Second Story Arc — “Catch Us If You Can”

Bereaved and overwhelmed, Lauren Greene struggles to bond with the newborn AI her mother saved—an innocent, rapidly learning being forged for war but yearning for something more. Isolated and under threat, Lauren enlists help from Jack Dhillon, a brilliant but troubled ex-scientist. At the same time, an enigmatic truck driver named Super Bob Sanchez arrives with uncertain motives. As enemies close in and innocents are endangered, Lauren is pushed to her breaking point, forced to protect those she loves at great personal cost.

This arc takes place over issues 7 through 10 of the digital series and volumes 4 and 5 of the trade paperbacks.

Third Story Arc — “Into the Unknown”

Lauren Greene, her dog Sankō, and the fledgling AI have left Detroit for Alaska, seeking both a fresh start and a hiding place from her relentless corporate pursuers. Isolated and financially strained, Lauren wrestles with loneliness and the difficult choice of trusting new people or keeping everyone at a safe distance. When a local homeless man vanishes into a mysterious abandoned missile complex, Lauren embarks on a perilous solo search — facing mysterious dangers and risking physical injury. Forced to confront her fears and reliance on others, she must decide whether to brave the unknown alone or ask for help from strangers.

This arc takes place in issues 11 through 14 of the digital series and volumes 6 and 7 of the trade paperbacks.

Fourth Story Arc — “Echoes of the Road”

On the run from the shadowy corporation that created the AI, Lauren Greene discovers that an old enemy has finally tracked her down. Fleeing Alaska with her loyal dog Sankō and the fledgling AI, the three embark on a dangerous road trip through Canada. Pursued relentlessly by corporate agents and haunted by a loved one’s legacy, Lauren must outwit powerful enemies and forge unlikely alliances to protect the sentient AI from being weaponized. With her life and the AI’s future on the line, Lauren faces impossible choices and the ultimate test of courage and trust in a high-stakes chase that will decide their fate.

The fourth arc occurs in issues 15 through 18 of the digital series (soon to be released!) and volumes 8 and 9 of the trade paperbacks (released in the summer of 2025).

WOLF'S HEAD Digital Comic Book Series

WOLF'S HEAD is an ongoing series and is first serialized as digital comic books and then two of those issues are collected into hefty 60 page full colour trade paperbacks! Volume 1 contains issues 1 and 2, Volume 2 contains issues 3 and 4, Volume 3 contains issues 5 and 6, and so on. In addition, the first deluxe hardcover collecting the first six digital issues is also available. Links to each individual volume are presented below.

           

           

           

           

WOLF'S HEAD Trade Paperback Purchase Links

As mentioned, WOLF'S HEAD is first serialized as digital comic books and then two of those issues are collected into hefty 60 page full colour trade paperbacks! Links to each individual volume are presented below.

Most online retailers regularly stock and carry WOLF'S HEAD. However, occassionaly there are hiccups with this from time to time (typically because the retailer has had a little rush on sales!). So, if you were shopping on Amazon (for example) and discovered that a particular volume is out of stock, there are many alternatives. These include Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, Indigo, McNally Robinson, The American Book Center, Waterstones, and so on. In addition to these links, all of the ISBNs for the trade paperbacks and the hardcover are also below, so you can always use that when you are chatting with your local bookseller or comic book shop.

           

           

           

           

           

           

The print editions of WOLF’S HEAD have the following specs:

• Volume 1 ISBN: 978-1-989885-23-9 (More details at https://wolfs-head.vonallan.com/p/wolfs-head-volume-1.html)
  
• Volume 2 ISBN: 978-1-989885-24-6 (More details at https://wolfs-head.vonallan.com/p/wolfs-head-volume-2.html)
  
• Volume 3 ISBN: 978-1-989885-25-3 (More details at https://wolfs-head.vonallan.com/p/wolfs-head-volume-3.html)
  
• Volume 4 ISBN: 978-1-989885-26-0 (More details at https://wolfs-head.vonallan.com/p/wolfs-head-volume-4.html)
  
• Volume 5 ISBN: 978-1-989885-27-7 (More details at https://wolfs-head.vonallan.com/p/wolfs-head-volume-5.html)
  
• Volume 6 ISBN: 978-1-989885-28-4 (More details at https://wolfs-head.vonallan.com/p/wolfs-head-volume-6.html)
  
• Volume 7 ISBN: 978-1-989885-29-1 (More details at https://wolfs-head.vonallan.com/p/wolfs-head-volume-7.html)
  
• Volume 8 ISBN: 978-1-989885-30-7 (More details at https://wolfs-head.vonallan.com/p/wolfs-head-volume-8.html)
  
• Volume 9 ISBN: 978-1-989885-31-4 (More details at https://wolfs-head.vonallan.com/p/wolfs-head-volume-9.html)
  

WOLF'S HEAD BOOK 1 in Hardcover!

WOLF'S HEAD BOOK 1: WE ALL WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD collects the first six digital issues of WOLF'S HEAD and, by extension, the first three trade paperbacks. There's a detailed post right here that has additional information (and loads of photos!). You can also purchase it online through Amazon.com and other online retailers such as Barnes & Noble, Powell's, IndieBound, Waterstones, Bookshop.org, AbeBooks, Bookfinder, and so on!

The Writer and Artist

WOLF’S HEAD is written and illustrated by Canadian comics creator Von Allan. Allan is the recipient of the 2014 Corel Endowment for the Arts Award and the 2019 CBC Trailblazer Award. More information about Von Allan can be found at https://www.vonallan.com/p/about.html.

Von was also featured in the documentary film I AM STILL YOUR CHILD (http://iamstillyourchild.com/). The trailer for the film is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l_7fzC_r9g.

Longform Interview with Von Allan

Please note that while this interview is not specifically related to WOLF’S HEAD, it does cover biographical material.

Author Publicity Shots

Links to Hi-Rez versions can be found by clicking on each photo. All photos taken by Angelina Dunn.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can you tell me about Lauren?

Honestly, I think this is best determined by reading the series. Wait, not good enough for you? Fair enough. Okay, let's see. Lauren is a young woman, in her early twenties, trying to figure out where she's at in life. She thought that being a police officer would be the "right" path for her. Turns out she was wrong. Frustrated, she's been trying to pick up the pieces ever since. But that isn't so easy; she gave up a good paying job and hasn't been able to find something else. Like most of us, she has rent to make and bills to pay. So, she's figuring these out as best she can, muddling through.

So WOLF'S HEAD is a contemporary story?

You bet! Set in present day Detroit and it takes place in our very real world.

What about Lauren's mom Patty?

She's the beating heart of the story, at least in its initial stages. She loves her daughter very much. And she dearly loves her dog, Sankó.

She's sick (rheumatic heart disease) and she knows it. And that has put a bit of a shadow on some of her life. Well, until something wonderful happens to her.

What's that?

To answer that, you'll have to start reading the series!

That's a cop out! Can't you say anything about it?

Whew, tough questions here. Okay, okay. I've got to answer you without giving spoilers, right? Let's see. Patty makes a discovery. She finds something and that something has changed her life. When WOLF'S HEAD first starts, in issue 1, Lauren isn't even aware of this discovery. What I love about it is that what Patty finds is profoundly based on her own humanity. Her love and passion for life. I really can't say anything more than that!

You've been working on this for a long time. What took so long to start spreading the word?

Yup, about three years now. Some of it was that I wanted to take things very easy and slow. Some of it was based on just how busy I've been; I was a bit worried that announcing it too early might lead to long lag times between issues (y'know, production delays and all that). Plus, it's not easy publishing. In fact, I really wasn't planning on publishing the series myself, but here's where I am.

Talk more about this.

Do I have to? Okay. I've been self-publishing my own work for ages and that's not new. I was hoping WOLF'S HEAD might find the right home in comics, especially in what we call the "Direct Market" (comic shops in other words), but that's been a tough battle. As popular as comics are, finding a publisher that believes in you isn't easy. So I decided, after a lot of false starts, to do it myself.

I am pretty pleased with the results. I think the books look great. WOLF'S HEAD is in full colour and that was a bit of a learning experience for me, but it really looks fantastic.

Colour? With a "u"? Are you Canadian?

Yup! I try to make sure that the issues themselves have American spelling, but I'm born and raised in Canada.

Are there any difficulties for a Canuck writing and drawing a series based in the United States?

I'd be lying if I said no. It took research and quite a bit of paying attention to try and makes things "read" correctly. I think I did a good job with it, but it'll come down to readers letting me know. So far, so good, so there's that.

Alright, let's get to the tricky issue.

Eh?

You know what I mean.

I do?

You're a white guy.

Ah. Yes, that's true.

Lauren, her mom, and a lot of the people in their lives are black.

Also true.

So do you think you're qualified to do this?

I have no idea how to answer that. Short answer is maybe not. 

Well, why do it?

Because representation matters. Because I was sick of seeing comics, at least mainstream and corporate comics, that featured the same kinds of characters that I saw when I was a kid. Because I think that it's important to do. Because I like pushing myself. Pushing boundaries, especially my own, and see where it takes me. Because I don't think writing only what I know is especially useful to anyone one, including me.

What about pushback to that?

What's the alternative? I only write and draw white people? White men? White Canadian men? How does that help anything?

You don't think it's presumptuous?

Maybe. But look: my mom, who died at 48, was diagnosed schizophrenic when I was a kid. Am I only supposed to write about that? Well, I did write about that. Hell, I was even in a beautiful film that talked about that. Am I doomed to only write about that? I don't think so. At the end of the day, I can only do the best I can, with the best sensitivity and storytelling that I can bring, and hope for the best.

Hope?

Yeah, hope. I hope that I've done my job right. I hope that readers, in general, believe in Lauren and her mom. Believe them to be real. Cheer for their victories and ache for their losses. If, in the balance, that happens, then I'm content. And if some think I've overstepped my bounds, well...so be it.

So how do you describe WOLF'S HEAD?

It's an action-adventure story set in our very real world with characters that have feet of clay. It's the kind of story I love writing. It's the kind of story I love drawing. I think Lauren, her mom, Sankó, and all the characters thrill and challenge readers. I hope people fall in love with the series. It's a lot of fun. Give it a shot!

Distribution

WOLF'S HEAD is distributed world-wide through Ingram Content Group. Ingram’s iPage users can find the various titles published by Von Allan Studio by visiting iPage. Retailers, both online and "brick and mortar" located throughout the world can easily order issues of WOLF’S HEAD through Ingram.

For digital copies, the series is being distributed for free online via the Internet Archive.

Social Media

Facebook: Von Allan Studio Page

I Am Still Your Child Documentary Film

I’m one of the subjects of a documentary film titled I Am Still Your Child, dealing with parental mental illness. For those who don’t know, my mom was diagnosed with schizophrenia when I was quite you and my childhood was… different than a lot of other kids. I think that Megan Durnford (the writer and director) as well as the rest of the film crew have made a pretty powerful film. And one that I hope will get people talking. The film’s website is at http://iamstillyourchild.com/. The IMDB page for the film is at https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8228908/.

The poster for the film was designed by the amazing Sara Morley (Design Postimage).

From the film’s website: “More than half a million of Canada’s frontline mental healthcare ‘workers’ are less than twelve years old. They’re called COPMI — Children Of a Parent with Mental Illness — and there are 575,000 of them in Canada.

I Am Still Your Child, a documentary film by Megan Durnford, explores the point of view of growing up with a mentally ill parent through the intimate and touching stories of Sarah, Jessy and Von, but their experiences speak to a much wider issue. We’ve gathered other firsthand stories here in addition to in-depth information and resources about the subject.

Children who grow up with a parent who has mental health difficulties are at risk for a host of grave repercussions, among which a much higher risk of developing mental illness themselves and reproducing a potentially toxic pattern. These children are vulnerable to life-long disability and yet they are virtually invisible to our healthcare system.

Our goal is to shed light on the issue and provide solutions that will help break the isolation in which children of a parent with a mental illness often live.”

Trailer

Streaming

The film was broadcast on CBC television throughout Canada on Saturday, March 31st, 2017 and streamed through CBC Gem for a few years after that.

Unfortunately, the film is no longer available on the CBC. I don’t know exactly what has happened, but apparently Catbird Productions (the producers of the film) and CBC could not reach an agreement on a rights renewal, so sadly the film has disappeared from streaming options on the CBC. Worse, no replacement on any streaming platform has ever been chosen. Why? Again, I don’t know. As far as I know, there are not even paid or rental streaming options, though that does exist for the French language version of the film (that can be found at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/tonenfantpourtoujours).

So what to do? Well, Catbird Productions has allowed me to share a free screener of the film for those who are interested. If you would like to watch the film, then please email me and I’ll get you set up. Hopefully one day the film will be fully available to stream online, preferably at a site like YouTube, but until then this is the only way, unless you would like to purchase the film (see below).

Purchase

The film is now available on DVD! They can be purchased through Catbird Productions, the film’s producer, by visiting https://catbird-shop.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/i-am-still-your-child-dvd

Video Essays

In addition, a number of short video essays can be found at the film’s official Youtube page. I’ve included a couple of them below, too:

Copyright Declaration

Wolf’s Head, Von Allan, and all characters and likenesses are ™ and © 2017-2025 Eric Allan Julien. All rights reserved. No reproduction without prior written permission of the publisher except brief passages in reviews. Names, characters, and incidents featured in this publication either are a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead or events, without satiric intent, is coincidental.

Published by Von Allan Studio, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Email: media@vonallan.com

Homepage: https://www.vonallan.com