Also by this author: Person of Interest: Why Jesus Still Matters in a World that Rejects the Bible
Goodreads
J. Warner Wallace made his name in evangelical circles as being the Lee Strobel of the law enforcement world. While Strobel put his investigative journalism skills to work to make A Case For… Christian thinking, Wallace used his skills as a cold-case investigator to do the same in books like Cold-Case Christianity, Forensic Faith, God’s Crime Scene, and more. Case Files vol. 1 is a wide deviation from those non-fiction offerings that maintains the overall theme of promoting the Christian worldview.
Done in graphic novel format alongside his son Jimmy Wallace, J. Warner Wallace tells a fast-paced story about Detective Michael “Murph” Murphy, a seasoned officer nearing retirement, who is drawn into a series of murders that challenge his perceptions of justice and personal worth. The story delves into existential themes, prompting readers to consider what truly gives life meaning. While the plot is driven by a gripping murder investigation, it subtly weaves in discussions about the intrinsic value of individuals, irrespective of societal status or past mistakes.
Case Files hits pretty much every detective trope you can think of and, despite the “comic book” format, the content of the book—with its focus on murder, drug addiction, and violence—is definitely not a book for younger kids. As I read the book, I kept thinking that I wasn’t sure what audience this book was intended for. The graphic novel format is appealing to kids, but the content isn’t age-appropriate and the thematic messaging is too subtle. The story might work for adults, but even then the story winds up rather tropeish and simplistic.
As far as the book’s central message—that all life has value—that’s a message with a faith element that doesn’t come across very strongly. Going into the book, I expected that (like a lot of Christian media) the faith element would overwhelm the story. I’m glad to be proven wrong here, but I wonder if Case Files goes too far in the other direction.
The artwork in the book—done by the same folks responsible for The Chosen graphic novels—is fine. It’s serviceable but not outstanding. The story is one that’s a little odd to put into graphic novel form. There’s no real chance for beautiful scenery or bold, vibrant colors because that doesn’t fit the story or the tone.
I appreciate what Case Files attempts to do. While Wallace’s earlier works are direct in their apologetic approach, this graphic novel opts for a more narrative-driven method, aiming to provoke thought through storytelling rather than overt argumentation. Christian publishing needs more experimentation like this. For me…I don’t know that it worked, but I still want authors and publishers to feel free to continue to make works that utilize different methods of storytelling. Graphic novels are a growing industry and Christian themes are very much underrepresented. This is just an odd one to start. If you’re an adult fan of graphic novels and police procedurals, you might enjoy this combination. If you’ve been a J. Warner Wallace fan just for his non-fiction, this one probably won’t work for you.