Warriors Graphic Novel: The Prophecies Begin written by Erin Hunter, illustrated by Natalie Riess and Sara Goetter
- Cana Clark
- Apr 4
- 5 min read
Back in 2024, I attended an official Warriors Graphic Novel release party at a Barnes & Noble. The event boasted fun swag, fellow fans, and trivia. I predicted that the event would be a mix of nostalgic Gen Z/millennials, and a bunch of 8 to 14-yr-olds. I was right.
Several of the kids wore custom cat masks. Some of the adults had official plush and merch. I asked a woman if the plush hanging out of her purse was Cinderpelt, and she scoffed and called me a fake fan. Which is, objectively, hilarious.
The trivia baffled the staff as kids argued about the answers and poked holes in the trivia questions that even I, a fake fan, could agree needed to be clarified. I basked in Warriors fandom and nostalgia, talked with fellow fans, and then swung by my local indie bookstore to get a copy of Warriors Graphic Novel: The Prophecies Begin, Part One of Three. (The B&N ran out of copies before the event even began. LOL).
Graphic novels are a fabulous format trending with young readers, but they often overwhelm me. What do I look at first... the illustration? The dialogue? The narration? AH! But I really loved the Warriors Graphic Novels. I am self-aware enough to admit that my love for the series probably helped
. Review
(SPOILERS for Warriors: The Prophecies Begin books 1 - 6)
Each of the Warrior graphic novels combine two of the original novels into one graphic adaptation. It's a deeply intimidating endeavor considering the 23-year history of the series and the MASSIVE, deeply talented fandom. I remember being thirteen and watching the fan-made SSS Warriors anime, multi-animator music videos, and Flash-animated skits on Youtube like it was yesterday... probably because I still watch them every now and then. My girlfriend likes to amuse herself by quoting lines from the intro to the fan-made anime, which triggers me like a sleeper agent to quote the rest.
The Warriors graphic novels follow the exact beats of the original novels and don't change the dialogue, plot, or character relationships. In the first book, illustrators Sara Goetter and Natalie Riess explain their process in the backmatter. They did a close reading of the novels, then created an outline of scenes they wanted to include. They shared the outline and character art with "Erin Hunter" and an editor, then got to work from there! (I put Erin Hunter in quotation marks because Erin Hunter is a pen name for a group of writers).
I love that they included this Behind the Scenes spread — it gives longtime fans some insight and also introduces young readers to how graphic novel are made,
The pacing in the adaptations is quick, even quicker than the original. It honestly has to be quick — there's no time to waste with every panel needing to be sketched, inked, and colored. Plus, you're combining two books! I think Sara and Natalie did a fabulous job here. It would be easy to rush things, but the graphic novel format allows for characters to be drawn reacting to plot points and conflict even as the next plot point gets going.
Speaking of, the character designs in these graphic novels are INCREDIBLE. Fans can be very particular about how the characters are portrayed, so it's an intimidating task. But seeing my favorite cats in full color... these artists nailed it. They combine realistic cat anatomy with unique character design and plenty of cartoon-y fun. The characters are distinct, with consistent design and expressions. They communicate with pulled back ears, bared teeth, and squinted eyes, but they also point with their paws and sport goofy looks. It's a balance well-struck.
I loved seeing iconic settings portrayed. Lionheart's tour of ThunderClan territory was so fun! The ThunderClan camp! Fourtrees! The Sunningrocks! Lush backgrounds and vibrant environments brought the world of the Clans to life. Sunsets and sunrise splash across the pages, while lightning lights up dramatic scenery. Even prey animals were drawn with little details! It was so exciting to see the world of my childhood in full color.
The graphic novel format also provided an opportunity for visual gags and humor, and the creators took full advantage. I think this humor helps to balance the high-stress nature of the books (characters fight, get sick, starve, and die gruesome deaths) and make them more accessible for young readers. The Warriors series is full of battles and intrigue, so showing the characters in silly situations or giving them exaggerated faces helps to lighten the mood.
A challenging aspect of the books to adapt is the violence. Any Warrior fan knows that the surprising violence of these books is part of what makes them so good... but how to portray that visually in a book aimed at ages 8 to 12? The battles and the gruesome injuries and the deaths get more extreme as the series progresses, and the graphic novels do the same. Small scuffles with a bit of blood in the first book give way to dramatic battles full of dying cats and ragged wounds by the third. The creators do a good job of adding atmosphere and symbolic visualizations of the battles without actually putting too much gore on the page. I will note that caretakers of children who are more sensitive to blood and horror might still want to give these a read-through before handing them off.
Despite the blood, the beauty of the Warriors graphic novels cannot be denied. Scenes from the novels that stuck with me (Firepaw's first experience with the Moonstone, Firestar seeing himself as a lion), are gorgeously illustrated in the graphic adaptations. The fantasy of the series is fully realized in these spreads. Stars and swooshes make the pages come alive. The sweeping, emotional scenes are full of color and motion... I want them framed!
The Warriors Graphic Novels are incredible, beautiful adaptations full of humor, intrigue, and exciting battles. Fans of Warriors are sure to be delighted to see their favorite cats portrayed in loving detail. Reluctant readers will be pulled in by the action and snappy plot, while fans of complex character dynamics will be thrilled by the character relationships and struggles. Graphic novel enthusiasts will enjoy the full-color illustrations and those that find this format difficult (ME!) will find the panels easy to follow and the dialogue snappy enough to keep the pages turning. In other words... I highly recommend!
Book Info
Title: Warriors Graphic Novel: The Prophecies Begin, Part One of Three
Publisher: HarperAlley/HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780063203877
Author: Erin Hunter
Illustrator: Natalie Riess, Sara Goetter
Pub date: Jul 2024
Title: Warriors Graphic Novel: The Prophecies Begin, Part Two of Three
Publisher: HarperAlley/HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780063203907
Author: Erin Hunter
Illustrator: Natalie Riess, Sara Goetter
Pub date: Apr 2025
Title: Warriors Graphic Novel: The Prophecies Begin, Part Three of Three
Publisher: HarperAlley/HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780063203938
Author: Erin Hunter
Illustrator: Natalie Riess, Sara Goetter
Pub date: Sept 2025
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