Comics

Review: ‘Bad Blood’ #1

Published

10 years ago

January 3, 2014

From the creative minds of Jonathan Maberry (Pine Deep Trilogy) and Tyler Crook (“B.P.R.D.”), comes a rejuvenating spin on the bloodsucker genre that dramatically infuses the sobering realities of cancer, with the invigorating morbidities of a modern horror vampire tale. With multiple Bram Stoker Awards under the writer’s belt, and an Eisner Award winning artist behind the panels, it’s amazingly easy to get on board with Dark Horse Comics’ “Bad Blood”.

WRITTEN BY: Jonathan Maberry
ART BY: Tyler Crook
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: January 1, 2014

“Bad Blood” is a compellingly unique story about a sick college student named Trick, and his brutal introduction into the sinister world of vampires. The author’s engagingly original narrative follows Trick’s life through the series protagonist’s intimate inner monologues which allude to his chemo treatments, his failed college football aspirations, and his strong relationship with his best friend Kyle. The bond these boys share is effectively illustrated through their interactions and natural camaraderie, so it’s especially tragic when Kyle meets his untimely, and merciless, end. Prior to this event, Trick discovers that his blood is a lethal weapon against vampires, in the middle of an attack, and sets out to avenge Kyle’s death by eliminating the entire bloodsucking species.

It’s not often that we see works of fiction that incorporate the struggles of cancer with the gritty and sinister horrors of vampirism — in fact, I can only think of L.J. Smith’s novel Secret Vampire from her Night World series — but Maberry manages to establish a perfect and sincere balance between the two, that is both devastatingly honest, and faultlessly terrifying.

Tyler Crook provides the art and lettering for the series, and his visually distinctive, and artistically pure, style seems to really bring Mayberry’s story together. With a delicate approach to painting, he uses a marvellously rich palette of — what appears to be — mostly watercolours, which reflect the changing tone of the narrative as the issue progresses. When the tale takes a more series and dark turn, the hues begin to darken as well. Crook’s depictions of the vampire race, or at least of the elder featured in this first installment, leans more toward the feral, and panders to the beast’s uncontrollable bloodlust and lack of humanity. Rather than take the overused, sophisticated gothic route that plagues most vampire lore. Furthermore, the way he illustrates the effects of Trick’s poisonous blood on the creature is as gnarly as it is inspired, so expectations are high for what’s to come.

Jonathan Mayberry and Tyler Crook prove to be the perfect creative team to dabble in this genre, and I’m excited to see how the remainder of “Bad Blood” plays out.

4/5 Skulls

Reviewed By – ShadowJayd

Lonnie Nadler

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Comics

‘Witchblade’ is Getting Resurrected This Summer in New Comic Series from Top Cow and Image Comics

Published

6 days ago

April 18, 2024

Meagan Navarro

Witchblade, the popular comic series that initially ran from 1995 to 2015 and launched a TV series, is getting resurrected in a new comic series from Top Cow and Image Comics. It’s set to unleash heavy metal, black magic and blood this summer.

Look for the new Witchblade series to launch on July 17, 2024.

In Witchblade #1, “New York City Police Detective Sara Pezzini’s life was forever fractured by her father’s murder. Cold, cunning, and hellbent on revenge, Sara now stalks a vicious criminal cabal beneath the city, where an ancient power collides and transforms her into something wild, magnificent, and beyond her darkest imaginings. How will Sara use this ancient power, or will she be consumed by it?”

The series is penned by NYT Best-Selling writer Marguerite Bennett (Animosity, Batwoman, DC Bombshells) and visualized by artist Giuseppe Cafaro (Suicide Squad, Power Rangers, Red Sonja). The creative duo is working with original co-creator Marc Silvestri, who is the CEO of Top Cow Productions Inc. and one of the founders of Image Comics. They are set to reintroduce the series to Witchblade’s enduring fans with “a reimagined origin with contemporary takes on familiar characters and new story arcs that will hook new readers and rekindle the energy and excitement that fueled the 90’s Image Revolution that shaped generations of top creators.”

Bennett said in a statement, “The ability to tell a ferocious story full of monsters, sexuality, vision, and history was irresistible.” She adds, “Our saga is sleek, vicious, ferocious, and has a lot to say about power in the 21st century and will be the first time that we are stopping the roller coaster to let more people on. I’ve loved Witchblade since I was a child, and there is truly no other heroine like Sara with such an iconic legacy and such a rich, brutal relationship to her own body.”

“The Witchblade universe is being modernized to reflect how Marguerite beautifully explores the extreme sides of Sara through memories, her personal thoughts, like desire and hunger, in her solitude and when she is possessed by the Witchblade. So, I had to visually intersect a noir True Detective-like world with a supernatural, horror world that is a fantastic mix between Berserk and Zodiac,” Cafaro stated.

Marc Silvestri notes, “This is brand new mythology around Sara, and I can’t wait for you to fall in love with her and all the twists and turns. Discover Witchblade reimagined this summer, and join us as we bring all the fun of the 90s to the modern age and see how exciting comics can be. I can’t wait for you to read this new series.”

Witchblade#1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, July 17th, for $4.99 for 48 pages. And it’ll come with multiple cover variants.