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
