Having a fatal disease is one of the worst things a person can get. It will make anyone depressed and question life. The only thing that’ll make that situation worse is if a monster comes into your life and wants revenge on you. That’s what Jonathan Maberry delves into with “Bad Blood” and it is bloody good.
Trick is dying of cancer. He is as depressed as anyone can get. His friend, Kyle, tries to keep him cheered. As if his life couldn’t get any worse a vampire comes out of nowhere and bites him. Problem is the vampire says Trick’s blood is “unclean†and now the vampire is also “unclean.†Trick now has to find out more about the vampire and stop him before it makes his life even more of a living hell.
The first half of the comic is deceptive. It reads like a story where one friend is helping another friend in need and then morphs into an all out horror. This complete 180 in tone may sound like a literary no-no but it actually turns out to be well done. Maberry used the first half to establish the characters and the background. This is what raises this comic above most comic mini-series.
The horror aspect is also nicely done. We have a “30 Days of Night†style vampire and trick is confused by it. Because of modern day vampires that sparkle and are super pretty this super aggressive vampire came as a shock to him. Yes, this is taking a cheap shot at “Twilight†but Maberry can be forgiven for that shot. It hit the bull’s eye.
The art by Tyler Crook gives the perfect feel for the comic. Both the style and colors gives the reader the feeling that we are seeing this world through the eyes of Trick. It is ugly, depressing and there has to be a way out of this misery. It is not a world anyone wants to be in but there’s no choice in the matter. Suffer until the end.
“Bad Blood†gives us a rare glimpse into a different type of vampire story. One where the main lead is poison to the vampire and there’s has to be a way to stop this evil. Combine that with Crook’s art and this one is worth sinking your fangs into.
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