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DARK BLOOD #1 (OF 6)
BOOM! STUDIOS
STORY: LaToya Morgan
ART: Walt Barna
COLORS: A.H.G.
LETTERS: Andworld Design
EDITOR: Dafna Pleban
COVER: Valentine De Landro
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Juni Ba; Dan Mora; Valentine De Landro; Marcus Williams; Javan Jordan; Mico Suayan; Felix Icarus Morales with Robert Nugent; David Sanchez with Omi Remalante; Karen S. Darboe; Ingrid Gala; Marco Rudy
24pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S.(July 2021)
Dark Blood created by LaToya Morgan
Dark Blood is a new six-issue comic book miniseries created and written by screenwriter LaToya Morgan (AMC’s "The Walking Dead," "Into The Badlands"). Published by BOOM! Studios, the series is drawn by Walt Barna; colored by A.H.G.; and lettered by Andworld Design. The series focuses on an Black World War II veteran who discovers that he has strange new abilities.
Dark Blood #1 opens in Alabama, 1955. It's night. Avery Aldridge, also known as “Double A,” is leaving his job at the diner, “Hardy's Eats.” In the alley, he has a fateful encounter with a racist. Double A is a highly decorated World War II soldier, a former fighter pilot, a member of the soon-to-be-legendary “Red Tails.” He is expected to act like a boy … when he is actually a very powerful, grown-ass man. But this is “The Night of the Variance,” and everything is going to start to change – even the things some don't want changed.
THE LOWDOWN: As I much as I love the original Star Wars movies and a number of classic Walt Disney animated features (Peter Pan), my all-time favorite movie moment occurs in 1967's In the Heat of the Night. Involuntarily assigned to a homicide case in Sparta Mississippi, Philadelphia police detective Virgil Tibbs (played by Sidney Poitier) is interviewing a suspect, a local and powerful rich white man named Endicott (Larry Gates), when Endicott slaps him in the face. Tibbs slaps him right back. The first time I saw Tibbs slap Endicott, it took my breath away … and it still does.
Television writer-producer LaToya Morgan (AMC's "TURN: Washington's Spies") offers a sci-fi/horror spin on Tibbs' slap as the spine of the first issue of her new comic book, Dark Blood. This time, the confrontation is longer, and Avery Aldridge's response is made a bit more complicated, partly because he seems unstuck in time. Morgan does everything to tell her readers a lot by whetting their appetites for more, because they don't know the half of it, and she makes that “it” intriguing.
For all that I am intrigued by Dark Blood #1's story and concept, this first issue is also a showcase for the art team of illustrator Walt Barna and colorist A.H.G. Barna's compositions are some of the most convincing period art that I have seen in a modern comic book in years. Barna's Alabama, 1955 looks so “old-timey” that I could believe that it is something Barna drew at least half-a-century ago. Barna's aerial sequences depicting Aldridge's time as a Red Tail reminds me of the comic book art one might find in EC Comics' legendary war comic book, Aces High (1955).
A.H.G.'s colors are gorgeous and also from a time machine. If I didn't know better, I would say he hand-colored this comic book and manually separated those colors in a back office at a NYC-based comic book publisher – in days gone by. Seriously, his colors shimmer, but are also earthy, and they make the storytelling's time periods look and feel authentic.
And I always enjoy Andworld Design's lettering, which is always stylish in a way that brings immediacy and power to the drama. So LaToya Morgan, Walt Barna, A.H.G., and Andworld Design are off to a most excellent start, and Dark Blood #1 sparkles with promise.
I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of modern science fiction and dark fantasy comic books will want to drink Dark Blood.
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KILLADELPHIA #16
IMAGE COMICS
STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Jason Shawn Alexander
COLORS: Luis Nct
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello
COVER: Jason Shawn Alexander
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: James O'Barr
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (August 2021)
Rated “M/ Mature”
Killadelphia and Elysium Gardens created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander
“Home is Where the Hatred Is” Part IV: “Have a Little Talk with God”
Killadelphia is an apocalyptic vampire and dark fantasy comic book series from writer Rodney Barnes and artist Jason Shawn Alexander and is published by Image Comics. At the center of this series is a police officer caught in a lurid conspiracy in which vampires attempt to rule Philadelphia, “the City of Brotherly Love.” Colorist Luis Nct and letterer Marshall Dillon complete Killadelphia's creative team.
Killadelphia focuses on James “Jim” Sangster, Jr. and his father, revered Philadelphia homicide detective, James Sangster, Sr., thought to be dead. He is actually a vampire. Now father and son lead a ragtag team comprised of a medical examiner, a dead president, and a rebellious, but special young vampire (Tevin Thompkins a.k.a. “See Saw”) in a bid to save Philly from an ambitious and murderous former First Lady.
As Killadelphia #16 (“Have a Little Talk with God”) opens, Jupiter and the now vampire former President Thomas Jefferson have a long-awaited confrontation. But after the harsh words, can they (vampire) kiss and make up? Meanwhile, Tevin chats up Anansi, and boy, does God have a mouth on him. Can Anansi bring Jim, Jr. back from the world of the creatures of the night to the world of the living, and if He can, why should He?
THE LOWDOWN: Killadelphia moves into the second half of its third story arc, “Home is Where the Hatred Is.” Perhaps, this is the story arc that most reveals the complexities and multiple layers of Killadelphia, making it more dark fantasy than mere vampire comic book.
Twisting and turning the narrative with sharp-teethed glee, writer Rodney Barnes won't let anything lie. Nothing is as it should be or as we would expect it to be. So Killadelphia #16 is one of this series' best issues … if not the very best. Barnes is also all sharp elbows with uncomfortable truths – like the Brad Pitt reference Anansi drops.
As with the previous issue, artist Jason Shawn Alexander and colorist Luis Nct dance through Barnes' script, bringing each scene or sequence into life with its own unique look. The graphical storytelling seems to evolve with the story, the lurid and the surreal side by side and proudly delivering the unexpected.
Wow, the bitter and resentful would call Killadelphia #16 “woke,” but truth defends itself very well. And sometimes, some of us should realize that history is your story and maybe it is a tale telling more than some of you wanted. Yes, I have a vampiric thirst for Killadelphia, and you, dear readers, can have that, also.
I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of vampire comic books and of exceptional dark fantasy will want Killadelphia.
[Killadelphia #16 has a backup feature: “Elysium Gardens” Part 9 “Hellfire” by Rodney Barnes, Chris Mitten, Sherard Jackson, and Marshall Dillon.]
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
https://twitter.com/TheRodneyBarnes
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http://rodneybarnes.com/
The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.
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