BLOODSTONE #3
"Life Like, Only Colder"
Recommended (7/10)
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Marvel Comics
Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Pencils: Michael Lopez
Inks: Scott Hanna
Colors: Color Dojo
Letters: Jon Babcock
Editor: Mike Marts
Price: $2.99 US/$4.50 CAN |
Despite the continued visual emphasis on the title character's sexuality, this book is really coming together. This is the strongest issue yet, with some solid humor, intriguing subplots and some just-plain fun adventure. I'm surprised more readers aren't talking about this book; I think perhaps it might have been dismissed as a subpar Buffy-clone. It may be the latter, but it doesn't come off as subpar. (Mind you, I don't care for Buffy at all.)
With a bad guy's utterance of some magic words (the wrong ones, it would seem), Elsa Bloodstone finds herself facing a legion of the undead, led by a cruel pharoah awakened after centuries of slumber. Fortunately, she has some help in the form of her monster-man friend Adam and a certain Living Mummy. Meanwhile, back at home in Boston, a vampiric plot begins to unfold that threatens all those Elsa holds dear.
There's an irreverence in the art that keeps the darker elements of the story from overpowering the otherwise light tone of the story. There's also a crisp quality to the art that brings out the more energetic, action-oriented aspects of the book. The only real problem with the visual side of this title is the T&A factor, but it doesn't look as though that's going to go away anytime soon.
Speaking of the objectification of the title character, even she complains about it, in the context of the story... sort of. There's a line in which she tells Tomas to stop staring at her chest, but the pose has her thrusting her chest and hips out as she says it. I really don't know what kind of message the creators are trying to send here.
Normally, that would be enough to completely put me off a book, but the humor here clicked for me perfectly. Abnett and Lanning's sense of humor in this issue reminds me more than a little of the wit of Peter (Captain Marvel, Young Justice) David. And yes, that's definitely a compliment. Characters that are cliches are openly mocked, and it makes for a light tone that draws one into this odd world.
I'm also pleased, though, that Bloodstone isn't just about the jokes. Elsa's mother, Elise, is an intriguing character. One might expect that a single mother who's facing the daunting prospect becoming a parent again after 18 years would make for a downtrodden soul, but her optimistic and practical nature is refreshing and comes off as genuine.
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