|
BLOODSTONE #1
"Blood Runs Thicker..."
Recommended (7/10)
|
Marvel Comics
Writers: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning
Pencils: Michael Lopez
Inks: Scott Hanna
Colors: Color Arts
Letters: Jon Babcock
Editor: Mike Marts
Price: $2.99 US/$4.50 CAN |
There are projects where you can read the finished product and hear the pitch in your head. "It's Tomb Raider meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer!" However, the predictability of premise or the finished product didn't detract overmuch from my opinion of Bloodstone, which is empty calorie fun for folks who enjoy the various elements that make up its concept. Abnett and Lanning have crafted a likable and funny protagonist in Elsa Bloodstone, and have built nicely on the concept of her father, an obscure but intriguing Marvel character. Lopez is probably a good choice for artwork, as he showed his skills with T and A on Wildstorm's DV8, although personally I'm not a
fan and this issue doesn't go any further towards making me into one.
Elsa Bloodstone is cut from
the same cloth as Joss Whedon's Buffy Summers, a smart-mouthed and attractive
athlete with an eye for modern culture more than ancient monsters. She also
shares some traits with Lara Croft, particularly a charming British accent and
association with a wealthy and respected father. Abnett and Lanning use a clever
device to show us both "pre-monster hunter" Bloodstone and Elsa in full-on quip
and combat mode, namely a dream sequence that has her taking on several vampires
as if it was no big thing. It's a little forced, honestly, but I appreciated the
glimpse into Elsa's future, and found her banter with the vampires to be quite
funny.
Most of the issue's charm
comes from Elsa reacting to her new lifestyle. That lifestyle includes a castle,
creepy caretakers and the realization that her dad's tacky fashion sense may not
have been the strangest thing about him. Seeing Elsa play around with the weird
curios in her father's house was a lot of fun, and I quite enjoyed the glimpse
into what Bloodstone's monster hunting got him besides a few guest shots in
cancelled comic books.
Abnett and Lanning have
brought a sense of humor to the book, and it's clear that they know full well
this is something of a goofy project. Naming the caretakers Adam and Barnabas
(the latter probably a reference to Dark Shadows, the first to Mary Shelley's
Frankenstein), Elsa's mocking of her father's costume and habits and just the
general tone of the book is one of mild humor. It's a shame that Lopez doesn't
seem to be in on the joke, as the expressions on the characters' faces lack any
kind of depth that would make the reaction shots funny; in many cases, the
dialogue is working against the artwork to make the book work. Lopez also has an
embarrassingly unrealistic take on female anatomy, more grotesque than
cheesecake.
Bloodstone follows in the footsteps of Nightside as a lightweight but enjoyable book perfect
for those of us seeking out a bit of Halloween-themed
entertainment.
Email Randy Lander comments about this review. |
