REVIEW: ‘Blood Hunters’ Issue #1

Blood Hunters #1 is published by Marvel Comics and features three stories by various creators. The first story, “The City That Never Weeps,” is written by Mark Russell, with art by Bob Quinn and colors by Matt Milla. The second story is titled “Blood Relations,” written by Christos Gage, with art by Javier Garrón and colors by Morry Hollowell. “Once More into the Darkness Part 1” is written by Erica Schultz, with art by Bernard Chang and colors by Marcelo Maiolo. Letters by Joe Caramagna.

This is part of the Blood Hunt event, hence the title Blood Hunters. The story shows three heroes fighting against the vampiric apocalypse: Hawkeye, Man-Wolf, and Dagger.

The three stories have the same concept, which you will find in every tie-in during Blood Hunt. But there are extenuating circumstances in the tales. “The City That Never Weeps” shows Hawkeye corraling the citizens of New York into helping him fight the bloodsucking monsters.

It is a book that tries to tap into the community, using stalwarts of the neighbourhood and turning them into warriors to save their city. Given the circumstances, this first story has a positive vibe, with an energy that comes from togetherness.

In “Blood Relations,” Man-Wolf tries to protect his father, J. Jonah Jameson, while on the streets in New York. This side of Blood Hunters #1 takes a deeper plunge into horror. It becomes about werewolves vs vampires, and that confrontation is fantastically written.

Jonah is constantly vulnerable and is increasingly in danger from the vampires. Some of what John Jameson has to face are elite, raising the stakes and leading to a phenomenal showdown. But a sincere and devastating thread runs through that tale, giving it more depth and bite.

The final story, “Once More Into the Darkness Part 1,” splits up one of the most iconic duos in comics. Dagger is on her own, using her light daggers to fight the vampires without her partner, Cloak. That feeling of isolation is compelling. Seeing her alone feels so strange, and the captions’ writing reflects that.

This story is split into parts, creating a variety in the series’ structure. There are fewer supporting characters than in either of the preceding tales. With it, this issue draws Tandy’s personality out superbly.

Within the three stories, the characteristics of experienced heroes are made clear. The trio, Hawkeye, Man-Wolf, and Dagger, approach the situation relatively calmly. They have faced vampires before and know what to do to defeat them. Each hero displays why they are exceptional characters, too.

Hawkeye is great with regular people, and there are endless jokes about the people of New York. Man-Wolf is fearsome, loyal, and intelligent, but his insecurity around his father gets more challenging to avoid as the story progresses. Even after tragedy, Dagger shows tremendous bravery while fighting against the undead horde alone.

The art in the three stories differs but is incredible throughout Blood Hunters #1. “The City That Never Weeps” is mainly responsible for the energy and the comedy within the first third of the comic. It all starts with Clint’s mustache, grown to aid in his disguise, which is purposefully silly.

Quinn makes heroes out of regular humans, presenting Hawkeye’s backup as weaknesses that somehow grow stronger. The vampires still look monstrous, but both they and the facial expressions of the normal humans can look gloriously cartoony.

“Family Relations” keeps Man-Wolf in his lycanthrope form for almost the whole comic, and the werewolf is flawless. Garron puts intricate details on the canine face, showing the wrinkled nose and brutal teeth. The vampires are hideous and terrifying, and the damage done to them is formidable.

Man-Wolf himself can be awe-inspiring in one panel and sorrowful in the next. Accompanying him is Jonah, who is shown to be tiny compared to his lupine son. Jonah’s movements and expressions can draw smiles among the snarls.

“Once More Into the Darkness Part 1” also has a brilliant fight scene. Dagger is constantly moving, and the enemies she faces are much bigger than her. This leads to some athletic flips and throws to gain her advantage. Tandy’s costume is pristine and low on details, and that added space draws her out of the busy panels.

The colors are incredible in Blood Hunters #1, and there are similarities across all three stories. The darkness threatens to overthrow the whole city, and the brightness of the characters stays strong. In Hawkeye’s tale, that is done from colorful shirts and costumes.

Man-Wolf and Dagger are covered in white, which keeps them stark and prominent amid the chaos. In Dagger’s story, the intense brightness of her photon knives makes them so effective against the vampires. The lettering is consistent and effortless to read across the entire issue.

Blood Hunters #1 shows how heroes adapt to the most dramatic situations. There is also a fantastic showcase of how creators can use the same concept and change it thoroughly depending on the main character. The writers not only altered the scenarios but also tailored the stories entirely to the individuals at the heart of them.

The tales never have to compete for space within Blood Hunters #1; each chapter is a satisfying length. The art has fun with the task at hand, with various methods for murdering monsters appearing within the issue.

Blood Hunters #1 is available where comics are sold.