An awesome mix of reality and fantasy take place within these pages. We’re taken back to 1400’s Romania in style. The history of this nation at this time is rich enough and filled with violent tension as the Christian and Muslim factions go back and forth in wars and rumors of wars. That story alone would be entertaining enough. But we also have the added vampire mythos to bring out the full potential to make this tale a classic as only Cullen Bunn can tell it.
The Creative Team:
Cullen Bunn Does a terrific job in bringing the vampire mythos to the real story of Vlad and his brother, Radu. The true story of the brothers is a fascinating tale in and of itself. The shaky relation they had with the Sultans son, their time in prison, even in their teenage years. The friction that developed between them and their relationship to their father. The many times that Wallachia changed hands through violent times and situations. It’s a compelling tale made even more compelling through Bunn’s storytelling technique. Great stuff includes watching Vlad grow from an innocent child into the monster he would become and the growing conflict between the brothers as one embraces Christianity and the other Islam.
Mirko Colak brings a certain nobility to the brothers and their plight in this title. He knows how to balance the intense action imagery with the more serene visuals that ground us in the era it’s presented. His vampires are fairly original which is no mean feat in this day and age of constant vampire lore being thrown at us from all angles in every type of media outlet. The fiction and non-fiction blend seamlessly so that at times we don’t even realize which is which at first. Highlights include the opening splash revealing Vlad’s sadistic impalement procedure and the awesome pin-ups in the back of the book.
In Conclusion:
This comic book creating team has done it again. We travel through these brothers lives and see what drove them and propelled them to become the type of men they became. It’s poignant and repulsive at the same time. If we don’t truly come to accept the decisions that they made we at least grow to understand why said decisions were made. We can only be pushed so far until we fight back at the injustice that’s handed to us. The final chapter is truly heartbreaking when we learn what finally drove Vlad off the deep end. **** (8.9 rating)
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Writer – Cullen Bunn
Art – Mirko Colak
Colors – Maria Santaolalla
Letters – Simon Bowland
Publisher – Aftershock
Author Profile
- Kevin Given has studied with “ Longridge Writers Group †and “ Writer’s Boot Camp †a speech/communications major from the University of Maine Presque-Isle/Orono sites. He has created the “ Karl Vincent Vampire Hunter †franchise which includes novels and comic books. They can be found on amazon, Indyplanet and Kindle. For a limited time you can get digital copies of “ Karl Vincent: Vampire hunter †# 1 and “ Files of Karl Vincent †# 1 for free on Indyplanet. Kevin is producing the third novel in the series “ Dracula Rising †(working title) and developing “ Foul Blood †into comic book form. Don't forget to check out the YouTube show " Comics: Let's Talk " hosted by Kevin Given
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