Aside from one scene which almost made me worry on what direction the comic would go, I really enjoyed ‘Bad Blood’ #1. So with that worry in mind, I cracked open the second issue wondering where it would take me and thankfully my concern was unfounded! While less action filled than the first, we were introduced to a new character and given a great look at the world that our lead, Trick, has found himself in.
To recap Trick is a cancer ridden teenager whose friends were just killed by vampires after their leader tried to unsuccessfully take his blood. Apparently chemo is poison to vamps so what saved Trick from dying has doomed his friends. In the second book we’re introduced to a new character who looks as if she’ll be Trick’s sidekick as she’s a gothy vampire wannabe named Lolly. He convinces her that his story is real, or at least interesting enough to keep her around, and she is willing to introduce him around to the goth and fetish scene where she claims if any vampire actually exists this is where they will find them.
Honestly, if his story is real she’s clearly a hell of a lot more interested in becoming a vampire than helping Trick out. She’s convinced he was mistaken or has found the minority of what vampires are and not the majority. Either vampires just aren’t evil or it was someone pretending to be one because none of the Dark Ones that she believes in could be capable of doing such a thing. (You know, those creatures who for years were thought to be blood sucking monsters who only came out at night.)
The two go through a variety of fetish clubs and once Trick thinks that he’s seen the most depraved that humanity has to offer, Lolly takes him to the hardcore spots. Well, after they make a quick stop for her to work, which involves stripping which is how she pays for her high end fake vampire fangs and rent. As much as this is a story about hunting for vampires, you can see undertones of looking for damaged or lonely people who are trying to connect with like minded individuals as well as showing you an alternate side of humanity for those unfamiliar with S&M relationships.
Again, this issue is clearly not as action packed as the previous. However, that’s not to say that this issue is all character development and setting the scene. Maberry knows how to leave a book on a cliffhanger moment.
As they leave the last club, they are accosted by a tall man in an alley who starts rambling about this being the man who poisoned his prince and his whore. He ends the conversation by digging his fangs into Lolly’s neck and we’ll find out next week if this is a real vampire attack or if this is someone who just has fake fangs like Lolly. If real, it makes you wonder if Trick is about to lose his new friend or if she’ll become one of the undead and help him that way.
BAD BLOOD #2
Writer: Jonathan Maberry
Artist: Tyler Crook
