Writer: Mark Russell
Art: Dave Wachter, Dee Cunniffe, and VC’s Cory Petit
Price:$4.99
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Release Date: November 16th, 2022
A deep dive into Dracula’s new kingdom as established in Avengers. Starring Blade, the sheriff of Vampire Nation! An assassination threatens to unravel the fledgling country and spread chaos throughout the world in this week’s Blade: Vampire Nation #1 by Mark Russell. But is getting rid of a nation full of bloodsuckers really all that bad of an idea? Blade himself isn’t too sure…
If you’re interested in this comic, series, related trades, or any of the others mentioned, then simply click on the title/link to snag a copy through Amazon as you read the Blade: Vampire Nation #1 Review.
THE DISPATCH
So, the opening of this review might sound as though I was disappointed with Blade: Vampire Nation #1. It was reasonably slow and had almost no action at all. Artistically speaking, nothing leaped off the page nor did anything really “suck” me into the comic. However, the overall concept was rather interesting. Ultimately, it’s Vampire Krakoa! And the premise seems to have some wildly creative, moving pieces that managed to keep this reviewer’s interest.
The basic premise is that Blade happens to be a “sheriff” of this nation while Dracula is its “leader”. A murder/ assassination goes down leaving Blade tasked to solve this mystery. Along the way, this slow-moving story does manage to throw out some rather unique wrinkles showcasing Russell’s writing chops well as the narrative begins to gradually unfold with the readers feeling like they’re in charge.
Overall, I love how the open-ended Blade: Vampire Nation #1 begins. Readers will have no idea of the direction and purpose of the issue. However, give it about a third of the story, and fans will see exactly how this plot plans to weave itself together. Additionally, I haven’t seen this side of Blade in quite some time. It was actually a bit refreshing to witness. Blade as a detective and exploring this Vampire Nation was rather inventive and I hope readers get much more of this as well as the scope of this Vampiric premise.
ART
Dave Wachter’s illustrations are certainly detailed, however, they just seem to occasionally lack definition. Additionally, the key woman in the story had an oddly proportioned face as well as a few other characters which had me stumbling at points throughout the issue. Moreover, the colors were mostly dull and muted, which would make sense from the location of the story and the characters involved. However, I feel like that’s what led to the muted, flat appearance of the issue.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I have to be careful with this review. Blade: Vampire Nation #1 has so much potential dripping off the bone. The world this opens up to comic fans is just fascinating. However, that’s not THIS comic. Russell uses Blade: Vampire Nation #1 as a preliminary setup for what this could become with Blade and Dracula at the helm. Even though this issue was slow-moving, it still managed to use the creativity of the plot to lure me into the issue.
Blade as a detective mixed with vampire history, Dracula lore, and an entire nation of vampires has a unique spin that’s rather enticing. Nevertheless, Blade: Vampire Nation #1 was a bit dry, lacked intensity, and coupled with some rather dull art. Overall, I think Blade: Vampire Nation #1 will keep your interest enough thanks to its inventive and clever tone. However, be prepared for little action and more information to wet your whistle this week. Let me know what you think, have a great week, and God Bless!