Story: Danny Lore
Art: Karen S. Darboe
Colors: Cris Peter
Letters: VC’s Joe Sabino
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $3.99
Release Date: February 1st, 2023
Brielle Brooks (AKA Blade’s Daughter) deals with school, her mom and, of course, vampires in Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #1. It’s a mediocre start to the series with a couple bright spots throughout that give hope for future issues.
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 Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #1 Review.
The Story
After Brielle appeared in a short story in Crypt of Shadows #1 (back in October 2022), Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #1 drops us right back into her life, the first half of the book showing her life at school and with her mother Safron Caulder, including a meeting with the ever-annoying school principal. I just didn’t find Brielle endearing or interesting during these scenes, she’s written to be way too perfect, which occurs with a lot of new characters these days. It’s like writer Danny Lore is afraid to give her any flaws or shortcomings because it would take away from her character, reduce her in some way, but by making her flawless, Brielle is rendered dull and uninteresting. The greatest characters have flaws. Peter Parker was an awkward shy teen who had the worst luck in the world. Kitty Pryde and Kamala Khan both had insecurities that they had to overcome over time. It made them relatable and sympathetic, you rooted for them and enjoyed when they triumphed.
Brielle’s mother is a far more interesting character than Brielle. I’d honestly just love to see a book with the adventures of Safron Caulder, single hard-working mother and vampire killer with a mysterious past. She’s one of the few bright spots in the book, and I hope she stays in the series for a long time to come. We get some good vampire destroying action in the second half of the book, and we get to see both Brielle and her mom in action. I liked these scenes, they brought back memories of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and Hammer Horror films, where good old fashioned blood-drinking fanged vampires meet their end with a stake in their chest. No glittering vampires here! There are a couple of good twists towards the end of the book, including an appearance by a legendary character who should amp up the action next issue.
The Art
I wasn’t a fan of Karen S. Darboe’s art on Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #1. It’s a sketchy style that’s short on details and the characters aren’t very expressive. On the plus side, the action scenes are drawn in a kinetic fashion that make them feel dynamic. You can practically feel the impact of the strikes during the fight scenes.
Final Thoughts
Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #1 is a slightly above average kickoff to the series. Brielle Brooks just seems to perfect to be interesting, but when the supernatural creatures and vampires appear, those scenes have the feel of an old Universal Horror film. Hopefully next issue will expand on the two good cliffhangers at the end of the book.