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Graphic Novel Review: Brothers Dracul, Vol. 1: Blood of the Dragon by Cullen Bunn, illustrated by Mirko Colak

Brothers Dracul Volume 1: Blood of the Dragon by Cullen Bunn, illustrated by Mirko Colak

Aftershock, 2018

ISBN-13: 9781935002473

Available:  Paperback, Kindle, comiXology

 

The first volume of Brothers Dracul contemplates the answer to the question of what could have possibly made Vlad Tepes, or Vlad the Impaler, one of the most disturbing killers in history. Cullen tells the story of a teenage Vlad, when he and his brother Radu were held hostage by the Ottoman Empire in 1442 so that the Sultan Mehmed II could solidify their father’s loyalty to the empire. Despite their imprisonment, they were taught combat, politics, and how to hunt vampires. The brothers are tasked with accompanying the son of the sultan who is himself taught to be a strong force against vampires. However, the young Mehmed does not live up to this, and Vlad and Radu end up saving him from the creatures that he is supposed to kill. This leaves a bad taste in Vlad’s mouth, as he is protecting someone who he sees as a not only a weakling, but a whining royal as well. The brothers are placed in awkward situations as Radu is offered a way to freedom, and Vlad falls in love with a young woman who may have a strange connection to the vampires plaguing the land.

I thoroughly enjoyed this volume. Bunn referenced real places in his story, rather than relying on the existing Dracula canon and mythos. He provides a great story and characters. The reader can sympathize with both brothers at different times, as they are both facing their imprisonment and treatment in vastly different ways. Radu is more willing to play nice with the Ottoman Empire, while Vlad remains angry at their predicament, and feels betrayed by his brother at times. Vlad’s willingness to hunt and kill vampires acts as a means to work out his aggression. Colak’s artwork is vibrant, and his character design is fantastic. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a strong plot, plenty of political intrigue, and blood and guts in their horror comics. Highly recommended.

Volume 1 collects Brothers Dracul, issues 1-5.

 

Contains: blood, gore

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Posted on November 23, 2019 by , Reply

Book Review: The Invention of Ghosts by Gwendolyn Kiste

The Invention of Ghosts

The Invention Of Ghosts by Gwendolyn Kiste

Nightscape Press, 2019

Available: Chapbook, pre-order direct from Nightscape Press

Yes, this is a chapbook. Yes, it’s something you can finish reading in an hour or so. But this is something special, something worth investing in and savoring the story from one of the best new writers of the decade.

Just like Kiste’s collection and her stunning debut, The Rust Maidens, The Invention of Ghosts is a reading experience that seldom occurs. Kiste’s writing is what makes the stories transcend most of what the genre holds these days: the author is that special.

The less said. the better about this story.  It reminded me a bit of both The Haunting of Hill House and Ghost Story, a mix between Shirley Jackson and Peter Straub. Yet, Gwendolyn Kiste is her own person, and her style deftly dances between the words, carving out sentences that alternate between razors and velvet.

Everly is fascinated with the occult and all things ghostly. She’s a bit eccentric, odd, different, and cool. Kiste seduces the reader with her second person point of view, speaking to her friend who may or may not be dead, in a manner that evokes the best of Gillian Flynn and Nathan Ballingrud. The main character searches for the answers to a mystery she might already know, something others don’t want her to explore. The adventure of her missing childhood friend and college roommate who followed her passion for the occult consumes her, digging a rabbit hole for Everly to escape into, bury her sanity, or seek salvation. It’s a trip that begs exploration.

In addition to supporting a great author, forty percent of the proceeds from the sale of this chapbook goes to the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, which houses over 150 species of birds from around the world, many of them endangered. Help a great cause while reading something special.

Posted on November 21, 2019 by , Reply

Graphic Novel Review: Bitter Root, Volume One: Family Business by David F. Walker, Chuck Brown, and Sanford Greene, illustrated by Rico Renzi and Sanford Greene

Bitter Root, Volume One: Family Business by David F. Walker, Chuck Brown, and Sanford Greene, illustrated by Rico Renzi and Sanford Greene

Image Comics, 2019

ISBN-13: 9781534312128

Available:  Paperback, Kindle, comiXology

 

The Sangerye family combats monsters called Jinoo, people who have been infected by hate. However, a deadly tragedy struck the family, and the survivors can’t agree whether to kill or cure the monsters. With a new breed of monster stalking the streets of 1920s Harlem, the Sangeryes need to come to terms with their feud and face their new foe, or watch all of humanity lose the fight.

The characters in Bitter Root are fantastic. Ma Etta, the matriarch of the family, is a badass, protective of her family and not afraid to defend them. Berg is a poetic and gentle giant who can wield a wicked staff. Blink is a strong-willed, brave woman who desires to take a more active role in the family’s monster hunting. Cullen seems to be in training and is struggling to get his footing. Then there is Ford. He is most definitely a loner, and has his own deadly ideas of how to deal with the Jinoo.

There are so many great scenes in this book, which is a fast paced #OwnVoices read. The reader is thrown into the action when Sweet Pickin’ Jazz Club is attacked by an unseen monster. The next night sees one sect of the Sangerye family attacked by monsters, and Ma Etta telling Blink she can’t go out to help her Cullen and Berg fight a great horned beast. Blink proves herself by using a staff to beat the crap out of the monster. She is by far my favorite character in Bitter Root.

I recommend this highly for anyone looking for a great supernatural #OwnVoices graphic novel. The story is full of monster fighting, family politics, social commentary, and racists and KKK members getting their asses kicked.

Volume 1 collects Bitter Root issues 1 through 5. Also included are essays about the origin of the story, Afrofuturism, the tradition of rootwork, and more. Interspersed between the essays are variant covers and fan art.

Highly recommended

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Posted on November 21, 2019 by , Reply
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