Advance Review: Closing In On The Killer In `Blood Tree’ #3
by Tom Smithyman
Close, but no cigar.
The detectives chasing the Angel Killer, also known as Wingman, finally have a brush or two with their target in the new chapter of Blood Tree. Ultimately, it’s pretty unfulfilling.
Up until now the drama has been a game of cat and mouse. The mysterious killer seems bent on punishing not only criminals of serious crimes but their families as well. Once caught he’s caught his prey, Wingman sews wings onto their backs and displays them for all of New York City to see.
It’s an interesting premise, but when detectives Dario Azzaro and Maria Diaz track down the Angel Killer, the story falls a bit flat. He captures Diaz but just leaves her. We don’t even get to see how or why. There’s no clever bit of dialogue with the killer taunting his pursuer. That might be an unrealistic cliché, but it feels missing here.
Writer Peter J. Tomasi has plenty of experience with these kinds of stories, so it’s likely he has something bigger – and unexpected – in store for readers. But that doesn’t make this particular issue any stronger. While some important events occur, this third chapter feels unsatisfying.
The artwork by Maxim Simic, with colors from John Kalisz, doesn’t help much. Previous issues had some good strong tableaus in interesting settings – and, of course, lots of dead angels. Since this installment feels more like a standard police procedural, it’s basically a lot of Azzaro and Diaz. Simic’s basic drawing style doesn’t pull the reader in or make them want to flip the pages in a frenzy.
There is much more to this story, and it will doubtlessly get stronger. But it is difficult to get excited for next month’s issue when then one feels pretty lacking.
Blood Tree #3 will be available for purchase on April 5, 2023.
Overview
The story may advance a bit in this issue, but it feels like a bit of slog. The writing has hit a lull and the artwork isn’t strong enough to support a story that feels more ripped from a television police procedural than a large-than-life serial killer case.
