Advance Review: The Suspense Never Lets Up In ‘Blood Commandment’ #1

The tension in Blood Commandment #1 is palpable from the first page all the way to the end. It starts with a sheriff’s metronome ticking away as readers are subjected to a series of small panels that ratchet up the suspense. And it ends with a ferocious vampire ripping the throats out of local wildlife.

In between, though, is a father-son story. Ezra Connolly and 14-yeat-old son Wil live away from town in a small house in the woods. Wil’s mom is dead, and her absence leaves a gaping hole in the boy’s life. While he seems to be a good kid, he questions Erza’s faith in God and can’t understand why they never visit his mom’s grave. Ezra, meanwhile, is harboring a dark secret.

Szymon Kudranski is responsible for nearly everything on the pages of this limited series. He writes, draws, colors and even translates his own work. The only thing he doesn’t do it letter the series, which is likely why is company is called One Man Art.

As a writer, Kudranski tells an interesting tale, though he makes some curious choices. The story of a widower and his slightly rebellious son is hardly a new one, though Kudranski puts a fresh touch on it. They have an in-depth discussion on the nature of faith – Erza believes in God while Wil is more skeptical – which is unexpected and refreshing. Still some of the dialogue feels stilted between the pair feels stilted as the writer feels the need to explain certain plot points. There’s also an unseen narrator whose comments don’t pop up until part way through the issue. The narrator’s presence will likely be explained in future chapters, but in this instance, it breaks the illusion.

That’s a shame given the great artwork that Kudranski illustrates. Despite being a father-son story, there’s plenty to look at. Kudranski excels at drawing outdoors settings and when the vampire finally appears, it’s both frightening and exhilarating. As you would expect for a vampire story, the colors are muted, with considerable shading throughout to keep with the darker mood.

Blood Commandment gets off to a strong start with this premiere. Kurdranski has given himself plenty to work with and lots of creative options to take advantage of as he fleshes out this suspenseful tale.

Blood Commandment #1 will be available for purchase on November 1, 2023.