Advance Review: ‘Blood Commandment’ #3 Is About More Than Just Vampires

Rarely have vampires been solely about blood-sucking creatures that haunt our dreams. Going all the way back to Bram Stoker‘s original Dracula, vampires have been as much about sexual repression as well as Christianity.

In the latest issue of Blood Commandment, writer and artist Szymon Kudranski relies heavily on religious themes as he tells the story of a vampire who has largely renounced what he is to be a father to his son. Vampire Ezra has found solace in a wooded valley where the sun can’t penetrate. There he lives a fairly normal life with his son Wil. Normal, that is, until Vlad, the vampire who turned him, arrives to bring him back into the fold. Vlad will stop at nothing to get Ezra back – and he is more than willing to count Wil as collateral damage.

Perhaps Kudranski’s own struggle with religion is on display here. Erza is now a Christian, even to the point that he has a crucifix hanging in his cabin, next to a photo of his deceased wife. Wil is less sure about God’s existence but pleads with the Almighty when Vlad threatens his father.

Vlad meanwhile likens himself to Jesus, even quoting the bible passages from the Last Supper, in which the Lord pours out his blood to forgive the sins of the world. If that we’re chilling enough, he does it while holding the crucifix that is scalding his hand. For believers, it can be difficult to read, though keeping in character with vampire stories throughout history.

In the past two issues, Kudranski relied on an omniscient narrator to explain bits of the story. That somewhat out-of-fashion device is largely absent here, and the writing is stronger for it. Unfortunately, Kudranski chooses to bring it in at the end, when it’s largely unnecessary and worse, clunky.

Kudranski is known primarily as an artist, and he doesn’t disappoint in that respect. His use of splash pages breaks up the panels and lends stopping power to even the simplest images, such as Wil innocently praying on his knees. He occasionally focuses on the vampires’ mouths, showing off the sharp teeth and practically forcing readers to cover their necks. And, given their aversion to light, he renders most of the series in black and white – though the shades are so layered that you don’t even realize that fact until you step back from the issue.

Vampires and religion may not be your thing, but Blood Commandment is an interesting look at both. There’s a lot to say about the topics and a lot that has to be resolved before the limited series wraps next month.

Blood Commandment #3 will be available for purchase on Wednesday.