A Friend In Red — Reviewing ‘Dracula: Blood Hunt’ #2

Being a hero isn’t just about wearing a costume and stopping crimes or supervillains. Sometimes it means making hard choices. Doesn’t get much harder than being told that you have to use your powers to kill your father who has (apparently) turned villain.

This is just one of many things Brielle Brooks has to wrestle with as Dracula: Blood Hunt #2 moves Blade’s daughter and his mortal enemy one step closer in their mission. An emotionally heavy issue from Danny Lore, Vincenzo Carratù, David Curiel, and Joe Sabino.

Brielle and Daredevil. What a pairing.

Despite seeing the man without fear on the cover, there was no telling how he might fit into this story. All that I knew upon opening it was that with Lore at the helm, it was going to be good. They never disappoint, and I’m happy to announce that remains true here. Matt Murdock, the Marvel hero that has truly gone through the most shit in the past few decades, is the perfect one to give an honest and powerful talk to a fledgling hero.

Especially since he was someone who ended up on the end of a possession turned evil situation, that required friends to make the hard choice. Sounds familiar, right? Such a great way to reach into the continuity depths of Marvel in a way that reflects the current story without really needing to explain. Allowing continuity to be a rudder for the ship rather than an anchor as it can often end up being if not wielded correctly.

We don’t get a lot of Lore in these spaces, what a crime, but when we do they make sure it has great impact.

Whether the action or the heartfelt moments, Carratù makes it all so smooth and dynamic. Various levels of depth and detail, just enough chaotic energy to let the action pages feel authentic. A touch of roughness that speaks to the darker quality of the overall event story. Wrapped up in a warm blanket of great emotive energy, letting the characters showcase the wide range of feeling through their faces and body.

Gosh, I’m still thinking about the reveal page of Daredevil visualizing his echolocation powers as he fought. Just so so so good.

Curiel’s colors elevate it all, creating a tone that feels both ominous and hopeful at the same time. Lots of heavier darker colors are key to the overall palette, since this is a vampire eternal night sort of story. Plenty of flashy vibrant colors are all over because it’s also a superhero story to boot. These two tonal choices are not in competition with one another, instead they work with one another in such a smooth fashion.

Emotion pours off the page, through all the overall visuals which includes the lettering. Voices are distinct and unique, capturing the various personalities and tone/volume changes easily. Giving the caption boxes colored flavor to remind us of the character thinking them. He makes sure not a single word is wasted or out of place, letting it all flow through the page in tandem with the rest of the art.

Dracula: Blood Hunt #2 is now available from Marvel Comics.