DC Comics 2016
Written by J.T. Krul
Penciled by V. Ken Marion
Inked by Sean Parsons
Coloured by Andrew Dalhouse & Sotocolor
Lettered by Sal Cipriano
Say what you will but i’m really enjoying this story. Depending on the outcome of next issue this is one, creative team and characters, that i’d like to see more of. Don’t know, don’t care if it’s part of the mainstream DCU and honestly it doesn’t have to be all I know is the characters, characterization and the story itself have been highly entertaining.
Five of those with the alien inside them found each other alongside one whose mission it is to destroy them like they destroyed his family. Sounds exactly like the way a team book is formed if you ask me. But why haven’t these five succumbed to the aliens inside them like the rest of the infected have? Is there something special about their genetic makeup that makes it easier to resist or even control what’s happening to them? Interesting theory and that i’m thinking this longer term than shorter goes to show the kind of writing J.T. is putting into this.
Of all of them Eddie has fast become one hell of an interesting young man. His insight and wisdom coupled with youthful indiscretion prove there’s so much more to him than meets the eye. His handicap, if you want to call it that, provides him with a unique point of view and that allows J.T. to really expand his characterization in some great ways. As a matter of fact each character is having some wonderful characterization and story points thrown their way at the right moments. Including the interaction they have with one another.
It’s no secret i’m also a fan of the interiors here, V. Ken has been proving time and again that his style of work is extremely well suited for whatever project he takes on. Doesn’t hurt he’s got a kick-butt team behind finishing off his pencils either. The way the book flows through the pages and panels with the use of perspective and angles is very well done. Personally i’d like more backgrounds but i’m one of those that feels it helps tell the bigger picture of what’s happening around them still he provides good usage of backgrounds here at times.
Unlike the original Bloodlines arc this one has bit more thought behind it and a larger scarier bigger picture. I’m thrilled with this version of an alien invasion type thing happening and infecting locals by way of infiltrating and possibly spreading out. It’s a solid idea even if this is an isolated event and mistake at that.
With everything that has and is happening and with one more issue to go there’s still so much of this left to explore. So many unanswered questions and a whole new reality ready to take center stage in this superhero/horror story hybrid that is coming to life before us. I can’t wait for next issue and then to see what’s possible even further down the road. These folks have really taken an old idea and brought to the present made it more interesting and more frightening so as to engage the mind in exciting ways.