Something Epic creator Szymon Kudrański is back with a new title at Image Comics: Blood Commandment #1. But is the new book also something, uh, epic?
We reviewed the book on the Stack podcast. But in the interest of highlighting more about the title, here’s a summary of the conversation with our thoughts. And if you prefer the longer audio version, that’s below as well!
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Blood Commandment #1 Review:
In Blood Commandment, we meet a father and son who are isolated from society. Why? Well, you’ll find out by the end of the issue, thanks to a big, surprise twist. Though you might be able to figure it out from the title and cover.
Given the high standard set by Something Epic, host Pete LePage was still extremely impressed by this book, and called it “very cool.” In particular, he loved the “dark panels” and tone of the book, as well as the “fun reveal at the end.”
Alex Zalben called out his frequent criticism of Image Comics books, which spend most of the first issue setting up the characters before a last-page reveal of the sci-fi/fantasy premise. Zalben lauded that Blood Commandment, “gets to [the reveal] a couple of pages early.”
He also was intrigued by the characterizations of the main characters, something that will keep him coming back for more. “The father is interesting,” Zalben said. “The son is interesting. The setting is interesting. I definitely want to know more, particularly after that ending, and it feels like [Kudrański] could really blow it out big time in the second issue.”
Blood Commandment #1 hits stores from Image Comics on November 1, 2023.
Blood Commandment #1 Official Synopsis:
Living an isolated life in a shadowed valley surrounded by mountains and a thick forest, a father and son are terrorized by a dangerous supernatural presence. Only the father’s dark secrets can save them…or damn their souls for all eternity! Being a single father can be tough, but for Ezra Connolly, it’s a duty he doesn’t take lightly. Living off-grid, away from prying eyes, in the heart of forest country, he spends his days teaching his teenage son Wil survival skills. But Wil has questions, questions Ezra fears to answer—about his past, and about why they never leave the valley before sundown…A four-issue horror miniseries from the creator of the breakout hit series SOMETHING EPIC and the artist of SPAWN and Punisher. SZYMON KUDRANSKI serves us a story about survival, sacrifice, and hope.
