The surefire way to tell if a writer is “top tier” in the comic business – particularly in the realm of Marvel or DC Comics – is to hand them the keys to your big summer event. After all, if one of the Big Two’s offering you a chance to write a story that’ll shape their publishing output for the next year or two, that’s a pretty big deal. Jed MacKay and Pepe Larraz step up to the plate with Blood Hunt #1, which pits the Marvel Universe against a vampire uprising.
MacKay has definitely been proving himself to be a top-tier writer over the years. He reassembled the Avengers and pitted them against various cosmic threats; killed Doctor Strange and Moon Knight (and even brought the former back!); and had the Black Cat steal various priceless items from hero and villain alike. Blood Hunt #1 is his biggest swing yet, and the fact that it pulls in nearly every character MacKay’s written over the years is impressive. Equally impressive is the fact that he manages to balance different tones, from the humorous (Scarlet Witch’s dry retort to Iron Man’s suggestion that she use her magic to stop an apocalyptic event) to the horrific (new vampiric villains called the “Bloodcoven” make short work of the Avengers.)
Marvel Comics
All of it is rendered in stunning visual splendor by Larraz. Larraz has been turning out some amazing work, particularly on the current X-Men books; now he turns his attention to the rest of the Marvel Universe and the results are a beauty to behold. Whether it’s Iron Man soaring through the air, Doctor Doom standing regally in his castle, or Miles Morales coming face to face with a vampire the imagery is big, bold and eye catching. It’s also horrifying – legions of vampires are swarming over the earth, their pale white skin and blood red eyes standing out on the page thanks to Marte Gracia’s color art. I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention how Cory Petit’s lettering ups the dread; the countdown to the “Sundeath” that shrouds the Earth in darkness is nothing short of foreboding.
If there’s one fault with Blood Hunt #1, it’s a last page twist that doesn’t sit right with me – mainly because of the character it concerns. Admittedly, I’m a fan of said character so that might be coloring it, but hopefully the creative team has a method behind this madness. Ultimately, Blood Hunt #1 kicks off a horror-tinged crossover event that will give True Believers a reason to be scared of the dark.
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