With issue #1, Bloodletter made good where other spinoffs and prequels/sequels often fell short. The creative team (writers Joseph Illidge and Tim Seeley alongside artist Christian Rosado) instantly positioned Tasha Thornwall as this vital and exciting part of the Spawn-verse, giving her a bloody mission of vengeance, lots of cool powers and a solid enough backstory, and even a great sidekick (Casper).
But the debut issue is easy enough to nail, and Bloodletter could have just as easily begun to flounder as Tasha’s mission began in earnest. Fortunately, Bloodletter #2 easily furthers its own claim as an especially interesting “detour” for all things Spawn.
Main cover by Christian Rosado. Courtesy of Image Comics.
The debut saw Bloodletter showing off her skills in a general sort of way — it was a primer for how Thornwall is basically a John Constantine-esque mercenary in this sordid universe. Issue #2, however, quickly ingrains Bloodletter in the thick of it by having her deal directly with The Scorched. Her battles with the likes of Medieval Spawn, for instance, are nothing if not cool — Rosado (alongside colorist DC Alonso) is once again a pro at the gritty, ’90s-leaning battles that Todd McFarlane made famous with the main title. (And, again, Bloodletter shows her magical skills in a way that expertly sets her apart as someone interesting and novel.)
But more than sweet battles, this whole exercise makes Bloodletter feel like such a sturdy part of the Spawn-verse, as if she’s been here all along and she’s building a deeper sense of history as opposed to basically being the new kid in school. It’s a simple but massively effective way to let Bloodletter really settle in the minds of even lifelong Spawn fans, and to let us bypass some of the awkwardness of a character’s introduction/development to a place she already feels hugely powerful and integral.
Courtesy of Image Comics.
At the same time, the likes of Medieval Spawn are a mere appetizer, and Bloodletter has an even more substantial “dance partner” across this issue: She-Spawn. I don’t want to spoil too much, but issue #2 establishes a sturdy history between Bloodletter and Jessica Priest — one that’s massively personal and nuanced as much as it’s a shared connection over/with Spawn. It’s a history that feels real and organic because it respects the strength of these characters and uses them as real people and not just players in Spawn’s world. They both very much share those same kinds of issues, of course, and the creative team do a lot to let them commiserate in a way that feels earned and respectful to this grander canon.
If anything, I sort of prefer the Bloodletter/She-Spawn dynamic as the driving force of this book. Even from a visual standpoint, it’s soft and poetic while balancing the action and grit, and the dynamic really is one that gives fans a lot to chew over contextually. More than that, the two women manage to both connect and butt heads in a way that seems like it’ll be more engaging than a Bloodletter/Spawn throwdown. Their battle will be deeply bloody, but Bloodletter and Spawn share too much in common for that to be more than ever viscerally satisfying. The Bloodletter/She-Spawn stuff, at least, paints them as different enough, and that nuance and texture already comes off as having so many venues to explore at a time when this book is still very much in the air/in development.
Courtesy of Image Comics.
Because while we’d be mostly right in believing that Bloodletter is truly capable of obliterating Spawn, an interesting little twist/reveal toward the issue’s finale offers some intriguing context. I also don’t want to spoil that component, but I can say it is 1) a proper gut-shot and 2) it lends The Scorched some new layers. (And, even from a visual point yet again, there’s a little brevity and lightness to The Scorched’s convo that really augments the sheer range of this book and the team itself.)
I can also note that the reveal expertly shifts what will likely happen in the lead up to a Spawn standoff, and it manages to both make Bloodletter more endearing while making us aware just enough that she’s still got to earn her stripes. It’s a great way to extend the character development across the rest of the story, and to let this character grow and regress (in a way) that only ever makes her all the more real. I can’t wait to see what this does for Bloodletter’s momentum and self esteem.
Courtesy of Image Comics.
As Bloodletter continues to be so entertaining, I’ve been thinking more about these kinds of books. And I’ve come to the idea that all the best spin-offs and whatnot achieve one direct but somewhat lofty goal: Push the canon forward while respecting what’s already there. In the case of Bloodletter, that’s letting us re-engage with Spawn and some other characters in a new way (and the “cracks” in their shared history), let the universe grow at a reasonable place, and add just enough new info and angles for things to feel thrilling (while in line with what’s made Spawn work for 30-plus years).
And if we’re only two issues in, then Bloodletter has gallons more crimson to spill.
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