The first in a four part mini-series, written, drawn, and coloured by one man, Szymon Kudrański, the first issue of Blood Commandment makes it clear before you've even opened the book that this is going to be a dark, violent, and horror filled tale.
The series focuses on Ezra Connely, who lives out in the woods with his teenage son Wil. Wil, who dreams of having a normal life, is home schooled by his father, and taught how to survive out away from society, and how to be self sufficient. But, their little family unit has developed some cracks since the death of Ezra's wife; which has caused Wil to ask awkward questions about life, death, and the afterlife.
Whilst just reading about this single dad vampire trying to do best by his son would be interesting enough, it can't be the only thing that the series has to offer. Someone, or something, has found Ezra, and is following him, leaving a trail of bodies behind them. Now, as Ezra realises his carefully guarded life is in danger, he prepares to defend what's his.
One of the things that I've seen horror mini-series do in the past is to jump in too quickly, to reveal the monster, to rush to the action and the scares in an attempt to grab the reader. Whilst this certainly works, it's a formula that can often lead to characters that feel one-dimensional and shallow. You don't get to know them, and thus, you don't care when they're in danger. Blood Commandment is taking a more relaxed approach, and spends much of this first issue just listening in on the conversations between father and son, showing the reader what their lives are like. And, more importantly, what their relationship is like.
This feels like a book where the horror is going to be built in the anticipation, and there are a couple of scenes in this issue of slowly creeping dread that work wonderfully well. We get small hints at what could be coming, and the fear that Ezra shows certainly helps to sell things, but it's still very much a mystery here as to what could be happening, and that makes me want to read more, to see more of these characters and to find out what's coming.
There are other places where instead of seeing someone just at the door we watch for three or four panels, low to the ground, as their feet get smaller as they move further away from us, and closer to their goal. The book feels cinematic. It feels like it's using film techniques in its art, and Kudrański is controlling the flow of the story in a way that feels fresh and new. It's a book that might not look visually distinct or impressive at first glance, but whilst reading it you begin to see that this is actually something very impressive.
My only complaint about the art is that Wil does not look 14. Wil looks a lot younger, and depending on which parts of the book you're at his age seems to range around the 10-12 mark. Yes, some people look young for their ages, but other than characters saying Wil is 14 you could read this book and not come to that conclusion yourself.
Overall, Blood Commandment is a very interesting first issue. It has some decent dialogue and creates a strong family dynamic that I want to see more of, it manages to create some creepy slow burning horror that has me excited to find out what the monster is, and the art is being used in wonderfully creative ways. This is a series that might be repeating what others have done with its variant covers, but inside it's absolutely trying something new.
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