A heroine related to a famous hero of a prior generation takes the stage by night in this new installment to the legacy of Blade!
Written by Danny LoreCover by Ryan Stegman
Illustrated by Karen S. Darboe
Colored by Cris Peter
Lettered by Joe SabinoIT’S IN HER BLOOD…
Brielle Brooks is a good kid, no matter what her teachers say – it’s not her fault she’s developing vampiric super-powers and the undead want to brawl!
And as if problems at school aren’t enough, Bri’s got a wild ride ahead of her – she’s about to discover that she’s the daughter of the infamous vampire hunter and Daywalker known as BLADE!
The story of “this known hero had a child we didn’t know about” or “here is the hero’s children in a few decades” are both known quantities in fiction. Be it a child from the future (as in the case of Cable) or generations of a family mostly in the same time period (as in DC Comics’ various legacies, especially the Flash), it could be easy for readers to get tired of such a tale, calling it old hat or otherwise overdone, with the beats being similar and familiar, but also at least bordering on cliché. As such, when it came to the tale of Brielle Brooks, daughter of Eric Brooks, a.k.a. Blade, many a follower of the adventures of the vampire hunter also known as “the Daywalker” may have been tempted to roll their eyes in exasperation at the very idea of the eponymous “daughter of Blade” of this new series. Though Danny Lore, Karen S. Darboe, and Cris Peter have worked together on this character before in short stories as part of anthologies, “Bloodline: Daughter of Blade” #1 is still her first original series, and thus likely the first people have seen of her. With that kind of impression holding the creative team back from the outset, how do they do at making “Bloodline: Daughter of Blade” #1 a debut worth reading, let alone one that is entertaining in its own right?
In their writing, Danny Lore shows that their new take is familiar, but not in a way that makes it any less entertaining. From the outset, Lore has had some experience with Blade as a property, including writing on “Death of Doctor Strange: Blade” #1, a short story in “Marvel’s Voices: Legacy” #1, and more, even outside of Brielle’s first appearance in a story for Free Comic Book Day 2022 or other anthology appearances. As such, their writing eases readers into a character who, while connected to the larger Marvel universe, is in enough of a small town to be inviting and charming, not unlike the earliest days of Kamala Khan. “Bloodline: Daughter of Blade” #1 may not be her first appearance, and there are references to her earlier experiences, but Brielle still has enough of a demonstration of who she is to invite readers to pick up on the plot easily enough.
Under Lore’s pen, Brielle “Bri” Brooks seems similar to the likes of Buffy Summers of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” fame, as a relatively normal girl thrust into hunting threats of the night. Unlike some stories of this type, Lore makes for some definite shifts. For one thing, Brielle is not the “reluctant heroine” archetype who just wants to be left alone, nor is she openly reveling in her new abilities. Instead, Lore has her trying to fight vampires, but mostly to defend others, as if she knew to some degree what she was doing, and is lively, but not aggravating. Another, far more interesting element is that rather than being just in the background or otherwise helpless, Brielle’s mother, much like Blade, is somewhat formidable and able to try to defend her daughter if need be. She is no superhero, but the idea of a neutral figure or helpless parent does not seem to be on Lore’s agenda, instead making a more rounded figure of the parent.
Karen S. Darboe’s illustrations are a mixture. In the first portion, years past, they seem in distinct to some degree, a bit blurred as if to indicate them being far back, to the point of being generally more blurry or otherwise imprecise. In the present, on the other hand, they are more defined, though still concentrating primarily on movement or some particular people’s expressions, with the lines being still somewhat thick in a way that keeps the focus on movement over facial expressions, with the exception of Brielle and her mother. While this style of artwork may work well for an introduction to this branch of the vampire-centric part of the Marvel universe, it may not hold as definitively for later issues if “Bloodline: Daughter of Blade” is to continue for an extended period. Too much movement without focus might make it hard to understand, and thus be concerned with or care about, the events.
Cris Peter’s colors easily fit with the world, be it in night or day. The brighter colors help give a happier tone to the early days, and a calmer note in the light of day overall in the present. By contrast, darker hues help to both set the tone of the vampires’ hunts, and of Blade’s world overall, giving an even higher sense of danger than would already be the case due to the darkness of the entire picture. The colors, much like the illustrations, are also more detailed in the present day as compared to the past, as if viewing the past as a memory rather than as it truly was.
Final Verdict: 7.0– Blade’s daughter comes to the fore with some intriguing concepts, but not enough to really stand out in a big way just yet.
