Guns, moonshine, monsters-there's a lot going on in the backwoods of Kentucky. Iris Gentry is a war veteran who returned from Iraq to find his options for supporting his family limited. Since they live in a "dry" county, Iris has turned to running moonshine for his former ranking officer-meaning the men now share crimes at home and abroad. You see, back in their combat days, Iris's regiment got involved in something they shouldn't have, and now a deadly, otherworldly consequence has come looking for vengeance.
THE DARK AND BLOODY is a haunting new horror series by writer Shawn Aldridge (Vic Boone) and artist Scott Godlewski (Copperhead), more
The unmistakable humanity, the calm and the struggles, that can be distilled from the pages of The Dark and Bloody #1 are by far the most striking element to a book that is far more than another gory, spooky story. The struggle between what you can control and what you cant (your past, your moonshine operation, your familys security and safety) is palpable and the tension it produces is a wonderful surprise that accompanies a budding, rural supernatural darkness. The Dark and Bloody #1 balances the real with the unreal, the dark with the light, the slow crawls with the rapid sprints, and of course, the dead from the dying. Read Full Review
It feels like horror comics are a dime-a-dozen these days, but horror comics which genuinely unnerve you, creeping under your skin and lurking in your subconscious, are far rarer beasts. While Aldridge and Godlewski arent giving too much away just yet, the groundwork has been laid here for a truly terrifying rural horror tale, and a chilling testament to the fact that every action has a consequence. Read Full Review
The end result, however, is worth the wait and then some. A little bit Revival, a little bit Wytches, and a whole lot of its own mysterious, captivating beast, The Dark & the Bloody #1 has all of the requirements a debut issue should have, with some extra horror thrown in. If you're one of the myriads of readers looking for something different, or something riveting, or something with humanity and soul, or something with mystery, or something dark, or something bloody, or something fresh, go now. Get The Dark & the Bloody #1, then thank Aldridge and Godlewski for inviting us on the journey ahead. Read Full Review
My only complaint about this book is, really, that there's not more of it. Yes, it may come off as a little boring if you're not used to the calm before the storm in a horror story, but it leaves you with no doubt that the storm is going to be thrilling and frightening. And unless horror is just really not your thing, that's what you're here for. The first issue may not have a lot of anything in it, but skipping ahead wouldn't work either, because when all Hell does break loose, you have to care about what came before. Maybe the best thing to do right now is to buy the book and not read it until a few more issues are out, or just wait for the TPB, but no matter what, this is one book you do want to pick up. Read Full Review
“The Dark and Bloody” is off to a very nice start and I'm excited to see things get creepier and scarier as time passes. This has a ton of potential and I can't wait to see it all unfold. Read Full Review
This issue marks a fairly low-key start to the series, but it offers plenty of incentive to stick around. Read Full Review
Though a cliche or two, Dark and Bloody #1 is a new horror title filled with love, loss and just a dab of evil. Read Full Review
The atmosphere is ripe for one hell of a haunting story. The main character has a strong backstory, but so far I'm wondering why he's not more complex as an adult. Plus the big bad thing in this issue isn't on the page nearly enough leaving you wanting more progress. Read Full Review
However, I'm not certain that's where I want the direction of this narrative to move in. There aren't any glaring problems with the fantastical elements of the story, but the major players are so solid and relatable I kind of wish I was simplyreading about their everyday, paycheck-to-paycheck lives tucked away in the woods of the American South. Iris is a person who's made mistakes, but he's trying his best to eke out a life with the people he loves. His community has problems, but they aren't too big to overcome with a little hard work and some home-brewed liquor. Hopefully the monster in the woods keeps its distance and at least some of this world stays intact. Read Full Review
"The Dark and Bloody" #1 achieves the most important step of a character-driven story: defining the characters. It missteps a bit beyond that, but nonetheless manages to establish a decently compelling introduction. Read Full Review
So far, I haven't seen enough fromThe Dark & The Bloody to convince me that I want to be swigging from this particular mason jar month in and month out, but what the heck " I'm willing to stick it out for a couple more issues to see if this is particular batch of "white lightning" has the kind of kick that I'm looking for. Read Full Review
Dark and Bloody #1 does a fantastic job on the set-up and has a compelling character; but falters for being too similar in some areas. On top of that, having too few horror elements in the story brings it down for me. Read Full Review
Excellent debut. A different kind of horror than Vertigo usually does. I think people believe horror is all about monsters and blood. This book seems to be exploring a rather Victorian approach to horror, where we see the horror of the human condition as well as supernatural elements.
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