Bitter Root Vol. 1: Family Business
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Bitter Root Vol. 1: Family Business

Writer: David Walker, Chuck Brown Artist: Sanford Greene Publisher: Image Comics Trade Paperback: May 15, 2019, $16.99 Issues: 5, Issue Reviews: 99
9.2Critic Rating
7.3User Rating

Once known as the greatest monster hunters of all time, the Sangerye family specialized in curing the souls of those infected by hate. But those days are fading. A terrible tragedy has claimed most of the family, leaving the surviving cousins divided between by the desire to cure monsters or to kill them. Now, though, there's a new breed of monster loose on the streets of Harlem, and the Sangerye family must either come together or watch the human race fall to untold evil. Collects BITTER ROOT #1-5.

Rating Collected Issues Reviews
9.1
Bitter Root #1 26
9.3
Bitter Root #2 9
9.2
Bitter Root #3 9
9.2
Bitter Root #4 6
9.4
Bitter Root #5 6
  • 7.0

    Bitter Root, by David F. Walker, Chuck Brown, and Sanford Greene (Image)

    The critics absolutely adore this book. The series has been nominated for six Eisner awards (including winning for “Best Continuing Series” in 2020). However, I lost appreciation for the book in issue #3 when the concept of the “Jinoo” monsters is explained in narrative to the reader. The “Jinoo” are people (specifically white people) corrupted into monsters after being infected/tainted by hate (racism). It is further explained, “Black folks…we don’t turn into Jinoo. It just isn’t in us.” I get this a book about confronting racism but then (conversely) we are introduced to the concept of the black infected monsters known as “Inzondo” reserved for “a soul ravaged by great sorrow and pain”.

    Racism - the belief that different races possess distinct characteristics, abilities, or qualities, especially so as to distinguish them as inferior or superior to one another.

    Creatively, it’s hypocritical to confront racism while resorting to racist innuendoes. The added distinction was unnecessary for the protagonists’ struggle to be both morally and allegorically just.

    I’m not prepared to “throw the baby out with the bath water”. The one concept I confronted above doesn’t diminish the characters, the art, or the adventure. There are certainly great concepts within to enjoy. This book had a similar feel, excitement, and quality of Rick Remender’s “Black Science”.

    + LikeComments (1)
  • 3.5
    Kiper602 Mar 12, 2023

    The book succeed in showing white folks how it is when reading racist comics etc.
    If this was intended then congratulations, but still it was absolutely awful expirience. I read all three tomes only because I bought in pack and it gets only worst

  • 9.0
    K-23 Jan 24, 2022

  • 9.0
    Pickleicious Sep 12, 2022

  • 8.0
    Bropokalypse Nov 15, 2020

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