CREDIT: AfterShock
Rating: 4.5/5 – Blood Blister Boils!
by ComicSpectrum reviewer Adam Brunell
This week AfterShock released another new title in its arsenal of heavy hitters, and it’s no surprise that the comic comes with a shock value. The cover alone has a rather disfigured man that appears to be two sides to a coin, one side is a well-dressed business man, and the other is a disfigured dark figure with what appears to be heat or mist vapors coming off of him. After reading the first issue, it was easier to understand the cover art.
“What a dark and interesting tale of darkness and deceit.” This came to my mind when reading the first issue of Blood Blister. It’s not a surprise after Aftershock’s previous output that Blood Blister has a standard “Shock and Awe” to it. Writer Phil Hester and Artist Tony Harris are working on this fine piece of comics artistry, leaving no stone unturned when it comes to steady and heavy religious scare tactics. This comic read like a mix of the movies “The Devil’s Advocate” and “A Christmas Carol”. It supplies a rather controversial main character; a lawyer on the wrong side of right. Brandon Hull makes his living by tricking and using his knowledge of the law to better serve those that don’t deserve safety. With his soul plagued by the sins he has committed, Brandon must endure physical and emotional backlash from the poor choices he has made. He may seem tough as nails but his ability to withstand dark forces may prove to be insufficient. Hester supplies realistic dialogue to the characters throughout the comic, leaving no room for innocence. While Harris drops controversial and grotesque images to ensure the point gets across that this comic is not holding back at how ugly life or the people in it are. If this was a movie it would have a mature rating, so make sure you have your grownup pants on, because this is not something you hand to a child, or anyone with a weak stomach.
Blood Blister’s main character is a pompous jerk that lines his pockets with money from his dealings with villainous people. He’s a bad father and all around bad person, his morals are shot, and his respect for others is nonexistent. All possible sympathetic consideration for him is weeded out in the beginning of the comic and if that doesn’t make you loathe him, throughout the comic he is continuously unlikeable. He makes a fantastic character to watch and enjoy being tormented by demons. This comic is definitely providing an interesting story, with art that is emotionally heavy and can even be nauseating at times… I can’t wait to read the next one to see how Brandon holds up after the ending of the first issue.
Reviewed by: Adam Brunell
(adamb@comicspectrum.com)
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