BLOOD ON SUNSET #4, from Source Point Press on March 30th, 2022, tightens the dragnet around Clint when bodies pile up and he’s caught between Uppercut Lombardo’s plans and a corrupt police chief.
The Details
- Written By: Mark D’Anna
- Art By: Arjuna Susini
- Colors By: Vittorio Astone
- Letters By: Andworld Design
- Cover Art By: Arjuna Susini
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: March 30, 2022
Wait! Don’t Forget To Sign Up For The Comical Opinions Newsletter.
It’s 100% FREE. Sign up NOW!
Was It Good?
Well, ain’t this a kick in the crotch. BLOOD ON SUNSET #4 takes the classic tropes and plot points from the best detective noir stories in the post-WWII era and takes the story one step further for an issue with snappy dialog, hard-boiled narration, confrontations in smoky bars, and backstabbing at every turn… with vampires.
Yes, that’s right. Vampires.
We’ve been very favorable of this series up to this point, but the consistent point of frustration with D’Anna’s writing has been the insistence on playing coy with the type of monsters the story deals with. Finally, the name is said out loud, and not only is it fully clear, but we also learn what afflicts Clint. A story should always generate questions in the reader’s mind, but there are bad questions and good questions. Good questions are future questions like “What’s going to happen next?” or “How will she survive?”. Bad questions are confusing questions like “How did they get from A to B?” or “How did X happen?”. Readers want good questions, and writers should avoid or quickly eliminate bad questions. Uncertainty about the monsters generates confusing questions, and while it took too long to eliminate that question, it’s gone and it makes the reading experience much more enjoyable.
As for the proverbial “kick in the crotch”, it comes by way of a surprise ending. The twist shouldn’t be a surprise for anyone who’s familiar with the detective noir subgenre, but when it hits, it knocks you for a loop. This issue from D’Anna is the best issue in the series so far.
The success of this issue is elevated further by the art from Susini and Astone. The scratchy line style fits the weathered and rundown tone of the seedy side of LA during the 1940s, and the color shading nails every grizzled chin and rumpled trenchcoat to give the setting a worn, lived-in look.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
NIck’s gotten himself in worse trouble. Remind yourself how by reading our BLOOD ON SUNSET #3 review.
We begin with Nick recovering in an alley after he was jumped in a nearby establishment the night before. More bodies mean more attention, and he feels the noose of a setup tightening around his neck. Meanwhile, Uppercut Lombardo meets with one of his flunkies with orders to bring Clint to him alive. Lombardo suspects Clint is a hybrid vampire, not a full vampire like himself, and he believes Clint will be a powerful asset.
Later, Clint’s former boss, Clemence Horrall, announces a new police task force to address the string of gang-related deaths escalating across the city. Clint knows Horrall is corrupt and if he finds a way to tie Clint to just one killing, Horrall will pin it all on Clint. Lombardo’s flunkie, Jerry, spots Clint listening to the press conference and follows him afterward to a local bar.
We conclude the issue with an introduction, an offer, and a betrayal.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
BLOOD ON SUNSET #4 is the strongest issue in the series. D’Anna’s writing fills in critical blanks in the arc, puts the main character in an increasingly desperate situation, and ends with a twist you’ll kick yourself for not expecting. The excellent writing is complemented by equally excellent art for a mashup that works as both a period piece as well as a supernatural tale of horror.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
If you’re interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com