COVER OF DARKNESS #1 – Review

COVER OF DARKNESS #1, from Source Point Press on February 9th, 2022, interweaves two tales of vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, and witches in 19th-Century Europe.

The Details

• Written By: George Michail, Chris Cam
• Art By: M.J. Hiblen
• Colors By: M.J. Hiblen
• Letters By: Nikki Powers
• Cover Art By: M.J. Hiblen
• Cover Price: $1.99 (digital)
• Release Date: February 9, 2022

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Was It Good?

More of this, please, Source Point Press.

If you’re a fan of monster horror in the same vein (*ahem*) as Hammer Horror films, classic Dracula, classic werewolves, and anything and everything about the myths and legends surrounding their origins, this comic is right up your alley. This comic has all of the above and more.

Michail and Cam present a story about an informal family (smaller families traveling together) of gypsies who’ve hit on hard times. It’s a smart play to start with the family so readers have an emotional anchor to get invested in what happens to the characters. The characters each have a distinctive voice and point of view, so high marks go to the writers for taking the time to build out the characters first.

There are two timelines readers will follow. The first follows the gypsy family, the second begins 200 years earlier in Transylvania. While the emotional core of the story is the family, the family is also the only down point. There are so many family members that need to be introduced and established quickly, it’s too easy to lose track of who is who and their relation to each other. You’ll frequently find yourself asking “wait, is that one the sister or a girlfriend? Is that other one a daughter or a younger sister?” It’s not wrong to have an expansive cast but trying to get them all introduced and established in a scant 22 pages became confusing.

Regarding the art, this is our first exposure to M.J. Hiblen’s work, and it fits this type of material perfectly. The linework is a little sketchy, but what it lacks in precision is made up for with dramatic panel composition and character movement. And to be fair, the sketchy linework gives the setting an antiquated feel that helps immerse the reader in the Old World period.

Overall, this is a thoroughly enjoyable comic that hits all the right notes for fans of classic monsters.

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]

We begin with a woman running away from a fight scene where a large man is beating up a young girl. We learn later the woman is part of a small caravan of gypsies and the man was lashing out when he caught another young girl trying to steal goods from his bag.

200 years earlier, we find two men attempting to rob graves on the grounds of a Transylvanian castle. Their thievery is interrupted by the castle’s master, Count Orlok the vampire, who kills one man and offers survival to the second if he becomes his servant. The second man, Vlad, agrees.

Back to the running woman, Luna finds help from two companions who are practicing acrobatics in the woods. The trio returns to help the young girls and chase the man off. Fearing he will return with reinforcements, the ladies decide to move the camp while Luna’s brothers are still out in the woods on their trip.

We conclude the issue with the strange evolution of Orlok and Vlad’s relationship, Luna’s brothers returning via a unique mode of travel, and a hunt for food that turns dangerous in both timelines.

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