DRACULINA: BLOOD SIMPLE #2, from Dynamite Comics on March 15th, 2023, continues Lilith’s tale of woe as Katie and Victory find Vampirella dead in an alley, but not all is as it seems.
The Details
- Written by: Christopher Priest
- Art by: Michael Sta. Maria
- Colors by: Ivan Nunes
- Letters by: Taylor Esposito
- Cover art by: Jay Anacleto (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: March 15, 2023
Is It Good?
DRACULINA: BLOOD SIMPLE #2 begins to bring Christopher Priest’s plot into focus, and the results are intriguing… maybe. If the tea leaves have assumed their correct position, the BLOOD SIMPLE in the title refers to the old adage “Blood Is Thicker Than Water,” and the adage’s implications for a family comprised of a bunch of messed up vampire-ish mothers, daughters, and sisters.
When last we left Draculina, issue #1 was almost a complete recap issue explaining who’s who and what’s what. Now, we take a bite out of the new story as Draculina and Katie appear to struggle with living separated from each other while trying to carry on a “normal” life. Unfortunately, celestial forces, demonic forces, and no small amount of emotional issues threaten to upset the apple cart.
In short, Draculina’s got issues, and they’re manifesting at the worst possible time.
So far, we tentatively like where this story is headed… maybe. In typical Priest fashion, the plot is not at all obvious, some of the scenes aren’t set up at all or let the readers know what’s going on, so the readers are left to do the work to figure the story out. Some readers enjoy putting in extra effort to figure out the plot, so your mileage may vary, but for what Priest has delivered so far, the seeds of something unique are present.
Switching gears to the art team, Michael Sta. Maria’s art style is a treat in every comic, and this issue is no exception. Sta. Maria’s line work is super clean and ultra-crisp, the figure work is gorgeous, and Ivan Nunes is turning out to be one of the best colorists around. Visually, this book is aces.
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]
Check out our DRACULINA: BLOOD SIMPLE #1 review to get a thorough primer on everyone in this issue.
We begin with Lilith and Victory taking a portal hop to a lonely alley where they find a dead Draculina. Psych! It’s not Draculina, but a vampire-drained body of a woman dressed up like Draculina.
Elsewhere, we catch up with Katie (an alternate reality, young girl version of Draculina) struggling to adjust to the doldrums of school. Suddenly, Kaite is smacked in the head (literally) with the prospect of boys and dating. Flustered about what to do, Katie seeks out the worst advice possible from the worst people possible.
Elsewhere still, Belial is summoned to a meeting with angels to discuss a recent demonic attack involving Belial’s missing hand. We conclude the issue with awkward flying and an identity crisis.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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DRACULINA: BLOOD SIMPLE #2 moves on from the setup of issue #1 with a story about the fragile new status quo for Draculina and Katie. There’s a lot to like in the individual moments, and the art is exquisite, but the plot (if there is one) hasn’t come together yet.
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