JENNIFER BLOOD (VOL. 2) #6, from Dynamite Comics on March 16th, 2022, transitions the killer of killers into a secret underground hospital for gangsters where she finds a new mission after the downfall of Bountiful.
The Details
- Written By: Fred Van Lente
- Art By: Vincenzo Federici
- Colors By: Dearbhla Kelly
- Letters By: Jeff Eckleberry
- Cover Art By: Tim Bradstreet
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: March 16, 2022
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Was It Good?
This entire series is a pure, unapologetic joy in the realm of crime thrillers. Van Lente deserves a gold medal, a gold star, and a gold bar for almost single-handedly bringing back the old-school bliss of killers being killers and having fun while doing it.
“Oh, yeah! What’s so great about JENNIFER BLOOD (VOL. 2) #6?”, you ask. Well, my finely cultured reader, the Bountiful storyline is effectively done. Yet, Van Lente manages to deliver a one-shot issue that organically… seamlessly… introduces a completely new villain you can’t wait to learn more about, establishes a new ally with utterly perfect motivations, creates a new quest for Jennifer to follow, and does it all in a gleeful killing spree that would make the Joker say “Whoa! That’s a bit excessive.”
To be clear, it’s not the over-the-top violence or gratuitous mayhem that makes this issue work (although, we’d be lying if we didn’t say they helped). It’s the surgical level of story craft Van Lente puts into pulling all the previously mentioned pieces together in a fun and exciting way. This isn’t simply writing. this is storytelling, and the Comics Industry needs a lot more storytellers.
What we like about this issue is its transitional nature from one arc to the next. in lesser hands, this issue would be written off (no pun intended) as a filler issue. However, it doesn’t feel like filler or a throwaway story by any measure, and it sets up the next arc beautifully. It’s hard to get over how well Van Lente pulled this off.
Of course, Federici’s art is great in this issue. The character designs (clothes, hair) are a little more exaggerated in this issue, but rather than making the issue feel silly, the designs lean you into the wildness of the action a bit more. The silliness increases the charming sense of black humor, consequently increasing the entertainment factor.
On a secondary note, we typically don’t say much about lettering, but Eckleberry’s work on this issue is worth noting. The sound effect placement, especially during the big gun battle, is excellent and it adds a bit of flavor to the action.
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]
To remind yourself how Jennifer Blood wound up in a hospital for patients allergic to prison, first read our JENNIFER BLOOD (VOL. 2) #5 review.
We begin with “Jennifer Blood” (in quotes because we learned in the last issue she’s not the OG but has now assumed the mantle) in a gangster hospital. she’s unconscious and revering from wounds sustained during the final battle at Bountiful (see the last issue). She’s also sharing a room with a contract killer, Eagle Aguilar, who’s dying from a disease.
The doctor recognizes who Jennifer from the wig, clothes, and weapons Jennifer was wearing when she was brought in, and he excuses himself to make a frantic phone call. Notorious gangster boss Platinum Blondi receives the call and offers to help the doctor to go straight back into regular medicine if he delivers Jennifer to her vindictive hands alive.
Meanwhile, a cadre of killers arrive at the hospital and the doctor directs them to Jennifer’s room, thinking they’re the men Platinum sent to collect Jennifer. We conclude the issue with a very deadly case of mistaken identity, not-so-friendly fire, and a dying wish from a bucket list.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
JENNIFER BLOOD (VOL. 2) #6 is a stellar issue that does practically everything right. the action is wild, the story elements transition from one arc to the next flawlessly, and the art is outstanding. If you’re into crime thrillers with a touch of craziness and a pinch of black humor, you couldn’t hope for a better issue.
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