THE BITE OF BRENNA BARLOW #1, available now on IndyPlanet, introduces readers to an old vampire determined to live a peaceful life in the modern world. When a young runaway brings Brenna’s past pains to the surface, she must come to terms with her past to save the runaway’s future.
The Details
- Written By: Rob Stanley
- Art By: J.C. Grande
- Colors By: Blake Wilkie, Rebecca McConnell
- Letters By: Toben Racicot
- Cover Art By: Gregory Woronchak
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Release Date: Available Now
Was It Good?
Yes. Vampire comics that take the mythos seriously are always welcome here at ComicalOpinions.com, and this indie project is no exception. Stanley crafts an interesting story of a vampire in the modern world turned reluctant hero. This vampire has the added and unique twist of being blind, which makes for a wholly original concept.
The art is above average for an indie comic, and the artistic team should be commended for their work.
To be fair, it’s not a perfect book. The inking looks like it runs and swirls in a few spots, and the coloring isn’t blended as well as it could be, but great effort overall.
Check out how the creators came up with this concept by reading our exclusive 7 Questions for Rob Stanley interview right here.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD]
We first meet Brenna Barlow working as a credit card debt collector on the night shift. Brenna deals with the mundane excuses of people who can’t pay their bills, but we soon learn she has some telepathic abilities from her vampirism. She can sense the thoughts and feelings of those near her, stronger if the person is in distress.
Brenna lives with her Rottweiler, Gary, and the two carry on an odd relationship as she can speak with Gary telepathically. Gary seems unimpressed with Brenna or anything about her, except when it’s mealtime.
Coming home after a particularly difficult shift, Brenna here’s the desperate thoughts of a child nearby. Brenna leaves to investigate and finds the scared and lonely girl hiding in an alley from some people chasing her. Brenna brings the girl home with her until she can figure out what to do.
The little bit of negative for the story so far is Brenna’s blindness. Not because she’s blind but because not much is done with it. We eventually learn of her condition, but it’s not immediately clear that Brenna is blind or that it affects her in any way. It would have been more interesting to see how her blindness makes her different.
Does she develop some type of echolocation like a bat to get around? What does the world “look” like from her point of view? Is it all sounds and smells or do her vampire abilities create a different perception of the physical world? How would that look on the page? Overall, there was a missed opportunity to get imaginative with Brenna’s blindness by leaning into it and making her a different kind of badass e.g. Daredevil with fangs.
Back to the action. A shady-looking van pulls up to Brenna’s place with a group of toughs looking for the runaway girl. Here we get to see Brenna let her vampire brutality loose to protect the girl.
Saving the runaway dredges up old feelings about her own family and the lives she’s watched come and go through her own immortality. We see Brenna’s history and learn that her family connections are not completely gone, and there’s a chance for more connections in the future. As we conclude the issue, Brenna accepts there are some problems she can’t solve with all her power, and there are other problems that manage to solve themselves just fine.
Final Thoughts
THE BITE OF BRENNA BARLOW #1, available now on IndyPlanet, presents the modern vampire tale, adds a twist, and gives readers a unique hero story. The art, particularly the penciling, is quite good, and the story gives readers a strong enough introduction to Brenna to want more.
Score: 8/10
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