BAD BLOOD

At the start of this five-issue miniseries, Jonathan Mayberry and Tyler Crook blend two well-worn plot elements — cancer and vampires — into something surprisingly fresh. This story of college student Trick and his unexpected war with the Undead isn’t afraid to illustrate how death can wear down and win over, but it never feels plodding or pathetic. By looking at what happens when a bro’s bravado comes up against the limits of his own mortality, Mayberry and Crook turn a standard supernatural romp into a very engaging undertaking. When Trick is first introduced, he’s a former athlete at a truly terrible stage in his chemo, and the prognosis isn’t good. Things only get worse when a vampire attacks: the monster is burned by Trick’s toxic blood, and in its rage it begins a war of terror against Trick and everyone he loves. Crook’s art didn’t initially strike me as well-suited for a horror comic. With material softness and lighter lines, it’s almost like a sketchbook at points. However