REVIEW: 'Witchblood' #1 by Matthew Erman, Lisa Sterle, and Gab Contreras

 A modern, Wild West road trip about a witch named Yonna cruising the Southwest as a band of bloodthirsty biker vampires, The Hounds of Love, hunt her scattered coven for the source of all magic: witch blood. From the critically acclaimed creators of The Modern Witch Tarot Deck and “Long Lost” comes WITCH BLOOD, a blend of action, lore, and Americana-perfect for fans of Buffy and American Gods.

Witchblood #1

Written by Matthew Erman

Art by Lisa Sterle

Colored by Gab Contreras

Lettered by Jim Campbell

Design by Tim Daniel

Publisher: Vault Comics

Release Date: March 31, 2021

Cover Price: $3.99

Score: 

★★★★1/2 (4.5/5)

Meet Yonna D'Arc. An eternally young immortal witch traveling the American West on her motorcycle she calls Ramblin' Rose and her trusted familiar, a crow named Bhu. Nothing screams freedom like this and Yonna is undoubtedly a free spirit living by her own rules. She's not above robbing a place for some spending cash or duping a local mechanic for some free labor on her bike. She's a rebel, punk rock by witches' standards.  Everything changes when she's run off the road by a driver shit-talking her in Spanish. 

Yonna is instantly endearing. She's got confidence, a swagger, and wisdom (she has been around for eons) that make her magnetic. You just want to see what she's going to do next. When she ends up in Carlos, Texas all her plans change. The mechanic makes a good case for getting paid cash for work provided. The crazy driver is there too. The confrontation doesn't go as planned and just when a fight ensues The Hounds of Love arrive in town. 

Real-life married creators Matthew Erman and Lisa Sterle create a quirky, witty, and fashionable horror adventure that is immensely entertaining. Beginning with Yonna, she's rocking boots, cargo pants, a leather jacket, and signing the lyrics to Mannequin Pussy's 'Patience.' How can you not love her? The Hex Hunter she encounters looks like Carmen Sandiego with a sword. The vampire biker gang Hounds of Love is what you get when 'The Lost Boys' meet New York Fashion Week. The styles and designs Sterle conjure up are wild and absolutely perfect for this tale. It's all electrified by Gab Contreras' bold bright colors.

The Hounds' evil leader, who resembles Owen Wilson in 'Zoolander,' is looking for some much sought-after witch blood, which coincidently leads to Yonna's destination - her coven. Erman strikes a great balance between character moments and action. The end of the issue goes out with a bang so that sets the tone for the series as it lives up to its self-described "Buffy and American Gods" comparison. 

'Witchblood' #1 is quite simply bloody fun. Yonna emerges as the next great supernatural hero like Buffy and Wynona Earp before her. This Western remix involving witches and vampires is just what we need to add some magic and sass to our lives.