REVIEW: 'The Bloody Dozen' #1 by Charles Soule, Alberto Jimenez Alburquerque, and Rachelle Rosenberg

 

THE BLOODY DOZEN #1

Writer: Charles Soule

Artist: Alberto Jimenez Alburquerque, Rachelle Rosenberg

Letterer: Chris Crank

Publisher: Image Comics

Release Date: December 13, 2023

Cover Price: $3.99

MINISERIES PREMIERE

SPACE VAMPIRES!

In this new installment of THE SHROUDED COLLEGE, CHARLES SOULE and WILL SLINEY's supernatural horror-adventure saga, three down-and-out astronauts are tasked with the ultimate heist-breaking a group of deadly vampires out of a space prison orbiting the Sun. Apollo 13 meets Blade in this killer thriller!

Score:

★★★★☆ (4/5)

QUICK REVIEW: Charles Soule, Alberto Jimenez Alburquerque, Rachelle Rosenberg have put together a quirky supernatural horror adventure in the latest chapter of The Shrouded College universe with 'The Bloody Dozen.' A clear homage to 'The Dirty Dozen' but this heist involves astronauts and vampires. 

A mysterious witch recruits a retired astronaut, a NASA scientist, and a drug-addicted assassin. Three generations from the same family are promised things in exchange for releasing imprisoned vampires from a space station near the sun. It's an odd group to carry out such a breakout but each has a specific skill to make this happen. The first issue is all set up and even though there isn't a lot of action, it still moves along briskly as Soule provides the story's foundation so he can unleash the heist going forward. It mostly works despite the familiar plot devices and it's distinguished by Alburquerque and Rosenberg's lively art. 

Alburquerque's style is very angular and animated but well-paced including a surprising action sequence that is quite brutal. Rosenberg's colors are bright and bold enlivening a rather dark storyline. Together, the art team keeps things moving with impressive visuals. 

'The Bloody Dozen' shows much promise as Soule and Company put a new twist on the heist story encompassing the supernatural, science-fiction, and fantasy.