Jennifer Blood Annual #1 Review


Is this annual a worthwhile purchase?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

The year is 1987, and Jennifer Blood doesn’t exist yet. Neither does Jen Fellows. Instead, there’s only Jessica Blute, daughter of Sam Blute, six years old going on seven and very happy in her world… even though it’s about to come to an end.

As with most annuals this tale is not essential.  It offers a history lesson in the life of Jennifer Blood that succeeds in yielding a deliciously violent narrative, as the script covers all the habitual tendencies of the main series.  It’s not perfect nor is it necessary, but it’s still is a fun little read.

This annual maintains the series’ unique spark from start to finish, yielding a powerful conclusion that’s ultimately worthy of the main title.  From a torture scene to an impending doom, series writer Al Ewing effortlessly weaves a narrative that offers an intelligent backdrop to the psychological make-up of Jennifer Blood.  That may sound a bit boring, but trust me this issue is anything but that.  In 32 pages we deal with a complex family drama and the idea of nature vs. nurture in this robust little script.

Marcos Marz steps in to do the art for this annual and for the most part it works, as he succeeds in emulating and at times even extenuating the established style of the main series.  But there are a few bland panels that take away from the overall experience.  Thankfully though, the quality of the issue is not ruined by these minor missteps.

Jennifer Blood is a mature comic book series that deals with some complex and absurdily over the top things, but that is it’s charm.  It won’t appeal to everyone but if you’re looking for a dark, violent and ultimately engaging read this annual is for you.  Recommended.

4/5

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