Does this new series have a story that’s truly worth telling?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

Jessie Blute’s uncles murdered her father and drove her mother to suicide, which forced Jessie to fake her own death. With a new identity, she distanced herself from her past, found love, raised a family… And then, many years later, she sought out her uncles and delivered brutal and blood-drenched vengeance. But what was the trigger that turned this sweet, loving mother-of-two into a cold-hearted killing machine?

This is the story of Jessica Blute’s lost years… And how she came to draw first blood.

The opening issue to Jennifer Blood: First Blood offers a competent narrative that’s not quite as consistent in quality as the current series but it manages to maintain the character’s trademark persona.  It’s an interesting look at her first fight covered in some nice retrospective backstory that brings some of the history of Jessica Blute to the surface.

Mike Carroll does a solid job with a script that hits all the right notes even as it stumbles just a little bit with the dialogue.  There are moments where character conversations seem a bit stiff and a few inner-narration blurbs that just feel a bit out of place but beyond those minor hiccups, the pace and the overall content in this issue more than succeeds.  Truth be told it’s a very engaging read that will please longtime fans from start to finish.

Igor Vitorino does a very good job on the art.  His panels are framed well, yielding surprisingly robust visuals for some dynamic scenes.  His pencil work illustrates the look and the feel of the script exceptionally well, even if some of the faces look just a tad bit wonky during some minor scenes.  Beyond that though the work here serves the plot well and I can’t wait to see what this talented artist brings to the next issue.

Jennifer Blood: First Blood #1 is a good comic that’s worth your time if you’re a fan of the title character or if you’re just getting to know her.  Recommended.

3.5/5