Blood Feud #2

Blood Feud #2
Released by: Oni Press
Released on: November 25th, 2015.
Written by: Cullen Bunn
Illustrated by: Drew Moss, Nick Filardi
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Picking up where the debut issue left off, we now know that the Whatley Clan of Spider Creek is evil. They're also pretty much always at war with the Stubbs Clan. R.F. Coven, his pals Cecil Burnett and Jack Siever and a college student named Sue Hatchell are starting to figure out just what exactly the truth behind the Whatley's really are… the hard way.

But for now, R.F. and Jack are, when this issue begins, standing face to face with the Stubbs clan - it's hard not to notice that they're vampires because they've all got fans and they're covered in blood.

This poses a problem for the guys, because these vampires are not only strong, they're hungry and they don't seem particularly put off when R.F. unloads a few bullets into them. And then that bull from the first issue shows up, just in time to make things even more complicated. Jack decides to use the vampire children as bullfighting flags. He's none too keen on these 'Draculas' anyway, so no qualms about seeing them gored by a bull. With the immediate threat over with, the guys head towards the house where they hear a baby cry. R.F. isn't happy about it, but he knows what he has to do.

They realize that they've left Sue alone with someone who has been bitten by one of the Stubbs' family and so they make their way back through the woods to hopefully get to her in time. But then they remember that the vampires they just killed were only the Stubbs children. There are still the adults to deal with, but once they cross the creek the vampires give up the chase. For now. And then the guys make it back to the cabin…

A few good twists in this second chapter keep the pacing quick and the story entertaining. There's a good mix of humor in here along with the horror and the action and you've got to give writer Cullen Bunn for coming up with some pretty unique ideas when it comes to dealing with vampires. The backwoods setting is nice and creepy, the heroes are likeable and the villains are sleazy and eerie and savage. The art from Drew Moss and Nick Filardi strikes the same balance between horror and humor that it featured in the first issue, and that's a good thing. The monsters have a ferocity to them in how they're illustrated that makes them frightening, which contrasts with the more humorous aspects of the story, such as Cecil's behavior when he's left alone with foxy Sue.

Definitely worth picking up if you like some genre mashing in your comics - the guys behind this book are putting out a pretty entertaining read.