Stake #2
Scout Comics 2021
Written by David A. Byrne
Illustrated by Francesca Fantini
Lettered by Joel Rodriguez of BofR Productions
After her careless solo mission nearly got her killed, Angel is sent for re-education at the Vampire Bounty Hunting Union. Already on thin ice, she manages to find herself in more hot water with her superiors, as a series of events leads to Jessamy needing to bail Angel out of another sticky situation. Can Jessamy get through to Angel, or will she wander down a path of self-destruction before she can fulfill her goal of catching her friend's killer?
What these folks are doing here is rewriting what we think of the vampire mythology. This issue alone adds science into how the vampire works, something we’ve really never seen done on this level and I gotta say I love every moment of it. Also while we’ve seen vampires reveal themselves in several different ways this one has some unique qualities to it that engage the readers minds and imaginations in some fantastic ways. Also this school for Vampire Bounty Hunters Union is something that can be utilised as a polarising spot as we see here and it is very derivative of today’s culture. Don’t people have better things to do with their lives?
I am loving the way that this is being told. The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceptionally well. I like the classroom episodes and while she hates them they are a wealth of information and we get a chance to see the other initiatives that will be Bounty Hunters like she is. The character development is pretty amazing and between the dialogue and the way we see them act and react to the situations and circumstances they encounter we really do get a great look at who they are. The pacing is superb and as it take us through the pages revealing the story, introducing us to new characters and that hyper focused look at Angel it’s hard to be addicted to the story.
I like the way that we see this being structured and how the layers within the story add this depth and complexity to what we see. It is important stuff these snippets and will tie into the bigger picture and cause some ruckus. The way that everything works together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as move the story forward is really well achieved.
I love the interiors here. The black & white base is so well done and that this medium is as unforgiving as it is and to see this done as well as it is really is truly delightful. The linework with its varying weights and techniques that we see utilised to create this level and quality in the detail work is astounding. When we see backgrounds in play they do wonders in expanding the moments and with the composition of the panels we do get some strong depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a remarkably talented eye for storytelling. The creativity and imagination that is on display is stunning and really adds another dimension and impact to the writing. The pops of colour here and there are nicely utilised and don’t just happen they are done with purpose and for impact and it’s absolutely incredible to see.
This is a far cry from you average story about vampires and those who hunt them. The deception of who is behind the Union is phenomenal to me and it just goes to show that humans who like to get involved in things they know nothing about need to get a life. I highly recommend this as well as anything else Scout puts out because this is home to some of the Indie scenes hottest and best storytelling.
About the Creator
Steven Leitman
Just me talking about the comics I enjoy reading, ones that you might not know exist and spotlighting the indie creators that excite me.
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By Rasma Raisters5 days ago in Geeks
Why The Ikkis Team “Had a Bit of a Debate” About Casting Dharmendra, Reveals Writer
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By Fiaz Ahmed Brohi2 days ago in Geeks
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