About Heroes

Author and Illustrator: Jerry Cho
Translator: Yun Zhao
English Adaptation: Ailen Lujo
Publisher: DrMaster

This comic is based on a novel by Josev, and it's released in a 64 page color graphic novel formant. This is only the first part of an ongoing Korean Manhwa. Claws of Darkness #1 Journal of the Vampire Hunter ended up surprising me. When I first looked at the cover I thought to myself: "here comes another Vampire Hunter D rip-off". But it’s really more than just that, the protagonist Nicholas Bane, seems more like Batman than the Quiet Vampire Hunters to come out of the east. He's got the classic half demon and half human lineage, because don't you know? All vampire hunters need one.

Spoiler Free Review
A mix of water coloring, beautiful paintings and a touch of computer generated effects will have you drooling for more. No kidding, the art is breathtaking, the character designs seems like something Yoshitaka Amano would have produced. Cho is amazing at putting action and emotion in every panel and does it in away where it doesn't take away from the main theme. Even during the big action sequences, you don't loose track of what is happening. There are some stunning scenes in this book; unfortunately for those with a weak stomach they won't be able to appreciate it as much. By that I mean this book is pretty fucking violent and dark, it is definitely filled with taboo occult rituals. Actually I was reminiscing of Garth Ennis' Preacher books when I was reading a couple of scenes. Claws of Darkness takes readers on a wild blood-soaked ride into the world of the undead.

Vampire hunter Nicholas Bane is not alone against the bloodsuckers; he is accompanied by his pet/familiar Bobo. Bobo is a black cat that travels on Bane's shoulders, no better way to balance out an angsty character than to give him a cute little sidekick. Bane travels to Santa Anna, Mexico where the drug kingpin Gino Carlos seems to be more than human. There have been murders in this town and Bane investigates how exactly they had been killed. We find out a bit about the Vampire Hunter as he talks about his past at the Azul Bar where he meets Anna. In this story vampires have to be not only staked through the heart but be decapitated and the head has to be turned to ashes. Damn, that's got to be a bitch when fighting a clan of 30 vampires. Not a bad start for a new series, the only problem that I had was with the dialogue, some of the translations are a bit wanting. B+
Click here to read the review with spoilers.