“Bloodlines: Part 4”
Creative Staff:
Story: Fred Van Lente
Art: Vincenzo Frederici
Colors: Dearbhla Kelly
Letterer: Simon Bowland
What They Say:
Though it looks like the (allegedly) retired crooks of Bountiful, Utah can run their dirt right under the nose of the Feds without any repercussions, everyone has to serve somebody. When the FBI comes to town demanding answers about the recent rash of murders, even the mob bosses of Bountiful have to snap to attention–but if corrupt Feds think their badges and warrants will keep them safe from the vengeance of Jennifer Blood…they’re about to learn how wrong they are!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
The deeper that we got into this series the more it’s felt like an interesting throwback to a number of 80s indie comics in its approach to violence and storytelling. I’ve said that it gives me a very Steven Grant kind of feeling in a way, especially like the Whisper comics of old, and that’s definitely appealing. Fred Van Lente has long done well with these kinds of stories and working with a town full of criminals that are playing with the veneer of respectability but being the scum they are definitely made for a good launching point. Vincenzo Frederici definitely does a great job of capturing small-town America through the particular lens here while also leaning into the kind of leatherbound sexuality that comes from a character like Blood, as well as our sheriff, Giulietta.
With this issue, the penultimate run of the storyline, we get to see more of how Bountiful runs. While Giallo is out of commission in the hospital, Giulietta has made her way out of there to try and get things done in figuring out where Jennifer Blood is, or at least who is playing her. That has her making her way around town but she gets thrown for a curve quickly when the FBI agent that’s overseeing the place for the moment sets her to a new task. It’s apparently “piss day” where as part of their grant, they have to stay clean. And that means returning a bunch of samples of various people on a list. So that has her going about town to do just that, but it also exposes us to more characters and more of what she didn’t know. The big piece of which is a casino where they keep a bunch of runaway clean mormon kids that are smuggled in and out regularly in order to use them on piss day.
That, unsurprisingly, panics Giuletta because she’s trying to find Blood and could be there right under her nose. That’s doubly reinforced when she reads what happens to Blood’s kids after her supposed death and how they eventually ended up in the system, which means they could be the ones here causing trouble. The book is heavy on Giuletta material this time around but we also see Jennifer getting in on the action. With the FBI agents taking bribes on piss day as well, we see them talking about what they need the money for just before Blood comes in and eliminates all of them, leaving just a maid to tell them the what and why. She even reveals her true self – off-panel – for a moment which helps to set up the final installment coming in the next issue.
In Summary:
This series has done an interesting job with the concept that it has and dropping in a lot of violence amid the investigation side itself. I’m definitely curious to see who has been behind it all and with it being revealed soon it definitely has my full attention. I did like what we got out of Giuletta in this run and hopefully if there’s more to come afterward we’ll see something creative with her as well, but mostly what we’ve had is a good cat and mouse game where it’s all going to explode in the finale. Jennifer has some interesting moments here as well, showing that she’s definitely looking at all side of this, and I’m curious to see the fallout from it. Definitely a lot to like here, especially with such solid and well-done artwork that makes the action intense.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: 15+
Released By: Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: January 5th, 2022
MSRP: $3.99
