Writer: Rob Moran
Artist: James Devlin, John Keane
Publisher: Platinum Studios Comics
When it came out a while ago, I planned on reviewing Blood Nation #1. Whatever the circumstances, that didn’t quite work out, so I moved onto issue #2 and subsequently issue #3. When I didn't review either of those issues, and with the fourth and final issue out last week, I had but three options: (1) just give up on the whole deal, (2) just review the final issue or (3) do a collective review of all four issues. As the review title implies, I chose the third option.
As a story Blood Nation is an exercise in clichés, all except for its ending. Name just about any horror-action cliché and you’ll probably find it here. From the ancient evil unsuspectingly revived and let loose on the modern world, the bible-thumping power-hungry leader (U.S. President), the disgruntled fallen-from-grace hero, the hawt female science expert who also happens to be the hero’s ex-beau, the relatively green but plucky subordinates, the betraying insider(s), Blood Nation has it all.
Set at the outset of the second quarter of the 21st century, the "Blood Nation" in Blood Nation is the erstwhile Soviet Union. Overtaken by a thawed out (reanimated) Genghis Khan and his army of vampires, giant leeches and other nasties, the Reds (for bloodsuckers) have run over the better part of Western Europe, which all thanks a U.S. nuclear strike, is suffering a nuclear winter. However, thanks to a physicist from America’s 51st state, Great Britain, the "good" guys have a weapon system that keeps the "suckers" to their "dark" side. A stalemate is in place, until the Reds get their hands on the nuclear stockpile of the previous Soviet government(s). Fearing a deliberate repeat of their foolishness from a few years back, the American President authorizes a strike force to, well, do something about it. In a reflection of the current U.S. political climate, all this is part of the "Crusade Against the Regime of Evil." It is the "Lord’s Work" for "America to finally triumph over those who hate freedom."
As mentioned earlier the hero here, Captain Ethan Cutter is a fallen-from-grace army veteran. Sporting baggage the size of the North American continent, Cutter has a history with both the bloodsuckers and the President. That history is a major part of the plot here for it explains everything from why Cutter is in prison to start with, how he got there and why the hell he hates the Reds so much. What it doesn’t explain is why the hell is he not a bloodsucker, even though he carries the virus. Leading the mission (and team) for which he is given an emergency Presidential pardon, Cutter makes his way through the cold Russian wilderness to the epicenter of Khan’s power, Moscow. Along the way the group faces the usual problems: cold, enemy attacks and what-have-you. As with just about everything else, this part of the story is also not particularly original or even twisting.
The only major surprise of Blood Nation is its ending which I won’t spoil here. What I will say about it is that even though it closes with an open ending, I have no interest in seeing it pursued in a sequel, mainly because it too telegraphs being an exercise in clichés.
Conclusion: Blood Nation has all the familiar elements of the horror-action genre. Unfortunately, for it, the elements are just a little too familiar. Good artwork though, both human and vampire.
You can find more reviews by Bruce Logan at www.xcave.net
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