Bad Blood #3 continues Trick and Lolly’s quest to find a real vampire and picks up immediately after they’re ambushed and Lolly is bitten by one. But it’s the vampire who ends up more surprised as Lolly’s blood burns him and he discovers her blood is just as tainted as Trick’s but for a different reason. And when he sees the track marks on her arm he takes both of them and throws them in a trash bin while calling them both garbage for tainting their blood. Trick, surprised at this revelation holds a weakened Lolly close, feeling a certain solidarity with her because he feels her blood is just like his and together they’re invincible in their struggles. Meanwhile the vampires are on the move plotting after being hidden for so long, and that may have helped them elude vampire hunters for a long time but they have a new problem as the long hibernation has made them incapable of drinking the blood of the sick without dire consequences. But the shame of having been defeated twice now is too much to bear as they plan to go after Trick and Lolly one more time in order to understand the effects of tainted blood. Despite having tainted blood, has Trick and Lolly’s luck run out now that they’ve lost the element of surprise?

I loved how this series started out but felt that the last issue had too many false leads and took away some of the momentum established in the first issue. However the growing relationship between Trick and Lolly was the strongest element in the issue and so at least the personal aspects still stayed strong. That fact did pay off at the start of this issue as the relationship between the two when Trick helped and took care of Lolly after she was bitten was perfectly understood. There was strength in the solidarity but there was also sadness as it took on an “us against the world” tone. And it would get better as they would gain an even deeper understanding of each other while working towards finding a solution for their situation. But my points about the second issue were reaffirmed as they realized they still didn’t know anything useful about the vampires and therefore didn’t know where to begin.

Fortunately things would pick up action wise this issue as well with a new character being introduced and a lot more vampires. And in doing so some of the fact vs fiction regarding vampires in the context of this series is revealed and they’re not particularly impressive in terms of their abilities. It is a very interesting concept that the present-day blood of so many is poisonous to the vampires since they’ve been hibernating for so long and unable to adapt, and it is a relief to see them as other than near indestructible creatures for a change. And it also fits with the tone of this series in not shying away from some of the grungy elements and focusing on a very human struggle. And with the way things end this issue the next one has so much potential I’m curious as to how it plays out.

SUMMARY

Bad Blood #3 gets the series back on track and is an exciting issue as the action picks up and a new character is introduced. The relationship between Trick and Lolly continues to be strong in the sense that it’s consistent and therefore the developments are easy to follow and understand, and actually root for them to overcome despite their individual struggles. And with the conclusion of this issue it appears that things will be only better next issue.

Release Date: 3/5/14

Writer: Jonathan Maberry

Artist: Tyler Crook