Brielle Brooks is learning that she can hold her own fighting vampires. Her mother Safron also knows a thing or two about them. But why are there vampires here now? Find out in Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #1 from Marvel Comics!

BLOODLINE: DAUGHTER OF BLADE #1

Writer: Danny Lore
Artist: Karen S. Darboe
Colorist: Cris Peter
Letterer: VC’s Joe Sabino
Editor: Annalise Bissa
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: February 1, 2023

Previously in Bloodline: Daughter of Blade: Brielle Brooks is a good kid, doing well in school and on the softball team. Then weird things start happening to her, like temporarily becoming super-strong, but only at night. She does not know who her father is, but she may be about to learn!

A FIERCE MOTHER AND DAUGHTER

Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #1 opens in the past when Brielle Brooks joins a softball team. She lives alone with her mom, but looking through an old photo album she sees a picture of the man who is her father, but who is not part of their life.

In the present day, Brielle’s mom, Safron Caulder, is called to the school. Brielle has dropped all her extracurricular activities and they are concerned. But her grades have not dropped. She has not been fighting or getting into trouble. As far as Bri’s mother is concerned, her school life is her own, and whether she participates or not is her choice. Still, it does not stop her from quizzing her daughter a little more over dinner.

They leave the restaurant and must walk a while to get to the car. A woman follows them. Safron calmly pulls a can of mace from her purse. As she spins to tell the woman to back off, Brielle tackles her. The woman is a vampire. Brielle continues to fight with her as Safron goes to the car and pulls out a stake. Brielle immobilizes the vampire long enough for her mother to kill her with the stake.

Next morning’s conversation is awkward. Obviously, both of them know about vampires, but neither knew that the other did. Brielle says she’s only had her powers for about a month or so, but they seemed to be random until her friend Jayden figured out she could only do them at night. Her mother thinks she might know what is happening to her, but she wants a little more time before telling her more.

When Brielle gets to school, she cannot resist telling Jayden about her mom and their fight. Their conversation is interrupted when class starts and their teacher, Ms. Fraser, introduces a new student, Whitney Nieves, who has recently moved from New Orleans. She sits at the open desk next to Bri.

That night, Bri goes to a nearby abandoned house with a bag of gear, her phone, and a lacrosse stick. She knows there is a vampire here. She hopes she will get night vision again. Her friend Rebecca messages her to tell her their team lost. Someone jumps out of the shadows at her. Apparently tonight Brielle has better reflexes. They fight, and the other girl accuses Bri of being a monster. They fight a bit more, and Bri realizes the other girl is getting winded. Plainly, whoever she is, she is not the vampire.

DELIGHTFULLY EXPRESSIVE

The artwork in Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #1 is wonderful. Brielle is adorable in her pink hair. In the first scene at school, we cannot help but see some resemblance between mother and daughter. Brielle starts out as surly as we would expect with a young person who thinks she is in some kind of trouble. When her mother instead stands up for her, she is genuinely surprised. I like the way Safron handles the encounter. She does not simply argue; she verifies whether or not Bri has done anything serious.

But these scenes and the vampire fight scene that comes up shortly work together to show that there is a strong sense of trust between the two of them. Bri has the confidence that has the strength to fight a vampire while her mother is still prepared for a fight after all these years. They work well together as a team even though they are not practiced. I like that they wait until the following morning, when they are rested and their heads are clear, to talk and I love their honesty.

BOTTOM LINE: A TOUGH AND DETERMINED YOUNG WOMAN

Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #1 introduces a charming heroine who is full of potential. She is going to need all the support she has as the action ramps up!

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