The Vampires are loaded, and all the Hills need to do is fly home. But when they are attacked by the Artisans, can they hold them off? Find out in The Blood Dozen #4 from Image Comics!

How much trouble could the Hills get into flying a cargo of Vampires back to Earth? — **You can purchase this issue via our Amazon affiliate link**

THE BLOODY DOZEN #4

Writer: Charles Soule
Artist: Alberto Jiménez Albuquerque
Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Letterer: Chris Crank
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: March 20, 2024

Previously in The Bloody Dozen: We learn of the deal the Artisans made with the Vampires – eternal prison in exchange for the chance to study them. But Agvar is willing to play the long game. The Hills find a Soviet shuttle outside the prison. Investigating it, they find and dispatch a Vampire wearing a Soviet spacesuit. Greta stays with their own ship as George and Glory enter the prison. The coffins are empty. Agvar approaches them. The cosmonaut provided enough blood to awaken them, but they are still weak and would like more blood. George has a vial with one drop of blood for each of them. Agvar introduces the other eight. Then George shares the message from the Shrouded College – they want the Vampires to fight for them, but after the war, they would be set free.

DEADLY CARGO

As The Bloody Dozen #4 opens, we see the Vampires in 1870. Essie Longyear speaks of her experience as an aboriginal Vampire from Australia. When she became a vampire, she was exiled from her people. Now she celebrates the fact that she has found other Vampires like herself, and how they have become her new family. This may be one of the last times they will be able to celebrate together. The Artisans will ultimately win their war. But at least the remaining Vampires will be together. I like that it shows Vampires as more than just monsters.

Once all the Vampires are loaded on board their ship, the Hills set course back to Earth. Glory wonders how they feel about this. George feels like it is easy money. Greta does not see anything easy about a mission like this through space. George counters that this is easier than his entire previous career. This sets off an argument between the two of them. Then Glory feels that they have changed course. Instead of checking, Greta insists she set the course correctly, and this starts another argument. I know family tension has been one of the core conflicts of the book, but here it feels somewhat contrived.

At any rate, their proximity alarm goes off. Three enemy ships come up to them and fire at them. Greta now realizes that her controls are locked. George uses the interface to speak to their home base. They admit that the controls are locked and inform them that their attackers are the Artisans. If the Hills do not win the battle in the next fifteen minutes, they will destroy the ship. No pressure.

Greta regains control of the ship. Glory fires and takes out one of the Artisans’ ships. The other ships drop several Automen onto the Hills’ ship. Their intent is not to board – they don’t need to breathe. Their intent is to breach the hull. George suits up and heads out to get rid of as many of them as he can. There are so many that he warns Greta and Glory to suit up.

The Vampires understand what is happening and Agvar offers to help. All the Vampires need is blood. George refuses. He would rather die. But Greta agrees. She just insists that they kill her outright instead of turning her into a Vampire. Glory is stunned enough to apologize for her earlier comments to her mother. Is this really their only choice? But then the Automen breach the hull!

NO BACKUP AT HAND

The opening scene of The Bloody Dozen #4 is an interesting presentation of the Vampires. They have gathered in Morocco in a large, elegant building around a pool and fountain. Instead of water, the pool is full of blood which we see has been drained from several bodies which are hanging from the ceiling. Several of the Vampires stand casually in the pool with blood over their ankles, despite some of them wearing suits and shoes. Against this horror, we see their interactions with each other and the familiarity they have developed over the years which seems inconsistent with so much blood in the background.

Even though the start of the Hills’ arguments seems forced, the art does a great job interpreting their petty frustrations with each other and how thin-skinned they all are. There are several facial close-ups, and they do go through some emotional range. In the midst of this, I do like the panel that shows that the Vampires are taking this all in – and are highly entertained. At least when the attack happens, the Hills go back into professional mode again and we get to see their determination. Now their anger has a new focus that is not on each other.

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While it has its rough moments, The Bloody Dozen #4 finally maneuvers the characters to an unexpected point of high desperation. Their futures are going to hinge on the decisions each of them now must make.

Dear Spoilerite,

At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching requires significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep MajorSpoilers.com strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today.