jmanchester0's review
4.5
June 2020 Review:
Check out this sick art!
I picked this up in 2018 and just got around to reading it, and I love it! I swear I saw a reference to it in social media today, and that’s what reminded me of it, but now I can’t find it. Anyway - get and read it. And follow the author (@KeefCross) on Instagram.
Check out this sick art!
I picked this up in 2018 and just got around to reading it, and I love it! I swear I saw a reference to it in social media today, and that’s what reminded me of it, but now I can’t find it. Anyway - get and read it. And follow the author (@KeefCross) on Instagram.
toastx2's review
4.0
DayBlack: Forever changing how I view tattoo guns and Inkmaster
I am blown away by how absolutely off game I am. The Trade Paperback DayBlack has existed since August 2015. AUGUST 2015! The universal haitus I took after my children's birth looks more and more like I just died and rolled under a rock. Granted, I am a long way from Atlanta, where Artist Keef Cross does his work.. Excuses, assholes, you know the saying.
Get a copy via Amazon today.
Series: DayBlack
DayBlack vol 1 (Keef Cross)
104 pages
Rosarium Publishing
ISBN-10: 0990319121
ISBN-13: 978-0990319122
Merce is a vampire. He exists in DayBlack Georgia, a city where a past industrial meltdown has blotted out direct sunlight. Merce finds himself passing out at inconvenient moments, seemingly being impacted by the extended darkness around him. Is his Circadian Rhythm screwed up or is there something about how he feeds which interrupts his waking 'life'?
Because of the AIDS epidemic, deadly to vampires, Merce had to get creative about how and when he feeds. He spends his days tattooing strangers and harvesting their blood with a modified tattoo gun. Drinking from the vein is just too dangerous.
After Merce gets ambushed by some Luchador Vamp Hunters in a record store, he has to decide what the best course of action is. He needs to survive the Hunters and keep vampire competition out of his town.
The off key and original story twists really shine and help this work stand out. The art in this TPB is also stellar and unexpected. It carries a distinct artistic design and asthetic that Cross works into his non-comic art and the tattoos he machines into people's skin.
The only frustrating bit about this TPB is the slow releases. When I buy the next three issues, either it will be the end of the story arc, or I will have to wait a year for the seventh issue. DayBlack vol 1 is a phenomenal comic, spanning the first three issues of the series. Cross appears to be insanely busy as the second three issues were released across the following year with large gaps. The entire series is available on the Kindle store for a very reasonable price.
I admit, I spent entirely too many minutes staring at the side of Merce's coffin. It is plastered with stickers and band logos. I saw a few too many references to Green Day for my liking ;)
According to KeefCross.com, this has been made into a movie which I will have to search out.
---
Disclosure:
This Trade Paperback was provided for review purposes by the Publisher. While I sit here digesting the delicious semi-paleo pizza that was my beautiful wife Harry Potter magic'd together for dinner, I must contemplate the joy of lactose and wheat free pizza. I enjoyed it greatly and I would eat it again. Please trust I would advise vocally and with specks of food flying from my mouth if said pizza were disgusting. Same goes for books (specks of food complimentary).
I am blown away by how absolutely off game I am. The Trade Paperback DayBlack has existed since August 2015. AUGUST 2015! The universal haitus I took after my children's birth looks more and more like I just died and rolled under a rock. Granted, I am a long way from Atlanta, where Artist Keef Cross does his work.. Excuses, assholes, you know the saying.
Get a copy via Amazon today.
Series: DayBlack
DayBlack vol 1 (Keef Cross)
104 pages
Rosarium Publishing
ISBN-10: 0990319121
ISBN-13: 978-0990319122
Merce is a vampire. He exists in DayBlack Georgia, a city where a past industrial meltdown has blotted out direct sunlight. Merce finds himself passing out at inconvenient moments, seemingly being impacted by the extended darkness around him. Is his Circadian Rhythm screwed up or is there something about how he feeds which interrupts his waking 'life'?
Because of the AIDS epidemic, deadly to vampires, Merce had to get creative about how and when he feeds. He spends his days tattooing strangers and harvesting their blood with a modified tattoo gun. Drinking from the vein is just too dangerous.
After Merce gets ambushed by some Luchador Vamp Hunters in a record store, he has to decide what the best course of action is. He needs to survive the Hunters and keep vampire competition out of his town.
The off key and original story twists really shine and help this work stand out. The art in this TPB is also stellar and unexpected. It carries a distinct artistic design and asthetic that Cross works into his non-comic art and the tattoos he machines into people's skin.
The only frustrating bit about this TPB is the slow releases. When I buy the next three issues, either it will be the end of the story arc, or I will have to wait a year for the seventh issue. DayBlack vol 1 is a phenomenal comic, spanning the first three issues of the series. Cross appears to be insanely busy as the second three issues were released across the following year with large gaps. The entire series is available on the Kindle store for a very reasonable price.
I admit, I spent entirely too many minutes staring at the side of Merce's coffin. It is plastered with stickers and band logos. I saw a few too many references to Green Day for my liking ;)
According to KeefCross.com, this has been made into a movie which I will have to search out.
---
Disclosure:
This Trade Paperback was provided for review purposes by the Publisher. While I sit here digesting the delicious semi-paleo pizza that was my beautiful wife Harry Potter magic'd together for dinner, I must contemplate the joy of lactose and wheat free pizza. I enjoyed it greatly and I would eat it again. Please trust I would advise vocally and with specks of food flying from my mouth if said pizza were disgusting. Same goes for books (specks of food complimentary).
maristocratic's review
dark
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
The art was great, the story however was stiff and didn't allow for the exploration of characters and the lore. It's a cool concept but nothing really happened?
glitterandtwang's review
2.0
A short investigation into the world of DayBlack, a town where the sun rarely shines and a vampire can live relatively undisturbed. An interesting update on vampire mythology with great graphic illustrations.
joinreallife's review
3.0
Closer to 3.5 stars. A unique take on both vampires and comics, but I did have a few issues with it. More later.
thistle_and_verse's review
4.0
I really like the art. It reminds me of woodcarvings almost. I enjoyed the moments of humor. I was intrigued by the premise, but I'm not big on the plot. It seems like there's a lot going on, so there will be much to explore in future installments.
ederwin's review
5.0
A fun and unique take on vampire stories. Did you know that most vampires live in USA and that most vampire hunters come from Mexico? It's true! They pretend to be gardeners so they can carry vampire hurting implements like shears and chainsaws. The only real way to kill a vampire is with a walrus tusk, though.
The point-of-view vampire here is a narcoleptic tattoo artist living in DayBlack Georgia, where polluted skies keep it dark all day and his tattoo needle is modified to draw and collect blood. Drawn almost entirely in black, white and red, since vampires are colorblind. Beautiful and fun. My only complaint is that it is pretty short. There is a volume 2, though....
The point-of-view vampire here is a narcoleptic tattoo artist living in DayBlack Georgia, where polluted skies keep it dark all day and his tattoo needle is modified to draw and collect blood. Drawn almost entirely in black, white and red, since vampires are colorblind. Beautiful and fun. My only complaint is that it is pretty short. There is a volume 2, though....
wendleness's review
4.0
This was a pretty fun, smart and interesting read. I was intrigued by the premise–a vampire who works as a tattoo artist in a town of perpetual darkness. Add to that narcolepsy, falling asleep while tattooing and strange dreams and i needed to read this graphic novel.
My favourite aspect were the details around vampire lore. It reminded me of I Am Legend; it played on the stereotypes while doing something new and interesting with them. It also brought the vampire myths firmly into the modern day by addressing how vampires could be affected by technology and disease. I found those kinds of thoughtful details really fascinating.
And of course, the artwork. It really struck me, because i don’t think i’ve come across this kind of style before. In a lot of ways it is quite simplistic; black and white line drawings with splashes of red and a few colourful collages. But within that simplicity is a lot of detail; crosshatching and lines for shadow and emphasis, negative space and excellent framing. The two kinds of frames that were the most striking to me were the less complex ones with one focus, and the scenes that shows Merce’s dreams, which were abstract and full with so much to take in.
A longer review can be read at my book blog: Marvel At Words.
My favourite aspect were the details around vampire lore. It reminded me of I Am Legend; it played on the stereotypes while doing something new and interesting with them. It also brought the vampire myths firmly into the modern day by addressing how vampires could be affected by technology and disease. I found those kinds of thoughtful details really fascinating.
And of course, the artwork. It really struck me, because i don’t think i’ve come across this kind of style before. In a lot of ways it is quite simplistic; black and white line drawings with splashes of red and a few colourful collages. But within that simplicity is a lot of detail; crosshatching and lines for shadow and emphasis, negative space and excellent framing. The two kinds of frames that were the most striking to me were the less complex ones with one focus, and the scenes that shows Merce’s dreams, which were abstract and full with so much to take in.
A longer review can be read at my book blog: Marvel At Words.
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