"Redneck #7" Comic Review

The Bowman family has been run out of town. They’re wanted by local law enforcement and they’re dealing with a new member of their vampire clan that up until recently was hunting them. Times are tough, so they’re in hiding in the forests of Waco and they’re getting hungry.

The family dynamic in Redneck is a driving force of the story. Although Landry is a newcomer and the Bowmans have every reason in the world to hate him, they have reluctantly welcomed him into the fold, as he’s one of them now. He’s handling it surprisingly well too, asking questions and taking notes.

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It’s this friendly demeanor that makes you occasionally forget that these people are vampires and they’re very deadly. We see this violence firsthand by the end of the issue and the results are devastating. The end of this comic will shock you. It ups the ante considerably and that’s saying something considering how stellar the first story arc is.

Bartlett is central to Redneck and although he drinks blood for sustenance, he’s more like everyone’s favorite uncle. He has such a good, kindhearted nature about him. There’s a great scene where he digs up a beer he had hidden awhile back and he’s got this look on his face like a good old Southern boy. He’s definitely seen some shit in his extended stay on this planet, but he still has some innocence left in him.

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Contrast this with newcomer Landry who, despite his large frame, looks defeated. He’s basically wearing rags and appears rather pathetic in appearance. His shoulders are slumped and he’s always slouching. Artist Lisandro Estherren does a great job of accentuating the personalities of each character in their design, although there are still some occasions where they look a little too cartoony.

The calm mood is set by Dee Cunniffe’s colors. This issue takes place at night, so there are a lot of cool blue tones. This changes drastically when blood is spilled, like the characters have just touched a live wire. Eyes glow red with hunger. If this was a movie, you’d hear the soundtrack spike up right then.

Redneck continues to raise the bar when it comes to solid horror comics. I’m so plugged into these characters’ lives. Writer Donny Cates has made vampires human and relatable in a way that has rarely been seen before.