Tempest ( Big City Comics – Kaufman / Cross )
New publishers are exactly who we at ThePullbox.com want to get to know and review. I’ve had my eye on Big City Comics for some time now. They have a good list of titles ( Tempest, Omega One, Ant Unleashed, Totem, Dragon Cross…) and a very solid talent pool of creators. I had a conversation with Josh “Graven” Vickery about comics and where Big City is headed, and I have to say that comic book fans need to keep their eye on this company. As I was leaving, Graven was very kind and gave me review copies Tempest, Omega One, Totem, and Dragon Cross. I was a tough decision, but I decided to read Tempest first.
Tempest is the story of Vlad Tempest…no not this famous one. Instead this is the story of a big city prosecutor who is turned into a vampire during a botched assassination attempt. If that’s not enough, Vlad is also the last descendant of the Vlad Tempest a.k.a Dracula and is prophesied that he would come to power and rule the hidden vampire nation. Hence the assassination attempt. The vampires have set themselves up in clans with a ruling counsel and they have a very strict set of rules that must be followed. Think the Blade movies and Vampire: The Masquerade.
This book good solid storytelling wrapped in warm blanket of solid on-par art. The first issue is a great hook to snag reading to want to pick the second issue ASAP. I was very happy I had the second issue at the ready. Vald is average guy pulled into a wold that he doesn’t understand is not too happy with being apart of. One of the more interesting points is the idea that Vlad will only kill the “bad people” that he comes across as a prosecutor. Just because a sleazy keeps the criminals out of jail doesn’t mean that Vlad won’t dole out some justice.
Issue #2 takes up more into the vampire world and the rules that Vlad will need to live by if he expects to survive. Vlad’s sire and mentor is this hot little vamp named Blue who is not in very good standing with any of the vampire clans. Both her and Vlad are vagabonds (clanless vampires) who need to keep a constant eye out for other vampires who not too happy with them.
Issue #2 does a great job of expanding on the world created in Tempest #1 and continues to pull in the readers deeper and deeper into this world of light and dark. In my opinion, the art and writing improved from the last issue as this creative team gets a better hold on the material they’re handing.
Overall I’ve very impressed with the first two issues of Tempest. I’ve got three though six to read also, and I’m pretty pumped about it.
Warning: Due to the fact that this is a vampire story that doesn’t pull any punches, you might want to keep this out of hands of younger readers.
Grade: B
