Batman: Bloodstorm

[cyberghostface]

In my opinion, 'Bloodstorm' is the best of the 'Batman Vampire' saga, and I would recommend you find the real thing as there's a lot of good stuff that I had to excise. Picking up from where 'Red Rain' left off, Dracula is dead but Batman is now a vampire and must deal with his thirst.



The story begins with Batman out on patrol when he discovers the body of a woman attacked by vampires. He realizes that there must be another nest of Dracula's vampires somewhere in the city, and that he still has work to do.















Back with Joker and his vampire clan, he tells them that it's time to stop feasting on the weak and the homeless but to engorge their ranks on richer blood. The vampires start attacking various mafia families in Gotham.

Batman realizes something is up with the vampires making attacks on high-profile figures. He stakes some of them, but one of them calls him out on his apparent hypocrisy in hunting his own kind. Batman responds that he's not like them and doesn't take blood, but the other tells him that it's only a matter of time before he succumbs to his thirst. Batman kills him, but is disturbed by what he has heard.









The undead can't cross running water, and Creach is unable to pursue her.



After a week, all of Gotham's crime families are now vampires, and the Joker believes them to be untouchable. Once all of Gotham is turned, he declares, they'll go national.

Batman infiltrates a nightclub that the vampires have taken over, and discovers that the Joker is running things. He dispatches of the vampires there but is almost tempted by a woman who had yet to be turned.



Creach tells Joker that he's worried about Batman taking down their kind, but Joker tells him not to worry and that he'll set a trap.



Batman manages to overcome Catwoman and is about to stake her. Catwoman tells him to go ahead, he turned her so he should end it.





Later, Alfred brings Batman some sustenance.










Batman and Catwoman proceed to take down more vampires, and Batman decides to ask Alfred for help.



Meanwhile, during the day, Alfred and Gordon stake and behead vampires in their coffins.

The vampires' ranks are seriously depleted, with only fifteen left in the entire city. Creach blames Joker for this, saying that the vampires "living large" have just made them easier to hunt down and kill. Joker says that it's not too late, that there's still time to set a trap for Batman.

Batman and Catwoman follow the Joker to Parish of the Rosy Cross, where the vampires are waiting for them armed with crossbows bolted with wooden stakes.

Comments

[freezer]

I remember seeing this at my LCS. And skipping it, thinking it was just another vampire gimmick book.

Goddamn, I was wrong.

Yep..

[steverodgers5]

This is definitely better than I remembered it being.

All he really needed was the love of a good woman..
Awww..

[brooms]

"Feelingg better?" / "Yes... Yes, I am." lol oh horny batman starring at her booty.

[crinos]

I remember seeing that first image of the overly muscular Bats perched on the tree in a copy of Wizard Magazine, and I couldn't help but think "What the fuck is wrong with him? Is he pushing his chest out, or does he have arms that put popeye to shame.)

Also, I like the idea of Joker being the human ringleader of a gang of vampires. Even among an army of undead monsters he's still the scariest bastard in the room.

[icon_uk]

That bit didn't actually work for me. What is there about the Joker that a vampire would respect or listen to? He's just oddly coloured meat to them, surely?

[q99]

I think it's that he's very dangerous, smart and'll work with them, but has no daylight vulnerability nor overwhelming thirst, and can thus do stuff they can't.

[shadowpsykie]

Even among an army of undead monsters he's still the scariest bastard in the room.

Motto!

[nezchan]

The worst part is when you realize that huge thing on the right side is his knee. See how his arm goes behind it? He's supposed to be crouching there.

And as I mention below, there's an old man's face on it.

[crinos]

THAT'S HIS KNEE!?!

You know, some how that makes it a little better (I always thought that was his upper arm or chest), but at the same time MUCH MUCH WORSE.

Its like he's folding himself up.

[icon_uk]

Is it wrong of me that when the Joker is surrounded by the crosses and can't work out why Batman isn't affected, I wanted Batman to say "Why do you think? I'm JEWISH you idiot!"

[shadowpsykie]

.... i know that's from some where....

but i like the pure blood thing...

i was diappointed bruce gave in.... after every the joker has done in our time line he still didn't kill him... here not only does he kill h im,(which i could forgive) but he drank from himt oo.

[salinea]

"Oy vey, have you got the wrong vampire."

[shadowpsykie]

Gordon is supposed to look like VanHelsing right?

[thanekos]

Good thing this isn't a case of " any symbol with enough faith'll do ", or he might not even be able to look at his own outfit.

[ian_karkull]

That would have been rather clever. The people's faith in Batman, his true self is what destroys Bruce's dark side in the end.

[ian_karkull]

Oh dear god, why is Batman 15 months pregnant with a horrible alien child on that cover?

[nezchan]

I love the old man face on his knee, it cracks me up every time.

[dancesontrains]

lol irl

[salinea]

Could say how many pages out of how many total pages for the story this is, please?

[cyberghostface]

I think it's 35/100 counting the front title picture.

[salinea]

Thanks! :)

[thatnickguy]

Batman looked at Rob Liefeld's Captain America chest and thought, "Pfft. Bitch, I can top that."

Mod Note

[salinea]

Please, don't use sexist language like "Bitch" as a pejorative on scans_daily.

Re: Mod Note

[thatnickguy]

I didn't insult anyone. It was meant purely as a joke. I don't see why there's a need for a warning here.

Re: Mod Note

[salinea]

This isn't an official warning, this is just a reminder. scans_daily is a feminist and anti-oppression community, so we are pretty sensitive about the sort of language that is allowed, even when it's not used to directly insult anyone, if it's the sort of words or expressions which have implied discriminatory dynamic underlying them.

[nezchan]

Man, the art in this is insanely bad in spots, although sort of appropriate for the over-the-top and then some story at times. Alfred seems to be the worst victim, turning in only a page from the slim gentleman we know and love to a slightly slimmed-down Woozy Winks. I do like how he's about 10 feet tall in comparison to Bruce on that last page, at least he's got giant Jim Gordon (that'd be a great wrestling name) by his side.

Some of those shots of the Joker with his face covered are pretty chilling, though.

[riddler13]

One particularly bad spot is the Gordon/Alfred panel, in which they drive a stake through the Bat's heart.

Honestly, it was so bad it made me go LOL.

[superfangirl1]

Awesome scans. I'm laughing at and loving Jim hairstyle.

[baihu]

Wow that panel of blubbering Alfred is just...so bad...wow. Them cottonball cheeks!

[proteus_lives]

Great stuff!

[freezer]

I realize he probably wouldn't care, but The Joker did realize that if he had actually nailed Batman with that wood arrow, Selina would've torn him to shreds, right?