World of Darkness: Crimson Thaw #2

World of Darkness #2

Vault Comics 2021

Written by Jim Zub, Danny Lore, Tim Seeley,

Tini Howard & Blake Howard

Illustrated by Julius Ohta

Coloured by Addison Duke

Lettered by Andworld Design

For over a century, werewolves of the Twin Cities have protected their blessed places from threats both physical and spiritual. When vampires under Cecily’s rule move in on one of these precious sites, it’s a declaration of war, one that Tyrell ‘the Stainless’ Stinar and his ferocious pack will avenge at any cost, even if that includes slaying one of their own.

I am completely enamored with the way that the Werewolves have been added to this story. The story still centres around the Vampires of the Twin Cities and yet as the Werewolves are introduced to us they begin to play a larger and larger role in what we see. I think it is incredibly well handled and the more we see the more I want to see so here’s hoping that more background information on this pack is on the way because the glimpses we get here about them has certainly lit up a spark to know more. More as in why they let anything be built by that lake on page three because it seems to me that should be a no build zone, regardless if the white man forced their way in and absconded with the land.

I’m loving the way that this is being told. The story & plot development that we see through how the sequence of events unfold as well as how the reader learns information is presented exceedingly well. The character development that we see through the narration, the dialogue, the character interaction as well as how we see them act and react to the situations and circumstances which they encounter which continues to expand their personalities. The pacing is superb and as it takes us through the pages revealing more of the characters and the story the more we’re pulled deeper and deeper into this world.

I’m very much enjoying the way that we see this being structured and how the layers within the story continue to emerge, grow, evolve and strengthen. How these layers open up new avenues to be explored, some will some won’t be and that’s normal but they all add this great depth, dimension and complexity to the story. The way that we see everything working together to create the story’s ebb & flow as well as how it moves the story forward is impeccably achieved.

I’m loving every moment of the interiors here. The linework is sensational and how we see the varying weights and techniques being utilised to bring about this level & quality in the detail work we see throughout is extraordinary. From seeing that magnificent room to the wolves becoming who they are, the attention to detail that we see just blows my mind in its sheer scope. The way that backgrounds are utilised throughout are extremely well handled, we could use more but I’m admittedly that guy, and how they enhance and expand the moments feel perfectly rendered. The way they work within the composition of the panels to bring out the depth perception, sense of scale and the overall sense of size and scope to the story is wonderfully done. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a masterful eye for storytelling. The various hues and tones within the colours being utilised to create the shading, highlights and shadow work shows a superb eye for how colour works. That this takes place at night and the lighting is naturally darker to still see these shades and tones the way we do is immaculately rendered.

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I cannot get over just how bloody brilliant this series is already. Yes it’s an extension of the Masquerade but with the Werewolves it does take on an identity of its own and to be this drawn in and to see the characters the way that we do is simply bloody amazing. The writing here is phenomenal and the characterisation is strong and edgy while the interiors are just bloody brilliant to behold. This is everything you could possibly want in a comic and then some as it’s got that horror, romanticism and so much intrigue and action.