Review - Blood Brothers #1 (@DynamiteComics)

"It's time to get to work."

There are plenty of things around us that go bump in the night, but not everyone can see them to investigate. That's why it's a good idea to have people like Diego and Gabriel Soliz of Blood Brothers #1 from Dynamite Comics available to check those things out. The issue is written by Fabian Rangel, Jr., illustrated by Javier Caba and lettered by Ryan Ferrier.

Diego and Gabriel Soliz are two unusual brothers just trying to do their job in an even more unusual city. What's their job? They're detectives in a city populated by creatures from mythology and fantasy. When an Aztec skull is stolen from the museum, the Blood Brothers are assigned to the case!

The script by Rangel, Jr., in Blood Brothers #1 is very clean and effective in getting the reader up to speed on what's happening. Diego and Gabriel are two brothers who work well together and each bring their own strengths to the table. Rangel, Jr., lays out the first issue in a way that's really easy to follow along and know exactly what's happening, informing the reader without holding their hand. The dialogue is pretty sharp and amusing as well, providing the characters with plenty of personality. And Rangel, Jr., paces the issue smoothly in getting the narrative from point A to point B, throwing in some scenarios that are more entertaining than you would expect from a book such as Blood Brothers #1.

Caba's art style is a mix of drama and comedy. The way he renders characters such as Diego and Gabriel is somewhat unique in that he blends together curves and sharp angles well. Each of the two main characters look distinctly different in a way that plays into their character strengths and the characters that surround them are also illustrated in a way that's imaginative. The way that Caba lays out the panels is pretty safe in that they're mostly aligned to a grid, but that doesn't take away from the flow of the story. There are some interesting colors throughout the issue as well as Caba emphasizes various panels with appropriate hues.

Hellboy has more or less cornered the market on investigating paranormal events, but that doesn't mean there can't be room for books like Blood Brothers #1. Diego and Gabriel are investigating the latest supernatural case in their workload and might be in over their head if the end of the first issue is any indication. Rangel, Jr., crafted a script that's equal parts buddy comedy and supernatural detective case. Caba's illustrations are a lot of fun and fit the personality of the book very well. Blood Brothers #1 is a very slick and easy read that brings a lot of creativity with its characters.

Blood Brothers #! is available now.