Written by Mike Mignola & Christopher Golden
Art by Ben Stenbeck
The Curse Bells picks up the tale of Lord Henry Baltimore on his continuing hunt to destroy Haigus – the vampire responsible for the deaths of his family – and ultimately the Red King, master of all vampires. We join Baltimore in Switzerland in 1916, in the middle of his pursuit.
Mignola and Golden’s tale of vampires and vengeance has had its ups and downs between the original novel and the comic mini-series that followed, but the first issue of The Curse Bells is definitely an upswing. The beginning of the book jumps right into the action, and the script deftly handles informing new readers of the situation without delving into too much exposition.
Although many may dismiss Baltimore as just another vampire story in an entertainment world already over-saturated with them, Mignola’s creation tells an engaging story with a charismatic (if dark) lead in a fairly unique setting. And – much like Scott Snyder’s American Vampire – Baltimore portrays vampires they way they should be portrayed: as scary monsters.
Ben Stenbeck’s linework fits perfectly, offering a smoother and slightly finer take on the Mignola-esque style. His shapes are less angular than Mignola’s and don’t rely on such heavy blacks, allowing him to offer more attractive portrayals of women and younger characters. His backgrounds are excellently detailed, breathing life into every scene from a dark forest to the streets of a slaughtered town. As always, Dave Stewart’s colors are superb, perfectly complimenting Stenbeck’s lines at every turn.
The Curse Bells is starting out as a much more intriguing entry in the Baltimore saga than earlier entries (like The Plague Ships), and is setting itself up to add depth to the Baltimore mythology. I’m looking forward to our peg-legged anti-hero’s next outing.
