Volume One: Throne of Blood

2012, image Comics, Berkeley, CA

More vampires!

Vampire fiction seems to be the single most popular genre out there. Even I have enlisted as a prostitute in the literary vampire brothel. Could we possibly find another genre that has been more beaten to death, whipped more than John Wayne’s most abused horse?

Yes, you guessed it, the samurai!

Shinku is a blend of the two most overworked mythos’ I can think of. How then could I even consider reading it?

It was even worse than that. When I see a female cartoon or comic character who reminds me that I am male, then that ticks me off. I had to leave the room when my family watched Roger Rabbit.

So I’m heading into this thing with three big reservations—and one page in I kind of liked it. Sexy vampires seducing and ripping throats; more blood than a Sengoku Edo skirmish between Ronin and rice farmers, more tall curvy Japanese chicks than even Hugh Hefner could imagine, no cops as the carnage goes down. It was everything you could expect, except, the boss Japanese vampire makes Dracula look like a butler—because his butler looks just like the late un-great count.

I do not know if the vampire Asano of the Yagyu is based on Japanese mythology or if he was cobbled together by the author and artist, but he made the comic.

For her sake, at least Shinku gets cut up and injured unlike killer cinematic babes.

The gallery in the back was exceptional with the female art closer to pinup than comic. The best quality stuff was the dry historical perspective sketches depicting traditional hair styles and dress. This is a weird mix, and if you are in to any of the above three threadbare genres I think you will have a good time.