Catching up with Anita Blake

When I last reviewed Anita Blake: The Laughing Corpse, the first issue had just hit the streets. Now, the fourth just came out. I know, I’m a little backed up just like Kramer after he held it in for too long. Yeah, that was a kinda gross. Sorry.

Anyywayy…Anita has had a whole lot of preternatural and natural problems since then. When we last left Blake, a man named Harold Gaynor wanted her to raise a 283 year-old zombie which, as we found out, requires a “white goat” a.k.a. a human sacrifice. Blake says no way and finds herself another enemy. Then she’s called in to the scene of a murder where an entire family was killed. Anita’s on the case but really hates that she has to be.

Issue 2: Blake rules out all but the possibility of some sort of flesh-eating zombie as the culprit. So, she goes to the only person powerful enough to do such a thing, the voodoo priestess, Dominga Salvador. To make matters worse, Anita discovers that her mentor, Manny Rodriguez, was a devote follower of Salvador’s in his early days. It’s at the priestess’s home where discover the most disturbing truth of all – Salvador has uncovered the method of raising a zombie and preventing it from decomposing – the soul must be trapped in the body after death.

Issue 3: The voodoo priestess has agreed to ask around for any information about the brutal killings as well as revealing that her non-rotting zombies are to be sold to the highest bidder. The priestess also drops the bomb that Manny has “slew the white goat” more than once. That’s pretty messed up right there. Blake than heads off to the funeral of her friend Peter Burke, there she meets his brother, John Burke, the most powerful animator in New Orleans (Blake lives in St. Louis) and another suspect is exposed. After the meeting, Anita receives that the boy who was missing from the family slaying was found and they weren’t any closer to any definite leads.

Finally, that brings us to issue 4. Anita spends the first half of the issue talking with the reporter (YES!), Irving Griswold, who also happens to be a werewolf. The two exchange information as it is the currency used these days. Anita wants info on Gaynor and he wants an interview with the newly appointed head vampire, Jean-Claude. Later, when the two meet up for the exchange at Dead Dave’s, Anita hears the head vamp is looking for her – another problem for Anita with no help in sight.

As the two head into the crowded street, Jean-Claude makes his first appearance in “The Laughing Corpse.” He tells Anita she is his human servant and must begin acting like one. Obviously, this doesn’t go over well with the vampire executioner and she says “No.”

After the exchange, Irving is granted his interview (after repeated attempts) with St. Louis’s head vampire. Anita’s concerned though she doesn’t know why since Irving can turn into a blood-thirsty man-wolf at anytime. So, Anita makes her way to the cemetery where detective Dolph Storr is waiting for her along with two flame-throwing exterminators.

Let’s just say the nice visit to the graveyard didn’t end so well for Blake.

Now that we’re all caught up lets discuss the biggest problem with the series which occurs in this last issue. The previous issues were well-paced and thought-out, then issue four hits stands and everything becomes one rushed mess.

Why does Jean-Claude all of a sudden get thrown in when he isn’t even mentioned in the previous issues?

It completely throws off the pacing of the story. Who knows, maybe it’ll work. What do I know? I’m just a lowly comic nerd. I understand that it’s difficult to fit everything from a novel into a 10-12 issue run but that’s the beauty of it. The reader literally gets a graphic novel. That’s pretty much my biggest gripe with the series thus far. Otherwise, the story is thoroughly enjoyable and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

4.5/5 stars