BLEEDING HEARTS #7 (DC COMICS)
There are some lines you can’t uncross.
Poke is finding this out the hard way. After befriending Cara and Rabbit once his heart started beating again, the undead man’s life changed.
The holiday known as “Out-Break Day” is a Zombie celebration. During the human hunt, his best friend Mush discovered his secret. This lead to drastic actions taken and Mush’s presumed demise. Now alone with Cara and Rabbit, Poke now must accept he can never go back to his normal life.
BLEEDING HEARTS #7 by Deniz Camp, Stipan Morian, Matt Hollingsworth, & Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (DC COMICS) sees the start of a brand new stat quo.
Let’s take a closer look at what’s happening now.
BLEEDING HEARTS #7 by Deniz Camp, Stipan Morian, Matt Hollingsworth, & Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (DC COMICS)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Camp unpacks a great deal of sorrow in this installment. Mush’s sing-a-long is a quirky and effective way to open. It adds more weight to Poke’s torment. Poke’s burden is equally matched by Cara’s. The human survivor is reliving the daring escape form the horde. Readers see the haunting emotions swirling around her as survival doesn’t take a day off. The writing shows the pulling at her soul while her daughter’s sense of normalcy begins to take shape.
Poke’s reaction to this point is mixed. On one hand, he is coming to terms with his life cut away from zombie themes. The other hovers on Mush’s memory. Both pack an impact as the journey takes a new turn. Poke’s return to the group provides some slick humor while giving some bite to the story. This pushes events into a tragic direction. One simple gesture tips off trouble. It leads readers into a violent confrontation on many levels. Once the physicality ends, a terrifying reality starts to sink in. The moment is a perfect cliffhanger to an already powerful chapter.
READ LAST ISSUE’S REVIEW!
Morian & Hollingsworth begin with the sing-a-long pages. Panels are structured differently to highlight the musical aspects. It serves as a great start into the more mature dialogue. Cara’s face exemplifies the deep pain associated with the fight for survival. The flashback panel is crafted uniquely as a montage of key points. This moves events to a closer look at Poke and Rabbit. Their friendship is expanding to language learning as the new surroundings offer teaching moments. These panels throw multiple looks into the fray as Poke enters his new phase.
A strong full shot of Poke walking away in the snow pours with uncertainty. The art team shines in bringing in the various zombies into view. Creativity never misses in this aspect. A prime example is “Baby-In-Belly-Who-Some-times-Peeks-Out”. Readers will have a solid reaction to seeing this addition to the group. This is the last calm point before the final act begins. Tension fills panels as Cara has a tough talk with Rabbit. This becomes more intense when someone else in injected into the scene. Events go very hostile as one might expect here. It results in a painful reality taking a full final page. No punches are held back on the emotions in this scene. Brace for impact.
FINAL GRADE: 9.3
Poke’s life after “Out-Break Day” doesn’t escape more pain and danger as events become cold. Camp deals with the scars of survival with phenomenal writing. Morian & Hollingsworth construct an incredible journey through souls in the panels. The ending page may make your heart stop as Poke’s world refuses to let go of readers!
Let me know your thoughts on BLEEDING HEARTS #7 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
