Comic Review: Redneck (2017-) #19

Redneck #19

Image Comics

Writer: Donny Cates

Artist: Lisandro Estherren

The previous issue of Redneck was brutal. I know that this is a horror comic about vampires, but it just caught me by surprise. If you don’t know, the issue covers the wedding between Bartlett and his pregnant girlfriend July. Everything’s nice and happy, and then everyone starts getting shot and a lot of people die. I went back and read the description for the issue, in full it says “Everyone dies. No one is safe.” That’s pretty blunt, but it’s true.

So, a few months later, we’re back with the Bowman clan in Redneck #19. Things are understandably a little bleak looking right now. From a wedding full of friends and family, there’s only five of the Bowmans left alive, and they’re on the move. Bartlett is in a kind of vegetative state, having been heavily injured at his own wedding. The rest of the family are taking care of him, and on their way to Mexico to find someone that can help heal Bartlett. The family is experiencing some hardships on their way, and have to do some dark things to survive and make it across the border.

This issue is taking its foot off the gas a bit, and letting things slow down. Which makes sense after what happens in the last issue. The arcs in this series all have slower starts to them and end in a big way, so this is kind of what I was expecting. The entire family, or what’s left of them, are all in a darker place, which I like. It fits the darker tone the series usually has. It’s not an entirely different place, but the setting change from Texas to Mexico will be interesting. And the “Asilo del Muerto” (asylum of the dead) they get to at the end of the issue looks like an interesting place to explore.

As is always the case, I really enjoy the art in this issue. The character designs and everything by Lisandro Estherren is all really great. I especially enjoy the colors by Dee Cunniffe throughout the issue. It’s nighttime, which makes sense for vampires. But there are more shadows and blue tones throughout that add highlight that somber feeling the story has. There’s a blue tone throughout that the desert at night has. And then once they reach their destination in Mexico, The Asylum of the Dead, things switch to a red. It’s a hell type place they’re in, and the red feels appropriate.

This issue is slow but in a good way. The previous issue is big and eventful, and this one slows down to let the story breathe a bit. But, I’m sure that things will pick up by the end of this arc. What we do have here are a good continuation of the story and some interesting character progression. On top of that, there’s some really great art and fantastic color work throughout. Fans of the series will enjoy this issue, and anyone not reading it should be.