reading take a blood sample #5 only reinforced my belief that this comic is based on Murphy’s Law: What can go wrong will go wrong. That seems to be the defining theme of Shane “Books” Bookman’s life. Every fire he puts out only spawns a new one. He manages to escape New York Comic Con unscathed? Federal agents catch him and try to put pressure on him. He meets a new artist who reminds him of the joy of creating comics? The director behind the big-budget reboot of Radically rearranged Ronin Ragdolls once again blames him for the chaos that the said director has caused.
The creative team has take a blood sample #5 is not just an avalanche of misery. David Avallone and Kevin Eastman make sure to balance the misery with plenty of humor, from self-deprecating to genuinely funny bits (mostly everything Books’ friend Beastly says). There is also a really touching moment that ties in with take a blood sample #4 Where Books Met an Aspiring Artist – If you love comics, want to be a comic book writer, or both, this is a reminder of how great art can jump out at you when you least expect it (and how that talent should be encouraged).
But the comedy doesn’t just come from the words; Ben Bishop draws some truly trippy scenes, including a moment where Books, after swallowing a large amount of questionable pills, begins to hallucinate another of the ragdolls. Ben Bishop really brings across the effects of drug use here by turning everything upside down or into splashes of color. The end result is probably what you feel when you take LSD, and Simon Gough only makes that more apparent. He turns up the bright colors, which are a direct contrast to the rest of the book, which takes on a more muted palette.
take a blood sample #5 is a reminder that while the story is about a man in free fall, it still manages to bring a little fun into the narrative. I expect that tragicomic touch to continue in the next issue, especially since Books is currently on the set of the big-budget blockbuster adaptation of his work. Because if there’s one business that has more ups and downs than the world of comics, it’s Hollywood.
‘Drawing Blood’ No. 5 continues to bring chaos to the head of its protagonist
Blood draw #5
Drawing Blood #5 is a reminder that even though it’s the story of a man in free fall, it can still bring a little fun into the narrative.
Confirms that Murphy’s Law applies to this book too.
A really trippy sequence that made me laugh out loud.
One scene reminds us that comics can touch you, no matter the genre or artist – and that great art should be encouraged.
