By Anna Bailey — In Manor Black: Fire in the Blood #1, the issue ends with us seeing a flashback of Roman’s past and the horrific death of his sister, Esme.

So, who’s death awaits us this issue?

In Manor Black: Fire in the Blood #2, we get to witness the Black family’s reaction to Esme’s death. Roman wants to fight, Talia asks him to think it through, and their father seems to be impenetrable, unconcerned, impassive.

When we’re taken back to the present, Ari stands at the gates of the Black family crypt. In the panels, you can feel her questioning, her concern, her hesitation. Is Ari making the right choice? Is Roman telling her the truth? Is he helping her out of kindness or does he need something from her? Is it all worth it?

Reggie comes to her, with the key to the gate, and asks if she “cares to descend,” which is just a phenomenal sentence from Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt. It draws back to the descend/ascending path in the House of Blood.

But, the heart of this story comes from the past. Deidre, the daughter of the Black family’s maid, Jasmine, stops Roman after Esme’s death to give her condolences, but what she says after that is more important.

“The first flame mages were slaves. [...] They made sacrifices. [...] Do you know what they burned? Blood.”

Deidre is going to be an important character, that much is sure. And not just in Roman’s past, I think she’s important throughout Roman’s life.

The death we were waiting for happens in the last pages: Talia. This leaves just Roman and his father, which is no doubt going to cause some tension in the Black family household because it seems that Roman’s father isn’t that fond of him (or really, anyone).

Manor Black: Fire in the Blood #2 outshines issue #1 because of the writing. Bunn gives us hints that draw back to issue #1 and even the original Manor Black miniseries; he’s so good at what he does, I’m constantly in awe.

While I love horror comics, I’ve never really found them scary, I typically just enjoy the themes they discuss–conflicts between good and evil, death and afterlife, and impurity. But, wow!, Brian Hurtt’s work in the last few pages of this issue are some of the scariest panels I’ve seen in any horror comic.

I’ll say this with every issue, but I can’t wait to see where Bunn and Hurtt take these characters and the storyline. And now, I wait to see who’s death awaits us next issue.

Overall: Manor Black: Fire in the Blood #2 gives us clues on where the story is headed but leaves us begging for more on the last page. Bunn and Hurtt are consistently great at what they do. 10/10

REVIEW: Manor Black - Fire in Blood #2

Manor Black - Fire in Blood #2
Writer: Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt
Artist: Brain Hurtt
Colorist: Tyler Crook
Letterer: Tyler Crook
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Infighting and buried secrets threaten the powerful family of blood sorcerers led by Roman Black, and some of the heirs blame Roman's newest protégé--a young fire mage that may be the key to protecting the town from a new threat.
Price: $3.99
Buy It Here: Digital

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Anna Bailey is an email marketer that exclusively watches horror films. You can follow her on Twitter at @annuh_bailey to see all her favorites.