
BloodRayne hasn’t received the attention or props it deserves. The video games were mediocre but they contained great characters and a memorable story. Rayne is one of the most recognized and sexiest video game characters ever created. Why has there been no BloodRayne 3? Majesco has been having financial problems for as long as anyone can remember. A PSP game was canceled and a 3DS game was as well. The last game, BloodRayne: Betrayal, was a 2D platformer but received low sales. To satisfy everyone’s bloodlust Rayne Digital Webbing released 26 issues of BloodRayne that ran for a good 3 years and ended in 2009. The series has a fantastic story and really shows Rayne’s weaknesses and strengths. However, the series falls flat in the art department.
With mostly one-shots, BloodRayne does surprisingly well for itself. Rayne is trying to uncover the truth behind the Brimstone Society, an ancient secret cult that set out to kill all vampires and mythical creatures that endangered mankind. There is deception, deceit, betrayal, and mistrust running through the whole series. Just when you think things are going one way they greatly shift to another and it keeps you reading and tearing through issues.
The three mini-series are great as well. Plague of Dreams is all about Rayne’s half-brother who’s threatening the world. Red Blood Run is set in China where a secret cult is harvesting young women and turning them into vampires. This is where the story makes the biggest twist and the climax starts. The final mini-series, Tokyo Rogue, has an interesting encore/sub-plot of the years after the events of the original Brimstone Society drama. It doesn’t directly tie into it, but there are elements that point to it. The writing is very good despite Rayne’s battle taunts being a bit cheesy. I loved the characters and got attached to many of them.
The art was inconsistent throughout the entire series. Several issues looked downright ugly with disproportionate anatomy, Rayne looking like a man in some issues, and her body shape constantly changing. Some issues looked brighter and more vivid while others lacked any detail at all. This is a crying shame because Rayne is a gorgeous woman and deserves the best attention in drawing her. I liked the various outfits she was in, but the art just really threw the series off.
Other than the art issue BloodRayne is a great series for fans and non-fans alike. If you never played BloodRayne I suggest you try to after reading these comics, I know I want to dive back in and sink my teeth into the first game.
