Yesterday I felt like I was reviewing the Blood Hunt Trade Paperback, but in fact I wrote that review in October 2024. Now, 10 months later, we are reviewing a new hardcover version of Marvel’s Blood Hunt: Red Band Edition. Blood Hunt: Red Band was the first “Red Band” edition of the comic released by Marvel. This is an exciting new polybag option for fans who really wanted that extra gore. Sadly, for an extra $15 of $15, I don’t think a hardcover release of Red Band Edition is worth it unless you’re a huge fan of the event and didn’t buy the original deal.
As you can read in my review of Standard Blood Hunt Trade, I honestly loved the Blood Hunt event, due to its horrifying elements, the use of various heroes, and the satisfying conclusion. However, this is a review of Hardcover Red Band Edition so please don’t get my criticism or low score as a read on the event itself. I guarantee that it is not. Instead, we hope that Marvel is worthy of this hardcover way to raise the price and hype factor.
Amazing
Let’s start with the positives! The book’s construction is fantastic, with a sturdy hardcover and sturdy dust flap revealing a gorgeous red binding featuring blades and daughter Brielle. The hardcover itself is also polybag, and is added to the regular store-bought deal. Of course, the story itself contains extra gore and horror from the talented Peperaraz, but my questions remain. Is that enough? The first two issues deepening the horror elements of the original series are full of scary visuals, but after the second issue there isn’t much difference, with the entire series only having two “exclusive” red band pages.
I loveoove my work at Lalas… so. I think he killed it in this Red Band edition, especially the murder of Doctor Strange in Blade. I was shocked to see how much I love Laraz and his art, and how Marvel didn’t have a process page behind this hardcover collection. On the surface, the main difference between regular trade and hardcover is that it includes art that is different from Laraz. So why not take a behind-the-scenes look at his process, especially the $34.99 price tag? In fact, this hardcover has very few extras. The collection only includes some of the variant covers of the Red Band Edition. All of these are from the same (very beautiful) series of “bloody homage” covers.
Amazing
Overall, I’m not very impressed with this whole collection. Again, I loved the Blood Hunt Event and the works that Jed Mackay, Peperaraz and Marte Garcia did, but this review is about the series presentation in hardcover format. I would have loved to discuss some exclusive pages, process work, or even letters from Lalaz, about his experiences showing such a frightening art for Marvel comics! If you haven’t purchased the standard Blood Hunt trade paperback, you can see in full why you want to buy this Blood Hunt: Red Band Edition Hardcover. It looks good on the shelf and isn’t grossly expensive, but if you’re already trading or don’t mind the extra gore, it may not be worth splurge.
‘Blood Hunt: Red Band Edition’ HC promises more blood than they can really deliver
Blood Hunt: Red Band Edition
Overall, I’m not very impressed with this whole collection. Again, I loved the Blood Hunt Event and the works that Jed Mackay, Peperaraz and Marte Garcia did, but this review is about the series presentation in hardcover format. I would have loved to discuss some exclusive pages, process work, or even letters from Lalaz, about his experiences showing such a frightening art for Marvel comics! If you haven’t purchased the standard Blood Hunt trade paperback, you can see in full why you want to buy this Blood Hunt: Red Band Edition Hardcover. It looks good on the shelf and isn’t grossly expensive, but if you’re already trading or don’t mind the extra gore, it may not be worth splurge.
The event itself is amazing
The hardcover and bindings are well done
No extras or process pages
There’s not as much difference as I would like between OG and Red Band
