Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Writer: Gary Moloney
Artwork: Daniel Romero Ulloa
Colours: Marco Rudy
Lettering: Becca Carey
Release Date: 10th April 2024

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On sale today from Mad Cave Studios, When The Blood Has Dried is an all-new fantasy series which takes us to the sleepy town of Carraig an Bhun in the Southern Territories and introduces us to Meabh, the town’s beloved barkeep who harbours a dark secret that may finally be about to catch up with her.

While perhaps not garnering the same level of exposure as some of their contemporaries, Mad Cave are consistently churning out some of the best creator-owned comics on the shelves right now, and I make it a point to take a look at every one of their new releases. This new series, from writer Gary Moloney and artist Daniel Romero Ulloa, takes a bit of time getting where it needs to go, but does a fantastic job of introducing Meabh, an intriguing and likeable character, as she goes about her daily business.

After a tense, rain-soaked prologue (which you can feast your eyes on below), we flash forward five years into the future as we get to know a little more about the present day Meabh and the various inhabitants of Carraig an Bhun. Everything is delivered gradually, letting the ambience of the peaceful town sink in before the somewhat inevitable disruption which appears in the final pages, and both Moloney and Ulloa go a great job of creating a warm, welcoming fantasy setting for the reader to gradually immerse themselves into.

Speaking of Ulloa, he – alongside colourist Macro Rudy – does a fantastic job of making Carraig an Bhun as immersive as it is. And while there isn’t much in the way of action, or indeed even tension outside of the opening and final pages of this issue, this is still very much book that keeps the pages turning from start to finish, packed with all the expressive characters, bustling marketplaces and rowdy taverns you could hope for. There’s also something unmistakably Irish about the settings, dialogue and overall feel of the story (not to mention the name the protagonist and the town where it’s set), which actually makes a lot of sense given the nationality of its writer.

This is an enigmatic, slow-burner of a first issue that provides a lot more questions than it does answers for the time being, but the worldbuilding is absolutely top notch and the sleepy, Western vibe of the storytelling is guaranteed to draw you in.  Promising to deliver a tale of regrets, secrets and possibly even a little bit of redemption, this looks poised to be yet another thoroughly intriguing new release from the fine folks at Mad Cave, and is certainly well worth a look.

Rating: 3.5/5.

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[PREVIEW ARTWORK – CLICK TO ENLARGE]

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The writer of this piece was: Craig Neilson-Adams (aka Ceej)
Article Archive: Ceej Says
You can follow Ceej on Twitter

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