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The Bloodborne lore is expanding, this time through a new limited series from Titan Comics. Bloodborne: Lady of the Lanterns #1 examines the infected city of Yharnam through the eyes of the citizens, as new Hunters come through to fight a bizarre epidemic that's swept through the city.
Bloodborne: Lady of the Lanterns is written by Cullen Bunn, with art by Piotr Kowalski, colors by Brad Simpson, and lettering by Andworld Design. In addition to the main cover by Junggeun Yoon, the first issue will also feature variants by Abigail Harding, Damien Worm, and Piotr Kowalski and a blank (but red) sketch variant.
The four-issue limited series picks up at the beginning of the Bloodborne video game (or perhaps just before it; it's a bit unclear), which was released in 2015 by FromSoftware. Fans have been clamoring for a new installment ever since, but while the Soulslike series has continued to grow with titles like Elden Ring, Bloodborne remains a solo title. A comic book may not be quite the same as a new game, but it at least gives fans something to chew on.
In the Bloodborne game, players follow the journey of a Hunter who's come to Yharnam hoping to deal with the villagers who have been infected with a blood-borne disease that turns them into terrifying monsters.
Lady of the Lanterns captures the other side of the story by examining how its residents feel, making an already rich world that much richer.
Bunn, a fan of the game himself, recently answered a few of our questions about Lady of the Lanterns.
Samantha Puc for Newsarama: Cullen, are you a Bloodborne fan personally?
Cullen Bunn: I love Bloodborne in a big way. I love the look of it, the world, the creatures, and the story. I’ve been a fan for years. Sadly, I’m not very good at playing the game. I'm the kind of gamer who is in it for the ride, but I get very frustrated when my character gets slaughtered for the thousandth time because I can't figure out how to throw a Molotov Cocktail. I try, but if there are more than a couple of buttons, I'm at a loss. So… I let my son, who is skilled at games like this, play while I watch. We take turns handing the controller back and forth, but if I want to progress the story, I need to let him play solo. I'm more of a backseat gamer, I guess.
Nrama: What originally drew you to this series?
Bunn: Weirdly enough, just a couple of weeks before I received a call about working on this book, I was sitting at my desk, just daydreaming about writing a Bloodborne story. These days, I'm pretty picky about the licensed properties I work on. For these books to really sing, I need to have an interest or love for the property, but I also need to legitimately feel I can bring something exciting and cool to the table. Bloodborne offers both of those aspects. I had friends who, upon learning I was writing this series, called to tell me it might be the most perfect choice for a licensed property for me. Horror, action, great monsters, great heroes—of course, I'm in!
Nrama: Which aspects of Bloodborne are you incorporating into the comic?
Bunn: I'm trying to work as many nods to the lore of the Bloodborne world as possible, from small, almost throwaway references to deeper dives. Maybe more importantly, I wanted this comic to have the right look and feel for the Bloodborne story. I wanted the mood to ring true.
Nrama: What should fans expect going into the series?
Bunn: Bloodborne fans should expect to see many of their favorite settings, monsters, and weapons in this book. They’ll get the brutal action and gothic chills they know and love. In the game, you create a hunter of your own, and I wanted to tell a story where you see several different kinds of hunters, both on their own and working as a team, and I think players will get a kick out of the antics of these hunters.
Nrama: Is the story accessible to readers who haven't played Bloodborne?
Bunn: Absolutely. Anyone can read, understand, and enjoy this story.
Nrama: What are you hoping readers take away?
Bunn: As I mentioned earlier, you're going to see several different hunters in this series. I hope readers enjoy seeing how different people face unimaginable horror and hopelessness in different ways. And, really, that goes for all the characters, not just the hunters. We're going to be seeing some of the citizens of the afflicted town of Yharnam, too, and the ways in which they deal with the terrifying events unfolding around them will make them just as tragic and heroic as our hunters.
Nrama: Would you ever want to explore this world further?
Bunn: Oh, for sure! There's so much more to sink my teeth into with this world, and I'm introducing some characters I'd love to write going forward. While this is a complete tale, there is plenty of potential for continuation.
Nrama: Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Bunn: It has been a real thrill telling these stories, and I hope readers have as much fun reading them as I’ve had writing them!
Check out all five covers to Bloodborne: Lady of the Lanterns #1 below.
Bloodborne: Lady of the Lanterns #1 is available on July 27 from Titan Comics.
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