Whether it is through shows likeBuffy the Vampire SlayerandSupernatural, anime likeDemon SlayerandChainsaw Man, or even comics likeSomething Is Killing the Children, monster hunting is always in demand. While people can get their monster-hunting fix with these classics or throughthe upcomingBuffy the Vampire Slayerrebootand recentMonster Huntervideo game,there are plenty of underrated series just waiting for your attention. So if you are one of those fans,you can always check out the Eisner Award-winning comic seriesBitter Rootby Favid F. Walker, Chuck Brown, and Sanford Greene to satisfy your cravings.
Not sure ofBitter Root? No worries. For decades, the Sangerye family has been a family of monster-hunters, protecting the world from Jinoo. The Jinoo are monsters born from hate, bigotry, and racism, so it’s up to the Sangerye family to stop this plague of hatred from infecting more people. While they’ve been at it for generations,Image Comics’Bitter Roottakes place in Harlem during the 1920s, and the Sangerye family faces new dangers along with the hate brewing in America, which threatens to turn more people into literal monsters.
Bitter Root’s Heart Is In Its Stellar Ensemble Of Monster Hunters
Readers Will Easily Fall In Love With Bitter Roots Cast Of Characters
Back in November 2018,Bitter Roothit comic shops with its first issue, and the tantalizing series continued on up to Issue #15, earning the Eisner Award for Best Continuing Series in 2020 and 2022. There is a lot going forBitter Rootthat makes it such a stand-out, must-read comic series, especially when it comes to the characters.At the heart ofthe acclaimed comic seriesBitter Rootis the Sangerye family,and there’s a near guarantee that at least one member of this family will resonate with readers. Along with these characters having such distinct designs, each one of them brings something different to the table as a monster-hunter.
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On top of that, the family is so much more than a bunch of awesome monster-hunters.Bitter Rootis a horror comic and family drama, andone will be deeply invested in the Sangerey familyand what each member goes through by the end of Issue #1. Belinda “Blink” Sangerey, for instance, is a woman expected to stay in her role as a healer, but she has a fighter’s spirit and skills. Meanwhile, Berg Manigo is one of the most intelligent, eloquent, and endearing characters of the series, but he battles an inner demon that threatens his sensibilities and the safety of his loved ones.
Bitter Roots' World Building Is Rooted In Realism But With A Cyberpunk Twist
Bitter Root Is A Supernatural Horror Comic But It Tackles Real World Issues And History
On top of the phenomenal ensemble inBitter Root, this Image comic, which is one ofthe publisher’s best comics, has killer world building.Bitter Rootis the roaring ’20s meets steampunk, and it is set in a supernatural, horror setting.The comic has such a unique world to play in, but it is also one rooted in reality and history.Bitter Rootis set during the Harlem Renaissance of the ’20s, for instance, and the comic highlights the Sangerey family’s resilience as well as the community’s resilience at large. By havingBitter Rootset in this world, the story also sheds light on a period of history that is criminally overlooked.
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Along with that,Bitter Root’smagical and supernatural elements have roots in real-world practices, beliefs, and myths, as addressed in the several essays incorporated intoBitter Root’somnibus. Rootwork, for instance, plays a major role inBitter Rootand the Sangerey family’s work, but it is also an intellectual tradition practiced by black women internationally. Dr. Kinitra Brooks discusses inThe Root of the Matter: Root Work and Conjure in Black Pop Culture,which is featured in the omnibus.
“Root work is a semi-formal manifestation of black folks' practical need for healing through the making of medicines intertwined with the highly theoretical process of world-building and creating an inheritance of knowledge steeped in spirituality.”
The matriarch of the Sangerey family, Ma Etta, uses this practice to help cure Jinoo, which also has roots in reality. They are supernatural in nature, but they also serve as a metaphor for how hate, bigotry, and racism destroy one’s humanity. Racism and bigotry are diabolical forces that tear communities and lives apart, andBitter Rootturns these dangerous beliefs into literal monsters to confront. Along with that,Bitter Roothammers home how the fight is not over until the cycle of hate stops, so history does not repeat itself.
After Almost Four Years, Bitter Root Is Back
Bitter Root: The Next Movement Hits Stores March 26
Bitter Rootended with Issue #15, and it ended with a bang to say the least. After wrapping up the main storyline ofBitter Root,the comic teases what’s next in store for the Sangerey family. After all, some of the family members infiltrated a concentration camp to save Jewish prisoners and stop the nazis turned Jinoo. While it is just a teaser for the future adventures of this monster-hunting family, it absolutely delivers, leavingreaders excited for new installments ofBitter Root.
Unfortunately, it has taken until 2025 forBitter Rootto return.Bitter Root: The Next Movementtakes place in 1964 at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. After activists go missing, the next generation of monster hunters must take on an evolved, more threatening form of Jinoo. This new series will feature the same creative team from the original story, andBitter Root: The Next Movementappears to be bringing even more science-fiction to the table. Before this anticipated Image comic hits shelves August 03, 2025 - and beforethe Regina King-directedBitter Rootmovie makes it to theaters - you should check it out ASAP. It will satisfy any fan ofBuffy the Vampire SlayerorSupernatural, leaving them with a dark new obsession.
