The Daywalker is back for another fang-tastic journey into the Marvel Universe’s supernatural underworld in Blade #1.

Blade has actually kept quite busy over the past few years, most notably serving as an Avenger and reuniting with his estranged daughter Brielle, AKA Bloodline. (Something he hasn’t done is appear in a movie…) But if you haven’t kept up with his latest adventures, no need to worry; Blade #1 is the start of what appears to be a standalone and self-contained story of bloody proportions.

The narrative presented in Blade #1 is actually pretty straightforward; the titular vamp is sent on a supernatural murder mystery that quickly becomes way more complicated (and freaky) then even he could have predicted, forcing him to prove he’s worth his reputation as a deadly daywalker. It’s this simplicity that allows writer Bryan Hill and artist Elena Casagrande to overdeliver on the premise, with a tight script and fantastic art throughout.

Casagrande’s work is especially worth checking out, continuing a great run that she started on Black Widow, very much following suit with that comic’s energetic art but taking much more of a horror-influenced approach here. (Jordie Bellaire’s gauzy, moody colors are just the cherry on top of what’s already an eye-popping package.) If you’re a fan of the character or even just looking to brush up on your knowledge of him before his upcoming movie —if/when that ever actually comes out— then Blade #1 is not the worst place to start.