‘Blood Type’: EC Comics Shifts to Serialized Horror With a New Editorial and Visual Format

‘Blood Type,’ scheduled for release on June 18, 2025 by EC Comics, represents a pivotal development for a publisher whose legacy has long been defined by its anthology format. The new series, written by Corinna Bechko and illustrated by Andrea Sorrentino, departs from the self-contained storytelling that characterized EC’s earlier titles, opting instead for a serialized horror narrative told over multiple issues. The project introduces a structured, ongoing arc—an editorial decision that reflects broader shifts in how horror comics are being conceptualized and consumed.

This new approach arrives at a time when readers are increasingly drawn to serialized formats that allow for deeper character development and sustained suspense. Within this context, ‘Blood Type’ positions itself not only as a creative venture but also as a strategic recalibration of EC Comics’ publishing philosophy. The decision to extend a story across several issues suggests a response to contemporary market dynamics, where immersive, long-form storytelling has gained cultural traction across media.

While the specifics of the narrative will unfold over the series’ run, the mere fact of its format signals a noteworthy turn in EC’s publishing history. By introducing its first serialized horror title under the imprint of Oni Press, EC Comics is stepping into a space that blends historical reputation with present-day readership expectations—an intersection that carries both risk and renewed visibility within the comics industry.

Origins: From Anthology to Standalone Series

Ada, the central figure in EC Comics’ upcoming series ‘Blood Type’, made her first appearance in ‘Epitaphs from the Abyss’ #3, one of the publisher’s recent entries in its traditional horror anthology line. Her presence in that issue—confined to a self-contained narrative consistent with EC’s serialized short-form model—offered only a glimpse into the character’s potential depth. In contrast to earlier stories that resolved within a few pages, Ada’s introduction hinted at a larger, unresolved history and raised editorial interest in further developing her role beyond the boundaries of a single issue.

The decision to construct an entire series around Ada reflects a considered shift in how EC Comics approaches character continuity and reader engagement. Rather than placing her within another anthology installment, the creative team opted to trace her experience across multiple issues, allowing for more elaborate storytelling and sustained tension. In doing so, the publisher has effectively repositioned the character as a narrative anchor, capable of supporting a serialized format not previously associated with its publishing catalogue. The move signals an internal reassessment of how horror stories can be structured for contemporary readerships seeking longer arcs and deeper narrative cohesion.

Writer Corinna Bechko, tasked with developing Ada’s arc in ‘Blood Type,’ has described the character as both enigmatic and morally complex. In an interview with Freaksugar, Bechko noted that Ada’s origin was crafted to suggest internal conflict rather than present a fixed identity. “She is not a hero in the conventional sense,” Bechko explained, adding that the character’s motivations are driven less by redemption than by survival. That layered approach allowed Bechko to imagine a protagonist whose choices remain opaque even to herself—an angle that lends itself more readily to serial storytelling than to the constraints of an anthology format.

Repositioning a Legacy: EC Comics Under Oni Press

The publication of ‘Blood Type’ under the EC Comics imprint is the result of a recent initiative by Oni Press to reintroduce one of horror’s most iconic labels to a contemporary audience. Originally known for its influential anthology titles during the mid-twentieth century, EC Comics established its reputation through short-form horror, crime, and suspense stories that helped shape the visual and tonal conventions of North American comics. With the imprint dormant for decades, its return under Oni Press reflects a coordinated effort to reframe EC’s editorial legacy within the structure of modern comics publishing.

Oni Press, founded in 1997 and based in Portland, Oregon, is recognized for its catalog of creator-driven and genre-diverse titles. Its decision to revive EC Comics situates the historic imprint within a curated publishing model that values stylistic experimentation and serialized narrative form. Rather than replicating EC’s original structure, the imprint now operates as a specialized horror line within Oni’s broader publishing framework—allowing new titles like ‘Blood Type’ to adopt contemporary storytelling formats while retaining the brand’s association with suspense-driven material.

Visual Continuity and Cover Design Strategy

The cover design of ‘Blood Type’ reinforces the series’ broader aesthetic of atmospheric disquiet and narrative ambiguity. Illustrated by Andrea Sorrentino, the first issue’s cover features the protagonist, Ada, partially obscured in a wooded setting, her face bloodied as a skeletal figure looms behind her with a shovel—an image that reflects the tension between concealment and threat present throughout the series. The composition maintains Sorrentino’s signature use of spatial compression and stark tonal contrast, aligning it visually with the internal pages while offering a self-contained entry point for new readers.

Though cover variants have been a standard industry practice, EC Comics under Oni Press has chosen to lead the series with Sorrentino’s singular visual tone across both interior and cover art. This consistency allows the series to establish a cohesive visual identity from its debut issue, mirroring the calculated restraint of the narrative and underscoring the serialized format’s emphasis on continuity across installments. Future covers are expected to retain this alignment, further anchoring the series’ tone in the visual language established by its lead artist.

Creative Team and Artistic Vision

The creative direction of ‘Blood Type’ is shaped by a team of established contributors, each with a record of work that reflects a familiarity with genre storytelling and long-form structure. Corinna Bechko, known for her work across science fiction and horror titles, scripts the series. She brings to the project a narrative style rooted in psychological complexity, allowing for a protagonist who is less defined by a traditional arc and more by the consequences of her presence within a shifting environment. Her writing sets the tone for the serialized format, emphasizing a steady narrative progression over isolated episodes.

Visual storytelling in ‘Blood Type’ is led by Andrea Sorrentino, whose work is characterized by high-contrast compositions and a use of negative space that favors disorientation over visual comfort. His pages employ tightly framed perspectives and abrupt panel transitions, contributing to a disquieting atmosphere that suits the title’s horror classification. The artwork avoids overt spectacle, opting instead for gradual visual tension that mirrors the ambiguity of the protagonist’s experience. Sorrentino has noted in interviews that horror, to him, is most effective when it resists immediate revelation. “You do not show everything. You show just enough to disturb,” he said in reference to his approach on the series.

Colorist Dave Stewart supports this strategy through a palette that deliberately withholds warmth. Cold, desaturated tones dominate much of the book’s visual rhythm, punctuated by sudden, stark accents of red or yellow that function as narrative cues rather than aesthetic flourishes. The decision to withhold saturation reinforces the comic’s pacing, aligning the visual experience with the story’s slow-build approach. The lettering, executed by Richard Starkings and Tyler Smith, maintains a clean structure throughout while shifting subtly to reflect tone—often integrating with the visual composition without drawing attention away from it.

Collectively, the creative team functions with cohesion, grounding ‘Blood Type’ in a visual and narrative style that prioritizes sustained suspense over spectacle. Their collaborative choices indicate a clear understanding of horror not merely as a genre label, but as a formal constraint that requires restraint, pacing, and a selective visual vocabulary.

Narrative Overview: Setting and Plot

Set against the backdrop of a remote Caribbean resort, ‘Blood Type’ introduces its protagonist Ada—a figure whose immortality complicates her motives and presence. The narrative begins as she arrives at the isolated destination, where wealthy tourists mingle with local inhabitants whose cultural memory retains traces of older, often unspoken beliefs. The setting, though visually sunlit and outwardly vibrant, functions as a closed environment that isolates its characters, intensifying the interpersonal tension as the story unfolds.

Within this confined space, the comic explores predation not only in its literal form—embodied by Ada’s vampirism—but also as a broader condition tied to class, exploitation, and distrust. The resort’s dual function as sanctuary and trap positions Ada within a network of relationships defined by secrecy and survival, where no figure is entirely exempt from danger. As suspicions rise among the resort’s guests and staff, the line between predator and prey becomes increasingly unstable, with Ada neither fully detached from nor integrated into the human systems around her.

The narrative accelerates with the emergence of a hostile faction whose objectives remain unclear but are grounded in the same supernatural forces Ada attempts to navigate. These antagonists are not positioned as a simple inversion of her condition, but as an extension of the comic’s interest in layered conflict. Their presence introduces a destabilizing force into an already tense setting, forcing confrontations that resist traditional moral framing. As the series continues, it is through these escalating tensions—rather than dramatic plot turns—that ‘Blood Type’ constructs its suspense, emphasizing atmospheric buildup over declarative exposition.

Bechko’s Narrative Precision in Genre and Horror Writing

Corinna Bechko brings to ‘Blood Type’ a background shaped by genre fiction grounded in methodical pacing and character-driven storytelling. Best known for her work on titles such as ‘Heathentown’ (Image Comics) and ‘Aliens: Dust to Dust’ (Dark Horse), Bechko has consistently approached horror through realism, restraint, and tension rooted in human behavior.

Her scripts often center on protagonists navigating environments that blur the line between natural and supernatural threat, placing emphasis on psychological endurance over spectacle. This perspective lends itself effectively to the serialized structure of ‘Blood Type,’ where unease is built over time rather than resolved within a single issue.

In interviews, Bechko has emphasized the importance of ambiguity and moral uncertainty in horror, noting that fear is often most effective when it emerges from internal conflict. That sensibility is present in her depiction of Ada—a character whose motives remain intentionally opaque and whose role complicates traditional binaries of good and evil. Bechko’s handling of horror avoids familiar genre shorthand, instead opting for narrative subtlety and careful escalation. In this context, ‘Blood Type’ continues her established interest in horror as a vehicle for examining personal and situational instability, while adapting her approach to a longer-form, episodic framework.

Sorrentino’s Genre-Spanning Visual Style

Andrea Sorrentino’s work in horror comics has been defined by a visual style that emphasizes disorientation, restraint, and psychological unease. His collaboration with Jeff Lemire on ‘Gideon Falls’ (Image Comics) remains one of the most critically discussed entries in modern horror comics, noted for its layered panel architecture and atmospheric intensity.

Across multiple volumes, Sorrentino employed fragmented layouts, heavy contrasts, and recurring visual motifs to reinforce themes of paranoia and decay, setting a benchmark for horror storytelling in the medium. In ‘Blood Type,’ those techniques are recontextualized within a new narrative framework, maintaining the visual control and spatial tension that have characterized his prior genre work. The transition into a serialized format for EC Comics further extends his engagement with long-form horror, aligning his distinct visual strategies with a broader editorial shift toward sustained narrative pacing.

That continuity is evident in the way ‘Blood Type’ employs spatial isolation, asymmetrical layouts, and stark tonal shifts to maintain narrative tension. Rather than relying on overt graphic spectacle, Sorrentino constructs horror through incremental visual disruption—dislocating the reader’s sense of space and rhythm within the page. This approach aligns with techniques refined during his tenure on ‘Gideon Falls,’ while also accommodating the demands of a new publishing format that unfolds across multiple issues. In doing so, his contribution to ‘Blood Type’ not only reinforces the comic’s tonal atmosphere but also affirms his place among contemporary artists shaping the language of horror in serialized comics.

Conclusion

As EC Comics navigates a shift in format with ‘Blood Type,’ the series presents a case study in how serialized horror can be constructed within a publishing tradition largely defined by brevity and containment. The collaborative work of Corinna Bechko and Andrea Sorrentino reframes that legacy through extended pacing, sustained atmosphere, and a protagonist built for narrative continuity.

Positioned within a broader movement toward long-form genre storytelling, the title opens a space for further examination of structure, tone, and audience expectations in contemporary comics. Readers and critics alike may find it worthwhile to consider how this transition resonates with current approaches to horror and how ‘Blood Type’ contributes to or diverges from those conversations.