Whether it is through shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural, anime like Demon Slayer and Chainsaw Man, or even comics like Something Is Killing the Children, monster hunting is always in demand. While people can get their monster-hunting fix with these classics or through the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot and recent Monster Hunter video 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 series Bitter Root by Favid F. Walker, Chuck Brown, and Sanford Greene to satisfy your cravings.

Not sure of Bitter 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 Root takes 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 Root hit 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 for Bitter Root that makes it such a stand-out, must-read comic series, especially when it comes to the characters. At the heart of the acclaimed comic series Bitter Root is 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.

On top of that, the family is so much more than a bunch of awesome monster-hunters. Bitter Root is a horror comic and family drama, and one will be deeply invested in the Sangerey family and 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 in Bitter Root, this Image comic, which is one of the publisher's best comics, has killer world building. Bitter Root is 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 Root is 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 having Bitter Root set in this world, the story also sheds light on a period of history that is criminally overlooked.

Along with that, Bitter Root's magical and supernatural elements have roots in real-world practices, beliefs, and myths, as addressed in the several essays incorporated into Bitter Root's omnibus. Rootwork, for instance, plays a major role in Bitter Root and the Sangerey family's work, but it is also an intellectual tradition practiced by black women internationally. Dr. Kinitra Brooks discusses in The 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, and Bitter Root turns these dangerous beliefs into literal monsters to confront. Along with that, Bitter Root hammers 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 Root ended with Issue #15, and it ended with a bang to say the least. After wrapping up the main storyline of Bitter Root, the comic teases what's next in store for the Sangerey family. After all, some of the family 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, leaving readers excited for new installments of Bitter Root.

Unfortunately, it has taken until 2025 for Bitter Root to return. Bitter Root: The Next Movement takes 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, and Bitter Root: The Next Movement appears to be bringing even more science-fiction to the table. Before this anticipated Image comic hits shelves March 26, 2025 - and before the Regina King-directed Bitter Root movie makes it to theaters - you should check it out ASAP. It will satisfy any fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Supernatural, leaving them with a dark new obsession.