DRACULINA #2, from Dynamite Comics on March 9th, 2022, takes a trip down memory lane to divulge the secrets behind Draculina’s birth and how she came to be linked to a child in an alternate reality.
The Details
- Written By: Christopher Priest
- Art By: Michael Sta. Maria
- Colors By: Ivan Nunes
- Letters By: Willie Schubert
- Cover Art By: Collette Turner (cover A)
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: March 9, 2022
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Was It Good?
A Draculina series is the perfect opportunity to get to know Lilith’s sister, Vampirella’s half-sister (sort of?) after recent events have made her status quo strange and confusing. Mostly, this issue and issue #1 have done a reasonably decent job untangling the knot of Draculina’s existence, how she exists but doesn’t, who Katie is when she’s here and when she’s not, and the background of her lineage. In effect, this issue is a very large exposition dump, but it’s done with an effective mix of the now and flashbacks to stay interesting.
The down point is Priest’s habit of jumping around in the flow, making it sometimes difficult to keep track of what’s going on. Up through halfway in the issue, the narrative is clear, you can tell who the players are, where they are, what they’re talking about, and what they’re doing. At almost exactly the halfway point, readers are suddenly in a now which is different than the now where they just were. It’s not now-now, it’s a past-now. The transition isn’t harsh enough to derail the comic, but if you don’t pay very close attention to the fine print in the Chapter boxes, you’ll be frustratingly lost.
That said, this was a relatively informative issue. You get more about the mechanics of Draculina’s current condition and quite a lot about the circumstances of her birth. You’ll come away from this issue with a better appreciation for the character’s rich, complicated past, and that appreciation helps readers relate to her motivations for everything she does moving forward.
Quibbles about time jumps and narrative flow aside, this is a visually excellent comic. Sta. Maria is a master at off-angle closeup panels that make dialog scenes engaging. There’s a lot of talking in this issue, and it helps to have an artist on board to hold the readers’ attention when there’s almost no action happening.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
If you’re wondering how Katie, Stan, and Imogen wound up on a bus, first read our DRACULINA #1 review.
We begin with Katie, Stan, and Imogen on a bus. Stan is doing most of the talking to Imogen as Katie dozes off. Imogen struggles to believe most of what she’s hearing or even that a rat can talk, but here we are.
Stan explains how Draculina is stuck in a dark limbo but tethered to Katie until Katie lights the cursed candle. When the candle is lit, the two swap bodies until Draculina falls asleep. Imogen demands proof via a demonstration but Stan warns against it as Drcaulina would likely kill Imogen and everyone on the bus.
Last week, Belial a demon pays a visit to Lilith’s LA offices to speak with Zylaven, the vampire who first tethered Katie to the candle and Draculina. Zylaven chose Katie because he believes she’s an alternate reality, younger version of Draculina, and that would make her compatible as an anchor for Draculina who was lost between time and dimensions.
We conclude the issue with Katie dying from a car accident (maybe?), a car chase, and a reunion.
Final Thoughts
DRACULINA #2 is an interesting and informative issue that fills in the blanks about Draculina’s history and her complicated status right now. Despite one or two speed bumps with time jumps, the general story flows and sets up why Draculina is such a dangerous character. On top of the wealth of information is a stellar display of art from Sta. Maria and Nunes.
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