VAMPIRELLA: DARK REFLECTIONS #4, by Dynamite Comics on 9/4/24, brings Tenebris one step closer to conquering the Multiverse, but she didn’t count on the power of a mother’s love.
Credits:
- Writer: Tom Sniegoski, Jeannine Acheson
- Artist: Daniel Maine
- Colorist: Francesca Cittarelli
- Letterer: Taylor Esposito
- Cover Artist: Lucio Parrilllo (cover A)
- Publisher: Dynamite Comics
- Release Date: September 4, 2024
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 24
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of VAMPIRELLA: DARK REFLECTIONS #4:
First Impressions:
Boy, Howdy! Vampirella: Dark Reflections #4 is the bee’s knees. We love it when a creative team knows how to build energy and excitement for a grand finale, which should be the goal of every creator, especially on a penultimate issue. If the petition hasn’t started to get Tom Sniegoski and Jeannine Acheson on the main Vampirella series, let’s get that started, toot sweet.
Plot Analysis:
When last we left Lilith in Vampirella: Dark Reflections #3, we learned how the Cult of Chaos on one of the Plural Earths succeeded in invoking the Chaos Gods and bringing forth the Tenebris. Despite Vampirella’s best efforts, Vampirella was eventually enslaved and the world taken over by monsters. Now, Tenebris hopes to expand her domain across the Fabric by using the multiverse engine contained in Adam’s ship.
In Vampirella: Dark Reflections #4, Pendragon recounts his last hours as a living mortal when he launched a solo attack against Tenebris. His attack was fruitless, and the Monstrum swarmed to tear him to pieces. At the last moment, Pendragon begged the Lords of Order to help, and they did by leaving his head alive to provide guidance to the rebels.
Sure, a talking head in a box is weird, but what isn’t weird about this series? That said, it’s nice to see Pendragon get a meatier role than his typical persona as magical comic relief and sometime buffoon. Pendragon may have failed in Tenebris’s rise to power, but he’s proven himself a hero.
Now, Pendragon urges Lilith to take the fight to Tenebris now. Lilith thinks better of an urgent attack and explains that she comes from a Reality Corps that watches over the Fabric and that her time will be better spent going for reinforcements. Upon learning of the multiverse, Pendragon realizes Tenebris has become a greater threat since he received reports of Tenebris capturing Adam. Lilith realizes she has no choice but to fight.
Tenebris’s acquisition of Adam established the stakes of this conflict, but Pendragon’s news brings that realization to Lilith in a big way since this is her first solo mission. Sniegoski and Acheson do a great job of instilling urgent motivation in Lilith and driving the story forward with energy.
Meanwhile, Tenebris gloats as she begins interfacing with Adam to take over the A.I. and access the Fabric. Adam’s painful resistance stirs Vampirella to action when she recalls losing her family, including her son, to the Cult of Chaos. When her maternal instincts kick in, Vampireall launches into an attack.
The issue ends with the mask slipping, a surprisingly power head in a box, and the arrival of reinforcements.
Overall, Vampirella: Dark Reflections #4 is a rock-solid comic that gives you everything you want in a penultimate issue. You get action, strong emotional beats, building momentum, and a hard-hitting cliffhanger heading into the final fight.
Artwork and Presentation:
Daniel Maine’s artwork is, likewise, super solid. Vampirella: Dark Reflections is an action-heavy issue, so Maine has to make the fights as engaging as possible while still progressing the story through the action. On both counts, Maine is successful.
Art Samples:
The Bigger Picture:
Series Continuity:
Multiverse-spanning stories tend to be confusing if you try to fit this miniseries in with the main Vampirella title. To be clear, the Vampirella presented here is an alternate version of the character on a separate Earth, so the events in this miniseries have nothing to do with the main Vampirella series.
Final Thoughts:
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VAMPIRELLA: DARK REFLECTIONS #4 is a rock-solid example of a penultimate issue done right. Sniegoski and Acheson establish world-ending stakes, build momentum, and craft a script that gives Maine plenty of energetic action to visualize. Plus, the issue ends on a strong cliffhanger.
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