VAMPIRELLA STRIKES #9, from Dynamite Comics on January 25th, 2023, concludes Vampirella’s desperate battle against the Blood Red Queen of Hearts and her bid to release a dangerous Chaos God from his imprisonment.
The Details
- Written by: Thomas Sniegoski
- Art by: Jonathan Lau
- Colors by: Omi Remalante Jr.
- Letters by: Jeff Eckleberry
- Cover art by: Lucio Parrillo (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: January 25, 2023
Is It Good?
Well, if you’re going to end an arc, there’s no better way than to do it with a big BANG! Thomas Sniegoski not only ends Vampirella’s fight against the Blood Red Queen of Hearts with a (literal and figurative) bang, but the last moments suggest things are about to get much worse in the future’s future. Sniegoski swings for the fences, and on that point alone, this issue deserves praise.
When last we left Vampirella, she escaped her first round with the Blood Red Queen of Hearts (BRQH) and took refuge in the surrounding woods with Ahabb. Now, Vampirella forms an unlikely alliance with Ahabb to fight the unnatural storm and give them a chance for a more prolonged escape.
Sniegoski successfully nails the feeling of overwhelming odds when BRQH throws every weapon at her disposal at Vampirella. The action is big, fast-paced, tension-filled, and loud. Vampirella is in a fight for her life, and Sniegoski makes you feel every slash and punch.
Equally impressive is Sniegoski’s mastery of the soft cliffhanger, witnessed multiple times throughout this run. Sniegoski repeatedly ends a chapter or arc in a satisfying way, while leaving the door open for something bigger or worse just around the corner. If the series ended right here, you’d feel like you got your money’s worth, but you could picture a semi-clear path to keep going.
Of course, Sniegoski’s story is elevated that much more by Jonathan Lau’s stellar art. Lau is the master of dramatic shadows and silhouettes, so this issue gives you a deep mood and drama, even in the big action sequences.
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]
Check out our VAMPIRELLA STRIKES #8 review to find out how Vampirella lost the first round of the fight.
We begin with the Blood Red Queen of Hearts’s (BRQH) forces scouring the surrounding forces. If Vampirella and Ahabb are captured, their hearts are forfeit, and BRQH will complete the ritual to release the Chaos God who would be her husband and King. Vampirella and Ahabb have no choice but to join forces.
The castle is surrounded by an unnatural storm of Ahabb’s construction, so he agrees to help Vampirella shut it down so Danse forces can provide aid. With a small blood feeding, courtesy of Ahabb, Vampirella regains enough strength to follow Ahabb to the storm machine and fight off the undead guards.
We conclude the issue with all the hearts, all the bombs, and all the possibilities.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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VAMPIRELLA STRIKES #9 sticks the landing to end the Blood Red Queen of Hearts’s arc… for now. The action is fierce, the drama is dialed up to the max, and the conflict ends with a bang while leaving room for more in the future.
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