VAMPIRELLA (VOL. 5) #25 – Review

In VAMPIRELLA (VOL. 5) #25, available from Dynamite Comics on November 10th, 2021, Vampirella puts her plan in motion to stop the Dracula virus from spreading. But, will she make it to the church on time?

The Details

• Written By: Christopher Priest
• Art By: Ergün Gündüz
• Colors By: Ergün Gündüz
• Letters By: Willie Schubert
• Cover Art By: Lucio Parrillo
• Cover Price: $4.99
• Release Date: November 10, 2021

Was It Good?

Oof! Talk about a goofy ending to a goofy series. It’s no secret we’ve struggled with this particular run on Vampirella. Most of the struggle falls on the consistently chaotic narrative structure of Priest’s writing and some of it goes to Gündüz’s strangely flat, digital art style. It’s an odd and somewhat offputting combination that’s an acquired taste, and that’s being generous.

Well, the art in this issue is consistent with the rest of the series, so not much new to report there. You either like it or you don’t.

However, Priest’s writing style for this series is oddly sedate and linear… for Priest. There’s a little jumping around but not as bad as we’ve come to expect. You could almost say the reading experience was somewhat smooth.

And then there’s the ending. Dynamite propped up this series finale as a big event culminating in the marriage between Vampirella and Dracula. In truth, the story just stops rather than crescendo into a satisfying finale. Is there a wedding? Yes. Does the payoff match the hype? 100% No.

It’s a strange finale for the series. Things happen. The reading is smoother than almost any issue in the series. But, the buildup to get to this earth-shattering union turns out to be a whole lot of nothing that just stops.

What’s It About?

[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]

To find out what all the fuss is about, read our VAMPIRELLA (VOL. 5) #24 review first.

We begin with police arriving at a crime scene. A man is found in the front seat of his car with his brains blown out. The victim has a loose connection with Matt Ecsed, the carrier of the Dracula virus. You can dismiss the prologue since it’s never brought up again or resolved or has any connection to the rest of the issue.

Cut to the wedding preparations underway for the big event, the nuptials between Vampirella and Matt. The thinking is that the wedding will be a blood ritual that will permanently suppress the Dracula virus. If it works, great. If it doesn’t, they can get an annulment. The lavish nuptials begin and just as the vows are completed, Matt turns into a horrid visage of the King of the Vampires and kills Vampirella, causing all hell to break loose among the wedding attenders.

Sike!

It was all a dream, and Vampirella wakes up to find Matt sleeping on her couch. He feels he may not be worth saving, but she’s willing to give it a try. The two spend the day together where readers are treated to the “greatest moments” of the series through a combination of flashbacks and exposition. We conclude the issue with Matt and Vampirella eventually, casually making their way to City Hall to exchange vows… and that’s it. No consequences, no resolution to many, many loose threads. It’s just done.

Mazel tov!

Final Thoughts

VAMPIRELLA (VOL. 5) #25 is a strange and twisted end to a strange and twisted series. Despite the erratic storytelling style we’ve come to expect in this series, this last issue is surprisingly coherent. That said, the series finale is surprisingly anti-climactic and fails to live up to the hype in any way.

Score: 6/10

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