VAMPIRELLA VS. THE SUPERPOWERS #1, from Dynamite Comics on 5/24/23, finds Vampirella and Dyna Might on an undercover mission to a plural Earth where a dangerous drug grants superpowers.
The Details
- Written by: Dan Abnett
- Art by: Pasquale Qualano
- Colors by: Ellie Wright
- Letters by: Jeff Eckleberry
- Cover art by: Sozomaika (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: May 24, 2023
Is It Good?
Yep. VAMPIRELLA VS. THE SUPERPOWERS #1 is a winner. Dynamite’s mashup arcs that combine Vampirella, Red Sonja, and The Project just seem to have a way of hitting just the right sweet spot of horror, sci-fi, and imagination, opening the door for Dynamite to explore their characters in surprising new ways.
Picking up from the last Project crossover, Vampirella embraces her role as a member of the multiverse-protecting super team and accepts an undercover assignment on an Earth engaged in a superpower Cold War. The plot thickens with a twist revealing that the Cold War is bigger than Vampirella suspected.
Dan Abnett’s take on Vampirella transforms the titular character into a reluctant super spy, and her unique brand of snark gives the super-stiff leadership of The Project an amusing run for their money. Honestly, this is the most fun we’ve had with Vampirella in a long time because Abnett infuses Vampirella’s personality with an “I do what I want because you can’t stop me” defiance that speaks volumes about her confidence but stops just short of off-putting arrogance.
Further, Abnett’s plot reads like a crime thriller of cinematic proportions. The concept of a superpower-granting drug serves as a perfect catalyst for a Cold War scenario, the drug also provides a solid motivation for The Project’s involvement, and the twist revelation establishes conflicts at a local, global, and multiversal level all in one shot. This issue delivers a beautifully-crafted, complex plot.
If there’s a down point in this issue, it’s in the art. We’re fans of Pasquale Qualano and Ellie Wright, but this issue looks a little off. In general, the line work and figure work are solid. The character designs, especially the drug-created freaks, look great, and the scene transitions are smooth. However, the colors bleed slightly in spots, Wright’s color palette selection is oddly muted, and the digital art doesn’t integrate the characters into their panels seamlessly. It’s good art, but it lacks depth and polish.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with two federal agents arriving at a crime scene at an LA diner in 1948 on Earth-1948 (that’s convenient). Agents Sabitzer and Delaney assume jurisdiction over the blood bath inside because it’s suspected the killer is a man transformed into a superpowered monster from a street drug nicknamed “Buff.” The killer is eventually discovered, chased, and killed by the agents, and they find a matchbook in his clothes for a club called Red Menace.
The agents visit the club to speak with its owner Ella Redding, Vampirella working undercover. Vampirella and Dyna Might are working in secret to discover the source of Buff to prevent Earth-1948 from self-destructing if thousands of people become superpowered, homicidal freaks.
When Ella interrupts a local Buff dealer from doing business in her club, Ella figures out the local Buff trade is run by a man called Mr. Fix. Mr. Fix doesn’t like to have his business interrupted. We conclude the issue with a history lesson, payback, and a multiverse-threatening problem.
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Final Thoughts
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VAMPIRELLA VS. THE SUPERPOWERS #1 is a practically perfect mashup of horror, sci-fi, detective noir, and spy thriller all rolled into one. Abnett’s complex plot works on multiple levels, the character work is outstanding, and the cliffhanger ends on a high note. That said, the art is good but not great and suffers from a lack of depth/polish.
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