VAMPIRELLA VS. THE SUPERPOWERS #2, from Dynamite Comics on 6/28/23, turns the threat level on this pulp noir story up several notches when Vampirella meets the enigmatic Mr. Fix, and he might be too much for her to handle.
The Details
- Written by: Dan Abnett
- Art by: Pasquale Qualano
- Colors by: Ellie Wright
- Letters by: Jeff Eckleberry
- Cover art by: Jae Lee, June Chung (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: June 28, 2023
Is It Good?
How do you defeat a villain whose face you can’t remember and whose mere suggestion puts you within his complete control? That’s the question Dan Abnett puts to readers in VAMPIRELLA VS. THE SUPERPOWERS #. A tight, slick, detective pulp noir story with a superpowered twist to keep readers on their toes.
When last we left Vampirella and Dyna Might, their undercover work on Plural-1948 was starting to yield results that led to a troubling surprise. Mr. Fix is edging closer to forcing Vampirella’s club to act as a front to his superpower drug (‘elixir’) operation, but the Project is keenly interested in the case because Mr. Fix may be getting help via another Plural Earth. Now, Mr. Fix’s intentions for Vampirella’s club get more aggressive, leading to a face-to-face meeting that might be more than Vampirella can handle.
Dan Abnett’s script ranks up with one of the better pulp noir stories we’ve read in some time, creating a surreal version of L.A. Confidential or Chinatown. The character moments are snappy with a veneer of smokiness that fits within the sultry vibe of Hollywood during the 1940s. Abnett’s plot moves well and delivers plenty of interesting developments, and the cliffhanger sets up an unpredictable outcome.
Where the issue stumbles slightly is in the lack of urgency or energy. Vampirella and the detectives are going with the flow as Mr. Fix’s designs take shape, but there’s no clear sense of a plan or timeline that forces the characters to act. The lack of a “ticking clock” isn’t always a problem, but here, the characters don’t act with any incentive, so the energy feels a little too low.
How’s the art? It’s good but not great. Pasquale Qualano’s line work is generally good but could be tighter in a few spots. More surprisingly, Ellie Wright’s coloring is mediocre in this issue. There are multiple panels, and sometimes whole pages, where the colors look hastily filled in without texture, highlights, or adherence to coloring in the lines. In some spots, the coloring looks almost sloppy, which is surprising for Wright.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our VAMPIRELLA VS. THE SUPERPOWERS #1 review to find out how Vampirella discovered her case has much bigger ramifications than she was led to believe.
We begin with Mr. Fix’s goons making a mess in Vampirella’s club, but she not-so-nicely kicks them out. Later, Sabitzer and his colleagues investigate the mess but leave empty-handed when Vampirella tells them only the amount of information she wants them to know.
Later, Mr. Fix questions his men and concludes that Vampirealla is a natural super, which is a ripe opportunity to enhance future versions of ‘elixir’ if he can get access to her blood. Meanwhile, Vampirella and Dyna Might get busy cleaning up the club after the fight when Towers shows up to ask for a date. Considering the club is in no shape to open, Vampirella agrees.
That evening, Towers and Vampirella speed along the coast toward their Dinner destination when their car is cornered by Mr. Fix’s armored vans. We conclude the issue with a betrayal, a gubernatorial visit, and a good look at a face you’re going to forget.
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Final Thoughts
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VAMPIRELLA VS. THE SUPERPOWERS #2 ratchets up the stakes and the mystery for a strong detective pulp noir story with a villain who might be more than Vampirella can handle. The writing is generally strong, and the art is generally good, but the story lacks energy/urgency, and the coloring is surprisingly flat.
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