VAMPIRELLA: YEAR ONE #2, from Dynamite Comics on August 31st, 2022, relives a time in Vampirella’s younger years when she was forced to make a decision – stay with “Uncle” Hilal or leave with her mother, Lilith.
The Details
- Written by: Christopher Priest
- Art by: Ergün Gündüz
- Colors by: Giovanni Timpano, Flavio Dispenza
- Letters by: Willie Scubert
- Cover art by: Collette Turner (cover A)
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: August 31, 2022
Is It Good?
VAMPIRELLA: YEAR ONE #2 continues to fill in the gaps of Vampirella’s younger years by showing how the hero-to-be constantly struggles between living a privileged life as a princess and wanting to help the starving population in a dying world. The results are mixed.
The strong point in this issue is the notably improved art from Ergün Gündüz, Giovanni Timpano, and Flavio Dispenza. It’s improved because the panel composition and the use of action lines (through the coloring) add a sense of energy and movement to the action. We’ve struggled with Gündüz’s style as a design illustrator because illustration has a static quality innate to the craft. Comic book artistry is slightly different than illustration, so the results have been subpar up to this point. Now, the colorists have added to Gündüz’s style with action and blurring to imply movement in a way that approximates a traditional comic book artist for much better action.
The plot centers around Vampirella, a few years older than issue #1, as she breaks rules and takes chances to do what she thinks is right. Unfortunately, her rule-breaking in the unsafe parts of the city puts her at odds with unsavory characters, and Vampirella is forced to either embrace her mother’s guidance or watch Senator Hilal bear the consequences of Vampirella’s rebelliousness.
The setup is complex and gives you plenty to chew on when considering Vampirella’s early life. However, the down point of the issue may be the fundamental flaw of the series we pointed out in the review for issue #1 – it’s just not that interesting. Has anyone ever clamored for Game of Thrones-style intrigue on Drakulon? Does Lil’ Vampirella, who runs around stealing a vampire cow (complete with fangs and wings), sound like an attention-grabbing concept?
The whole point of a Year One story is to show you how a character transitions from someone ordinary to extraordinary, but the approach Priest takes here is to show you how somebody who is already somewhat extraordinary matures into the character we already know. In short, the novelty of the series rests on the royal intrigue on Drakulon, and what’s presented isn’t all that novel… so far.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Find out why Vampirella is hiding out on a tropical island as he narrates this story in our VAMPIRELLA: YEAR ONE #1 review.
We begin with Vampirella narrating to her unborn child how she was raised. We also learn who is the father of Vampirella’s unborn child.
Lil’ Vampirella, now a few years older, still lives with Senator Hilal, unaware that the Senator’s wife is actually Lilith in disguise. Lil’ Vampirella develops a rebellious streak and wants to do something to help the starving children in the poor sectors of the city. Her brilliant idea? Steal a blood cow and deliver it to the children by train.
The plan goes as well as you could expect, but when Lil’ Vampirella crosses paths with thugs intent on stealing the cow, she’s forced to either fight her own battles or invoke her mother’s name for protection. We conclude the issue with Lilith getting exposed, a mature decision, and Lilith exposing herself… again.
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Final Thoughts
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VAMPIRELLA: YEAR ONE #2 is a somewhat okay entry in the series with improved art and competent writing, but the central premise of the series has yet to justify its own existence. The point of a Year One story is to show that moment where a zero becomes a hero, but this story is too focused on playing Game of Thrones lite to rise much above boring.
Related Information
Is Vampirella a hero?
Technically, Vampirella would be considered an anti-hero. Her heart’s in the right place for most things, but she’s not above using violence, threats, and killing to get her way.
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