VAMPIVERSE #5 – Review

VAMPIVERSE #5, from Dynamite Comics on January 12th, 2022, sets up a collision course between the multiverse versions of Vampirella and Bloodwing at the nexus of all things – The Library.

The Details

• Written By: Thomas Sniegoski, Jeannine Acheson
• Art By: Daniel Maine
• Colors By: Francesca Cittarelli
• Letters By: Taylor Esposito
• Cover Art By: Madibek Musabekov
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Release Date: January 12, 2022

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Was It Good?

The magic word for today is “momentum”. VAMPIVERSE #5 is all about momentum. That overwhelming sense that the actions and words on the page are building… nay, HURTLING!… towards a pivotal event. Everything in this issue is hyper-focused on building up the forces of good and evil to ramming speed, aimed squarely at each other.

On the side of evil, Bloodwing is established as an unstoppable force collecting more of Book’s pages and killing every Vampirella she encounters. You could make the case Bloodwing’s journey has been repetitive, and to be fair, it has been, but each new kill gives readers a cool concept for an alternate Vampirella just long enough to counteract the repetition with a cool factor.

On the side of good or, if you prefer, not as evil, the Vamp Scamps (that name isn’t in the book…but it should be) know where Bloodwing is headed and race to get there first. Every page on every panel is a ticking clock ramping up the reading experience with tension. Sniegoski and Acheson have expertly set up this issue to goad readers into wanting to pull Bloodwing back from her goal while simultaneously wanting to push the Vamp Scamps toward their goal. That constant push-pull feeling instantly generates tension that grips your attention from the first page to last.

Maine’s art is generally great in this issue. As a point of preference, it would serve this comic if Maine used cleaner lines along sharp edges rather than rough double strokes. The lack of clean lines when there should be clean lines gives the art an unpolished feel. It’s not egregious enough to distort the visuals but the rough edges feel unfinished or rushed.

What’s It About?

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

If you’re unsure how the Vamp Scamps got together, read our VAMPIVERSE #4 review.

We begin with the latest alt-Vampirella working as an espionage agent in the bowels of the Chaos Reich. She’s stolen secret plans for a weapon, but before she can escape to safety, Bloodwing arrives to claim her latest victim and confiscate the last few missing pages for Book. With all the information in hand about the Artist, Bloodwing opens a portal to the nexus of all stories – the Library.

Meanwhile, the Vamp Scamps fight their way through a squad of prehistoric Lizard Men of Chaos. Now in possession of a map to the multiverse, Futurella can get the group to the Artist if they can make it back to her ship. The group succeeds but knowing the destination is a lot easier than getting there, especially when the path is blocked by a gigantic Vampirella guard made of stars.

We conclude the issue with a threading of the needle, a brief introduction to the Artist’s elite librarians, and the setup for a showdown of Biblio proportions.

Final Thoughts

VAMPIVERSE #5 ramps up the energy and momentum for the penultimate issue in the series. When the forces of good and evil are on a collision course for an epic finale, this is exactly how the setup should be structured. Constant tension, a race to the finish, and high stakes. This issue is a great way to lead into the finale.

Score: 8.5/10

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