VAMPIVERSE PRESENTS: THE VAMP (ONE-SHOT), from Dynamite Comics on June 29th, 2022, revisits one of the more colorful variants from the Vampiverse series – The Vamp. Created as a weapon of Chaos, the Vamp now stands against anyone determined to snuff out the Light.
The Details
- Written By: Tom Sniegoski, Jeannine Acheson
- Art By: Daniel Maine
- Colors By: Francesca Cittarelli
- Letters By: Taylor Esposito
- Cover Art By: Jimmy Broxton (cover A)
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Release Date: June 29, 2022
Was It Good?
VAMPIVERSE PRESENTS: THE VAMP (ONE-SHOT) takes a second bite (*ahem*) out of the Vampiverse series to flesh out one of the story’s more memorable characters -the Vamp. When this story was first announced, we weren’t quite sure what to make of it. Now that we’ve read through the issue, this is just the right amount of length and development to have some fun without stretching a thin concept too far. Drawing this character out into a multi-issue arc would have been too much convolution of the Vampirella brand, so an oversized one-shot gives you plenty of meat to chew on without overstaying its welcome.
When last we saw the Vamp, she teamed up with the surviving versions of Vampirella from across the multiverse to stop Blood Wing from killing the Artist and reshaping reality to her own liking. Here, we get a peek into the Vamp’s origins and dive into a world-ending adventure that fits the setting to a tee.
The strongest aspects of this issue are the art by Maine, Cittarelli, and Esposito, and the pulp-inspired adventure by Sniegoski and Acheson.
Sniegoski and Acheson crafted an entertaining origin that harkens back to the classic pulp serials of the early 20th-Century. Hooded doomsday cults, exotic creatures, branded dirigibles, wild mysticism, and more lavish every page. Think the Phantom meets Indiana Jones meets the Rocketeer, and that puts you in the right ballpark. The tone of the story leans more towards the supernatural than science fiction, but the spirit of classic pulp serials is fully intact. You can practically hear the characters speak with Transatlantic accents.
The artwork is from Maine, Cittarelli, and Esposito is excellent. The costumes match the Vampirella aesthetic but they’re reworked to fit the time period for a uniquely creative style. The creature designs are reminiscent, again, of the classic films of the last century, and the action is energetic. And to remind you this is still a Vampirella comic, the art team isn’t afraid to get a little gory for all the right reasons.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with the Vamp killing the leader of the Blaylock family to extract information about his partnership with the Cult of Chaos. The Cult intends to use an ancient artifact to rip open reality and call forth the Lords of Chaos as the new rulers of Earth. Of course, the Vamp isn’t about to let that happen.
Extracting the intel she needs and recovering the artifact (a piece of the Blade of Illumination), the Vamp head to the Himalayas to drop the powerful artifact off for safe keeping with the Brotherhood of Light. When the Vamp arrives, she hands over the artifact but is suddenly attacked by armed guards. An old and thought-dead enemy, De Haven, commandeered the monastery and now claims the artifact for the Cult.
We conclude the issue with a chase, Yetis, a ritual, and history repeating itself.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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VAMPIVERSE PRESENTS: THE VAMP (ONE-SHOT) is a well-constructed, perfectly sized one-shot spinning off one of the better-remembered characters from the Vampiverse adventure. The writing and art perfectly capture the spirit of classic pulp serial adventures, and the Vamp’s origins creatively echo Vampirella’s story with plenty of twists to create something that stands on its own.
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