VAN HELSING: RETURN OF THE LEAGUE OF MONSTERS #2 – Review

VAN HELSING: RETURN OF THE LEAGUE OF MONSTERS #2, from Zenescope Entertainment on January 19th, 2022, takes Liesel Van Helsing and Taylor Frankenstein to the Underworld to save the ones they love from the being calling himself Hades.

The Details

• Written By: Pat Shand
• Art By: Alessandro Uezu
• Colors By: Walter Pereyra
• Letters By: Taylor Esposito
• Cover Art By: Mike Krome (cover A)
• Cover Price: $5.99
• Release Date: January 19, 2022

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Was It Good?

VAN HELSING: RETURN OF THE LEAGUE OF MONSTERS #2 concludes the 2-part special with an all-out monster bash including man-made monster- were-beasts, science experiments gone wrong, and the torture of Hell in a tightly-packed 32-pager. Mostly, it works and serves to set up a new status quo for Liesel and her rogue’s gallery of monstrous characters. There are some minor down points which will cover a little further down.

First, if you like monster action as we do, there’s plenty here. Whenever you can reasonably justify the Beast of Exmoor tussling with the god of the Underworld while two versions of Frankenstein’s monster brawl as the Invisible Woman uses a crossbow to shoot one-eyed demons out of the sky, you had us at the word ‘monster’. This is catnip wrapped in crack for monster lovers, and Shand manages to connect the dots in a reasonable way to get to the battle royale.

The one down point that doesn’t quite work is the excessive inner-monologuing from Liesel about how she’s not convinced the being who has her boyfriend is the true Hades. After the third page of her repeating those doubts to herself, the readers get it. After the ninth page of Liesel repeating those doubts to herself, we well and truly get it. After the thirteenth page, Liesel’s doubts have over-stayed their welcome. We get it. We know. Oy!

Liesel’s repetitive yammering aside, the story works itself out with a reveal that surprises everyone but Liesel that makes for a satisfying conclusion. That said, the ending puts Liesel in a different place in her life, and we appreciate a story that doesn’t put all the characters right back where they started. That’s growth, and growth is always a good thing.

Of course, no monster bask would be satisfying if the monsters didn’t look sufficiently… monstrous. Uezu and Pereyra turn in an excellent rendering of hellscapes, hellish tortures, beasts, demons, and everything but the kitchen sink. The character designs look great, the action is kinetic, and a little extra kudos goes to Esposito for the array of lettering styles that add visual interest to an already jam-packed issue.

What’s It About?

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

If you don’t remember how Liesel got herself into this mess, first check out our VAN HELSING: RETURN OF THE LEAGUE OF MONSTERS #1 review.

We begin with a brief bit of narration catching readers up on the League of Monster’s plans, how it all went wrong for everyone (including the League), and how Liesel has formed an uneasy alliance with Taylor Frankenstein. The two devise a plan to enter the Underworld and rescue their respective loved ones. Right from the jump, Liesel is skeptical the being who betrayed everyone is the being she once loved, Hades.

In the beginning, the plan goes according to plan. Liesel and Taylor arrive in Greece where the entrance to the Underworld is located and blast their way down to start the hunt. Once inside, they find business is good for whoever is collecting souls to feed the fires of the Underworld. Along their path, Liesel and Taylor encounter Cerberus, gorgons, and demons of all sorts. Eventually, they find the captured League members forced to endure their custom-made tortures or face the wrath of “Hades”. Liesel and Taylor rescue the League members to join forces and improve their chances of rescuing Rick and Frank.

When the reassembled fellowship reaches the end of the line. The free Frank and Rick when the big boss arrives to do his worst. We conclude the issue with monsters against monsters, a pretender unmasked, and a necessary goodbye.

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