VATICAN CITY #1, by Dark Horse Comics on 4/9/25, marks the beginning of the end when an army of vampires unleashes its patient plan to take over the world, and the last human refuge is holy ground.
Credits:
- Writer: Mark Millar
- Artist: Per Berg
- Colorist: Per Berg
- Letterer: Per Berg
- Cover Artist: Per Berg (cover A)
- Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
- Release Date: April 9, 2025
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover Price: $5.99
- Page Count: 40
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of VATICAN CITY #1:
Plot Analysis:
Vatican City #1 takes a bite out of planet Earth in the worst way possible. The story begins in Princeton, New Jersey, when the Derrida family hears an unexpected knock at their door. The unwelcome visitor is a vampire sent to capture the Derrida family for a very special purpose. To show the vampires mean business, they bring the Derrida’s outside to witness an army of vampires decimating their neighborhood.
Within hours, several American cities fall. By dawn, America is cut off from the rest of the world. The rest of the world is quickly follows.
In Rome, we catch up with former Swiss pilot Guido Cavelti as he arrives for a job interview to become a part of the Pope’s security force. Sadly, his interviewer didn’t show up for work. The receptionists are perplexed by the absence of several security members and increasingly dire new reports about whole countries going dark. When Guido leaves the canceled interview, he phones his family to tell them something strange is happening. Suddenly, the square erupts in panic when an army of masked soldiers begins killing everyone with swords. For whatever reason, anyone who runs to the holy ground of the Vatican remains unharmed and unaccosted.
As night falls, Guido and the survivors realize the unthinkable – the attacking soldiers are vampires. Guido rallies the survivors to take up defenses and arm themselves. When he checks the security video feeds, he sees a group of soldiers have crossed onto the grounds. However, one of the surviving monsignors knows what’s happening – the soldiers stepping onto the holy ground are enslaved humans, and they’re after the Vatican’s most dangerous secret.
First Impressions:
Well, Mark Millar has done it again. The master of Big Swings brings about the end of the world in the blink of an eye, and that’s not even getting to the good part. Therefore, is Vatican City #1 worth your precious time and money? Yep.
Artwork and Presentation:
If you don’t know the name ‘Per Berg,’ fix that. More commonly known for his indie work, Per Berg’s fluid style, with subtle Manga influences, yanks readers along by the collar as the story sprints from one dramatic beat to the next without a single stumble in the transitions or narrative flow. To be fair, Berg’s intentionally loose anatomy proportions, line work, and coloring application might take a little getting used to, but Berg’s style hits with impact when it counts.
Art Samples:
Story Positives & Negatives:
The Positives:
“Start with a slow simmer,” “Reward the reader for patience,” and “Take your time to build up the story.” Bah! A reader craves not these silly writing myths. When paying a premium price for a single-issue comic, readers want to get smacked in the face with awesomeness in the first issue, whether miniseries or ongoing, and Mark Millar knows this desire well. Mark Millar hits the reader immediately with world-ending violence, crisp dialog, an epic-sized concept, interesting characters, and a banger of a last-page reveal. If only the editors and regular writers at Marvel and DC would follow Millar’s example.
The Negatives:
Vatican City misses a perfect score on two counts. They’re minor but noticeable.
First, the progression of the last act is a tad too quick and easy. The survivors figure out why a cadre of enslaved humans are sent to the Vatican with a too-convenient explanation from one of the local monsignors. You’d think the big secret (no spoilers here because it’s too big) would either be a closely guarded secret or lost to time, so to give out the goods so easily by a random monsignor feels slightly rushed.
Second, Berg’s art is stylized enough to be an acquired taste, especially in some of the more complex panels. When you have a stream of vampires feasting on humans in the wider shots, the details are a bit lacking in Berg’s style, so it’s sometimes difficult to tell what you’re seeing. Again, the art hits when it counts, but suggestive/implied art won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.
Final Thoughts:
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VATICAN CITY #1 is another hard-hitting debut for Millarworld when a group of human survivors take refuge in the last place they want to be during a vampire apocalypse. Mark Millar’s world-ending script grabs you by the throat on page one, and Per Berg’s art hits the dramatic beats with a sledgehammer of visual style.
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