VATICAN CITY #2, by Dark Horse Comics on 5/21/25, unveils the secret history of vampires on Earth. Can Guido stop Karl’s plan to usher in a new Dark Age?
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: May 21, 2025
- Comic Rating: Mature (language, gore)
- Cover Price: $5.99
- Page Count: 32
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of VATICAN CITY #2:
Recap:
When we last left Guido and the dwindling remnants of humanity in Vatican City #1, the humans took refuge on holy ground at the heart of the Vatican on the onset of a rapidly spreading vampire apocalypse. The vampires sent an enslaved group of humans to infiltrate the Vatican. Why? A monsignor divulged to Guido that the lower recesses of the holy compound hold a dangerous object the vampires desperately want.
Plot Analysis:
In Vatican City #2, the ancient church’s deadly secret is revealed. World leaders move to high alert when they notice America and most of Europe have gone dark. At the Vatican, Monsignor takes Guido and the two children he swore to protect into the depths of the church, where a miraculous treasure chamber awaits. As they descend the ancient steps, Monsignor explains that Earth was ruled by vampires for thousands of years before they were forced into the shadows. Their Queen, Gel Gorge-Eh, is entombed beneath meters of rock underneath the church. If the vampires retrieve and revive their Queen, Earth will be plunged into a new Dark Age.
Guido’s first order of business? Stop the human slaves from digging up the Queen. Using gas canisters stored on site to deter terrorist attacks, Guido and his allies find a way to stop the human diggers, force a stalemate with the vampire leader waiting outside, Karl, and gain leverage. The issue ends with a good look at an ancient (and very large) coffin.
First Impressions:
Vatican City #2 is a fantastic setup and transition issue that lays out everything you need to know about what Karl and his vampires are after and sets the stakes for Guido. Mark Millar is never shy about shaking up the status quo for the wow factor, so you get a new worldview, even if it doesn’t quite wow you.
Artwork and Presentation:
Per Berg’s art style is, in fairness, an acquired taste. Berg’s eye for perspective, panel layouts, and dramatic angles are as good as it gets, but the splotchy, suggestive inks sometimes make it hard to tell what you’re seeing. As the series progresses, perhaps the art style will grow on us. For now, it’s a mixed bag.
Art Samples:
Story Positives & Negatives:
The Positives:
Who doesn’t love a world-ending vampire story where the stakes are humanity’s survival and future? Mark Millar uses the exposition-heavy issue to lay out how bad things used to be and how bad they will be again if Guido doesn’t stop Karl from getting his hands on the Queen.
Further, Millar presents a hero with mega-massive balls of steel when Guido takes charge of the situation, executes a risky plan, and stands up to Karl once he figures out how to use the Queen as leverage. Guido is either super-brave or super-crazy. Either way, we like the cut of his jib.
The Negatives:
Millar, who we regularly praise as the master of big swings, doesn’t swing so big in this issue. What should be the shocking reveal – the existence of a Queen buried beneath the Vatican – isn’t so shocking because the first issue telegraphed what the vampires were after from a mile away. Compound the mild surprise with an exposition-heavy issue and Vatican City #2 feels a little too perfunctory and a little less entertaining.
Final Thoughts:
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VATICAN CITY #2 paints a frightful picture of humanity’s future if the vampires get their hands on a long-dead secret. Mark Millar’s exposition-heavy issue is a solid read, especially for the sheer courage of the hero. That said, the big reveal is a tad predictable, and Per Berg’s art is a mixed bag.
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