Review: Vampirella #13

Vampirella #13 is the penultimate issue in Christopher Priest and Ergün Gündüz’ “Seduction of the Innocent” story arc. It’s been an interesting ride, and after 13 issues, I’m still not quite sure how this is all going to wrap up. Normally you would expect an action-packed final showdown with all of Vampirella’s rogues gallery who have been conspiring against her all this time, but it really doesn’t feel like that’s the direction this is headed.

This issue again largely focuses on Lilith. Just how much, we don’t find out until the end when an unexpected twist is revealed. We see her manipulation of Dr. Chary in this issue and get a bit more of her back-story in the form of a flashback which is recounted to the doctor. We’re also introduced to the town of Ashthorne, which is where the events of Priest’s spinoff series Sacred Six take place. I’ve read the first issue of that series, and I felt like it lacked context which made me feel a bit lost when reading it. Vampirella #13 starts to give it a bit more context. In this issue we start to see how all of these characters become intertwined, which isn’t really explained in SS #1. I feel like it would have been better to conclude “Seduction of the Innocent” before launching Sacred Six.

This is a story that has gotten more and more complex and even convoluted over time. I’ve enjoyed most of the many plot threads, but I must admit it’s become a little difficult for me make sense of all of the pieces of the puzzle. There are still some events that I continue to be totally confused about. I really hope everything comes together in the next issue and we get a strong and satisfying conclusion. Such a long story arc is requires an investment from the readers, so it would be disappointing if the ending underwhelms. It’s certainly been an unconventional story so don’t be surprised if it ends on an unconventional note as well.