I read the latest issue of Christopher Priest and Ergun Gunduz’s Vampirella last night. If you’ve read my review for the first issue, you know I really enjoyed it, but I think issue #2 managed to top it. Priest continues to slowly peel the layers off the onion, revealing just enough to satisfy and entertain while also leaving you asking more questions.
The issue continue’s Vampirella’s therapy session as she tells the doctor about recent events. The most interesting part of the book is the introduction of a group of militant nuns (the Six Marys) from the Catholic Exorcism Initiative Office. Though some of the nuns are wary of Vampirella, they are working with her to take down an occult group. Gunduz’s art really shines in the action sequences as Vampirella and the nuns battle a group of werewolves in a pool of blood.
Along the way Vampirella meets two characters that we’ve seen briefly before in the Free Comic Book Day preview and in the first issue. To begin with, Vampirella strikes up a relationship with an Uber driver who is the character from the FCBD issue wearing the black Vampirella costume. I think she is also the same character waiting for Benny at the airport in the first issue. Benny is the other character that Vampirella meets here after the battle with the werewolves. The question we’re left with is “what was he doing at this den of the occult?” Hopefully we’ll get a few more answers about that in #3.
I love the way Priest is weaving together two very different narratives. On one hand, he’s taking a very unorthodox approach with the therapy session. On the other hand, we get in this issue a very familiar type of adventure for Vampirella. She’s battling occult monsters and teaming up with a secret order of the Catholic church, which has become a recurring theme. It’s all been woven together pretty masterfully in my opinion. All of the characters are interesting and every plot point intriguing. It’s still early, but this feels like it could end up being one of the more critically acclaimed runs in Vampirella’s history.
Very interested to know what others thought about this issue, so please do let me know your thoughts!
Glad it continues to impress. Really looking forward to picking up the trade as soon as it comes out.
I didn’t like it. Vampi on a couch talking to a shrink. It just seems silly to me. I expected better from Mr. Priest.
I get where you’re coming from. I’ve heard that from others as well. It definitely is an unorthodox approach, but as the story unfolds it may start to make sense. Or maybe not. So far it just feels like a vehicle for Vampirella to narrate the story to the reader.