Review: Vampirella #1 (V4 2017)
Dynamite is trying something new with Vampirella. A bold new look for the iconic character, how will fans react? She has cut her hair and after her experience in issue #0 (no spoilers, review here) she winds up in an alternate reality. A world she doesn’t understand herself. It at first appears to be earth, but she notices strange differences. Is she on earth, in another dimension or another time line? She believes herself to be in a future time but not sure where.
The Creative Team:
Paul Cornell wastes no time in taking the hero of our title in another direction, completely different from anything Dynamite has done with the character before. Issue 0 shows a couple sacrificing themselves out of necessity to bring Vampi to this reality. We don’t even see how she arrived in this plane of existence. She does realize that she’s not in the same frame of reality that she was used to since she read the prophesies of issue #0. We don’t learn much in this issue but we do see Vampirella trying to adapt to her new surroundings which makes this a fun set up to what could be a grand adventure.
Jimmy Broxton brings his diverse style to this notable title. The team of Cornell and Broxton have a chemistry and brought us the successful Knight and Squire series for DC. If there is a team that can successfully re-vamp (if you’ll forgive the pun) this title, then it should be these two. Broxton has formed a very erotic world in these pages, much of which had to be censored. His penchant for trying different styles is used quite well here and he’s having as much fun as he always does, which shows forth in his work. Great stuff!
The Cover:
We know it’s a Vampirella title because that’s what the cover says, but the main character is almost unrecognizable with a different haircut and no costume, just a plain dress. She’s flying right out of the pages of the novel with high energy and a force that says she’s not to be reckoned with. A cover that can only draw the curious and eager fans who may be puzzled at her appearance. But it should work to get the comic store surfers attention.
In Conclusion:
Plenty of promise in this first issue. We still don’t have a clear direction for the character but it was fun seeing her adapt to her new surroundings. A whacky world which should challenge our hero sufficiently in the issues to come. It’s a brave new world that she has never inhabited before. Let’s follow her on this new journey of wonder and suspense. Hopefully we’ll get some answers in issue two. But issue one is definitely a winner!
P.S. Make sure you read Vampirella # 0. Usually a series that begins with #0 is a standalone story that foreshadows the series, but this time the #0 is necessary reading to understand what’s going on. *** (7.8 rating)
Vampirella #1 (V4 2017)
Writer: Paul Cornell
Art: Jimmy Broxton
Colors: Jimmy Broxton
Letters: Travis Lanham
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Publication date: March 2017
About the Author
Kevin Given Kevin Given has studied with "Longridge Writers Group" and "Writer's Boot Camp" a speech/communications major from the University of Maine Presque-Isle/Orono sites. He has created the "Karl Vincent Vampire Hunter" franchise which includes 2 novels and 8 comic books. They can be found on amazon, Indyplanet and Kindle. For a limited time you can get digital copies of "Karl Vincent: Vampire hunter" #1 and "Files of Karl Vincent" #1 for free on Indyplanet. Kevin is producing the third novel in the series "Dracula Rising" (working title) and developing "Foul Blood" into comic book form.
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