Review: Vampirella: Roses For The Dead #1
Fan Favorite artist Joe Michael Linsner is joined by writer Kristina Deak-Linsner to create a Vampirella mini-series that gets Vampi back-to-basics as Dynamite prepares to celebrate her 50th Anniversary in 2019! That is what the solicitation promised and… they delivered!
It is true that Roses for the Dead, by the husband-and-wife team of writer Kristina Deak-Linsner and artist Joseph Michael Linsner (of creator-owned Dawn fame) brings the beloved heroine back to basics, in attitude and with the classic look! Vampi rocks it big-time both verbally and visually as this reviewer feels writer Kristina Deak-Linsner captures the voice of Vampi-past as well as the zeitgeist of the here-and-now.
This miniseries also reintroduces a cunning and captivating from the past: Evily, a practitioner of magic. Evily was first introduced in Vampirella Magazine #2 way back in 1969 and making rare but impactful appearances in the years since, Evily’s reappearance in Roses for the Dead — interrupting Vampirella’s hunt for a sexual predator through a Philadelphia nightclub — is just as strong and even feels like she is the core of this first issue, even more so then Vampirella herself.
The meet-up of Evily and Vampi is one of those “let’s fight first and become friends after” moments we know so well in comics, but somehow the verbal presence of both characters flesh out more then just swapping backstories. In this case it makes them approachable, relatable, tangible… and this is the true strength of the writer, I think.
The story of this #1 is really the setup of the whole story, which I cannot wait to read in one full sweep to get the complete experience, but we will discuss comic-formatting a different time.
I do have to confess that I have become reliant on Mister Linsner to be hitting all the right marks with ease and this time it is no difference, especially with talented colorist Ceci De La Cruz on board of the art-team. What is there to say about Linsner’s art? It is flawless, delicate and juicy and especially the ladies in each panel are treated like a lady should be treated.
To pinpoint that the team of Joe and Kristina is a perfect match would be understating, so I cannot wait for the next issues.
Vampirella: Roses For The Dead #1
writer: Kristina Deak-Linsner
artist: Joseph Michael Linsner
covers: Joseph Michael Linsner (A), Billy Tucci (B),Joseph Michael Linsner (RI-Virgin), Billy Tucci (RI-B/W), Billy Tucci (RI-Virgin), Joseph Michael Linsner (RI-B/W), Kristina Deak-Linsner and then there is the Mike Mayhew special variant (see here)
FC | 32 pages | $3.99 | Teen+
About the Author
Richard Boom Richard is the driving force behind Comics for Sinners. His love and admiration for female comic book characters is virtually unparalleled, which immediately explains his biggest 'sin': his Hot Mummy fetish. This sketchbook theme is philogynistic in nature and even the source of his WIP comic book series "The Sisterhood".
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