Review: Vampirella vs Reanimator #1
“I have dedicated my life to a single purpose…Death.”- Dr. Herbert West.
Oh my! I seldom give five-star reviews, but this issue is one of them. I was completely blown away from page one! When I saw the cover and the two that were being teamed, I was hesitant. As everyone knows I love my franchise mash-ups. But this one seemed too absurd. Can this really work? If so, it’ll take a stretch to bring these two together. Cullen Bunn made it look easy.
The Creative Team:
I always love me some Cullen Bunn tales and if anyone can work these two franchises into an entertaining whole it’s him. The borderline insanity of Herbert West is strong in this issue and the first appearance of Vampirella is the best use of our Draculonian since the Warren era. She hasn’t been this savage since 1983. Both Harris and Dynamite have tried to update the character with mixed results. But Cullen Bunn brings back the original idea with a fury that equals the archetypal creation. Great stuff includes excerpts from West’s diary and Vampirella’s humane side, which shows forth even as she hunts food.
Blacky Shepard wants us to think of the Warren era so It’s all done in glorious black and white, oh, there’s color (think Sin City) but used sparingly and for shock effect. And it works in glorious ways. The art is incredibly realistic and clearly evokes the best of what’s gone on before and yet it’s his own animal. Shepard doesn’t mimic anyone and yet both characters remind you of previous successful efforts, no easy feat to be sure. Highlights include Vampirella’s hunt and Herbert West’s new reanimated corpse!
In Conclusion:
This is one of the best opening issues to a tale I’ve seen. It wastes no time bringing us the two lead characters, yet they do not meet at all in this issue. But a threat is quickly introduced which we know will take both anti-heroes together to take said threat out, yet we still don’t know how they’re going to meet. It definitely leaves the reader craving the next issue. ***** (9.8 rating)
Vampirella vs Reanimator #1
writer: Cullen Bunn
artist: Blacky Shepherd
covers: Johnny Desjardins (A), Stuart Sayger (B), Blacky Shepherd (C)
Cosplay (D), Vampirella Seduction (RI), Johnny Desjardins (RI-B/W)
Blacky Shepherd (RI-Virgin), Cosplay (RI-Virgin), Johnny Desjardins (RI-Virg)
FC | 32 pages | Horror | $3.99 | Teen+
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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