Vampyrates! #2 – The Road to Absolution

Nira is a stowaway. Vampyrates #2 sees Empress Nira, or should I say, former Empress Nira, awakening on a ship. With Sepulchre taken by force, Nira finds herself on unfamiliar waters, a guest of sorts of Captain Akeyo. However, in Vampyrates, there are no free rides on the Abyss, and Nira must pull her weight. What will happen when the Empress is asked to serve instead of being served?

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Creative Team

Writer: Fred Van Lente
Artist: Luca Pizzari
Letterer: Jodie Troutman
Color Artist: Adam Guzowski
Cover Artist: Luca Pizzari

Writing

Fred Van Lente does an amazing job picking up the story right out of the gate in issue two of Vampyrates. The action gets moving immediately, with Van Lente showing us the level of viciousness that the new Empress will go to to ensure any rebellion against her will be crushed. He does such an amazing job of establishing how crazy this world can be and how the world turns on a dime. The characters are multidimensional but their motivations are never in question.

I really like the dynamic between Akeyo and Nira. Akeyo throws Nira into a completely new world by understanding exactly who she is, but he realizes that, in this dynamic, he is the one in control. Van Lente does a great job of showing that Akeyo is more aware and smarter than he lets on. He is absolutely aware that he should protect Nira to some extent, but she’s not getting a free ride either. Van Lente provides a real treat near the end of the story not only with some twists that introduce new lore but also by showing how Nira is so much more than an Empress.

Art

Luca Pizzari really captures the feel of the story through the art. The line work is simply spectacular. It captures the gritty feel of piracy and really draws you into the story. One of the things I really enjoy about Pizzari’s work on Vampyrates #2 is that he always seems to know when detail is perfect versus when nondescript, thick line work is better for the panel.

Adam Guzowski really does a spectacular job with coloring. The balance of the cooler tones of the water and the ocean looks perfect compared to the brighter pops of color in the interior scenes and battle sequences. Akeyo’s outfit is so beautifully colored that you really feel the impact of his station as Captain through proper coloring. Jodie Troutman does a splendid job helping the story move through well-done lettering. The SFX pop in the panels but allow the art to shine. Troutman captures the emphasis through perfect selection of bolding and shaping of word bubbles

Final Thoughts

This creative team does an outstanding job of keeping the momentum going from the first issue of Vampyrates. The issue leans heavily into the pirate aspect but masterfully weaves the vampire lore into the story. I can’t wait to see where this story goes and what happens to Nira from here.

Overall Grade: 9/10

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