“Vampirella #6” Review – Fangs Digging In

The Run Down

Just in case you missed the previous issue, we began a brand new story arc! Now that everyone’s sought out some much-needed therapy, relatable crossroads are hit. Does Vampirella risk homelessness by quitting work with her evil boss? Does Victory give up the thing that makes her happy to keep others comfortable? Well, as always, come find out with Shawn and me as we go over Christopher Priest’s “Vampirella #6”!

Writer: Christopher Priest
Artist: Davis Goetten
Colorist: Giovanni Caputo
Letterer: Willie Schubert

The Writing

Shawn: While the story that Priest has been telling in this edition of Vampirella has been enjoyable, Vampirella #6 feels like throwing gasoline on a bonfire. The story picks up beautifully with Vampirella doing what she does best and getting her hands a little dirty. I really love the themes that Priest continues to push up against with this series. While the themes are incredible, what makes this such a special issue is the way that we see so much depth and growth for the characters in so few pages. Priest is a master of fitting an arc worth of character development into a single issue in a cohesive way, and Vampirella #6 is a perfect example of that.

Despite the action and character development, there are deeper questions at the heart of this issue. While Priest seems to be asking them of the characters, he might as well be asking us as readers the same questions. I truly love Priest’s ability to take you deeper and think about things in new ways without you even really realizing it’s happening.

Eda: The story that Priest is continuing to craft truly picks up in this latest issue. While the previous issue set up the new arc beautifully, he makes sure that things in the lives of the characters get really interesting and deeper here. Priest always has a knack for bringing relatable themes and messages to “Vampirella,” and that doesn’t end here. Tying more into the previously established religious themes, we see the characters grapple more with right versus wrong or light versus dark.

Priest expertly manages to take deep, grey-area concepts and make them relatable and easy to understand. In the process, he forces us to ask ourselves some rather tough questions. Would we sacrifice our morals to keep a roof over our heads or make the important people in our lives happy? Can it be morally just to be a bit selfish, and is that sinful? He manages all of this while keeping the pacing tight and the stakes high. I’ve only ever seen Priest tackle such concepts in such an elegant way, and it keeps me coming back for more.

The Art

Shawn: How is it going into each issue of this run, I know what I’m going to get from David Goetten and Giovanni Caputo, and still leave the issue stunned by their work? With the way this issue ramped up the story, Goetten got a chance to draw some characters a little more hands-on (pun intended) than in previous issues. The synergy in this creative team bleeds off the page. The result is that you can feel the trust Priest, Goetten, and Caputo have in each other from panel to panel. Goetten shifting from setting to setting while still giving little pieces of his signature to each panel really sets him apart on this run.

Giovanni Caputo just absolutely kills it on colors. One of the things I truly appreciated about Caputo’s work on Vampirella #6 is how masterfully he captures the light-and-dark balance. Caputo always seems to know where a nice pop of color could really burn a panel into your memory without being overbearing. Caputo’s coloring style works well with Goetten’s realism in his art to create characters that feel alive. Willie Schubert really helps the story move along while giving both the narrative and the art room to breathe and grow on the reader.

Eda: As always, the art here from Davis Goetten and Giovanni Caputo is absolutely stellar. Goetten’s more realistic style continues to keep such high concepts grounded, and how he and Priest speak really shines through. At a certain point, it begins to feel like Priest doesn’t have to give direction and that Goetten can just read his mind.

The exact same sentiment can be given to Caputo and his colors. All throughout, he manages to give everything this realistic look and feel. The combined styles of his lighting and shading continue to make me feel like I’m looking at the world right outside my window. The combined effort of both Goetten and Caputo seriously goes a long way in making this already relatable story hit even closer to home. Lastly, when it comes to the lettering by Willie Schubert, he expertly makes sense of Priest’s storytelling structure, making things super easy to follow while helping each scene feel electric.

Final Thoughts

Shawn: Vampirella #6 is exactly why Dynamite comes back to Priest and says, “What do ya have for us?” Everything about this issue feels cohesive but also feels like a shift. This creative team makes it feel like the temperature dropped just a little in the room. Something big feels like it’s coming, and no matter how hard you try or what you think you know, this creative team is still going to surprise you.

Eda: Priest and his crew truly have yet to miss. While it’s definitely a close call, this may just be my favorite issue from the last two volumes. Between the deep yet relatable themes and fantastic artwork, Vampirella is on one of her best runs yet. If you’re not reading, you’re missing out big time.

Shawn’s Grade: 10/10
Eda’s Grade: 10/10
Overall Grade:10/10

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Comments

Have you read the last few issues of “Vampirella”? What are your thoughts so far? Sound off in the comments below!