“Vampirella #1: 3 1/2 Sisters” Review – A Real Family Affair

In this brand new Vampirella #1 from legendary writer Christopher Priest, we witness as Vampi’s twin sister Draculina, runs into everybody’s worst nightmare: a therapist’s office. From there, delicious family drama ensues, culminating in a big bang reveal that you’ll have to see to believe! Follow Sean & me as we now entice you to walk down the “Vampirella” path.

Writer: Christopher Priest
Artist: Davis Goetten
Colors: Giovanni Caputo
Letters: Willie Schubert

Writing In Blood

Shawn: What an amazing kickoff. Priest jumps right in and doesn’t miss a note. It’s clear to see why Priest has become the longest tenured writer on “Vampirella”. The stories are interesting, engaging, and keep you on the edge of your seat.

Priest jumps right in, catching us up on some of our favorite characters. It becomes clear right out of the gate that Priest has a certain level of trust with artist David Goetten, at times getting out of the way narratively and letting Goetten tell the story through a page of panels with limited narration. Priest slams his foot on the gas right from panel one in this one and doesn’t let up.

Edalyn: Right from the jump, I sensed that Priest was giving us a story full of heart and passion. Where Vampirella Vol 7 #11-12 taught us messages on racism and bigotry, this new run from Priest goes heavy into family drama. Without giving anything away, the pages Shawn mentioned exemplify this spectacularly! Priest’s trust in Goetten also made me feel allowed just to let what was happening really sink in and feel that impact.

One thing that I personally loved too was getting some background on characters that haven’t been touched upon in a while. Not having direct ties to the several previous issues while simultaneously referencing runs from a few years ago just to catch readers up helps this feel like an easy-in for beginners. Let us be the ones to tell you that this is an absolutely brilliant place to start your “Vampirella” journey.

Stake To The Art

Shawn: Davis Goetten and Giovanni Caputo do an amazing job bringing the narrative to life in this issue. The limited palette out of the gate really lets Goetten’s art shine before Caputo starts to show excellent shading and highlighting. Goetten and Caputo really bring the characters to life with beautiful, expressive emotion. I feel the expressiveness in each panel, and it’s clear Priest saw this in his creative team, letting them drive the narrative in several pages of the issue.

The variation between black and white and full color panels really stands out. The panels blend seamlessly with a keen attention to detail being applied to each panel, whether it’s full color or not. Willie Schubert does a really good job of keeping the flow of the story going. Priest’s style of narrative requires a special hand on the part of the letterer to guide the reader through the story, and Schubert does that well.

Edalyn: Goetten and Caputo absolutely nailed it here. Those two and Priest make for a deadly trio, complementing each other’s work perfectly. I absolutely loved the dichotomy of black and white versus color, almost reflecting the journey Draculina goes through in this issue. Goetten’s use of space and shots is also absolutely astounding. How the shots and paneling were done here truly made me feel like I was watching a movie, and now I want one.

Final Thoughts

Shawn: Priest continues to set himself apart from his peers. It’s always fun to watch a writer stay on a character for a while and, like other recent examples who have done that really well, Priest maintains the heart of the story while giving it a fresh feeling. The story is distinctly “Vampirella” but feels meaningful and new rather than just a new coat of paint. – 10/10

Edalyn: From beginning to end, this was a read that was tough to put down. Priest shows just how he’s an expert at the craft and what magic can be created by trusting your artist. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a reader just wondering where to start, this book is perfection personified. An absolute bona fide standout in Priest’s illustrious career. – 10/10

Overall Grade: 10/10

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Also, be sure to check out Shawn & my interview with Christopher Priest regarding this very issue!

Comments

Are you looking forward to reading the new issue of “Vampirella”? Are you a fan of the character or Priest? Chat with us in the comments below!