The pain of loss and the agony of surviving … which is worse and are they worth having to endure?
Creative Staff:
Writer: Pat Shand
Artwork: Marc Rosete & Roberta Ingranata
Colors: Walter Pereyra, Fran Gamboa & J.C. Ruiz
Letters: Jim Campbell
What They Say:
Liesel Van Helsing enters into her grudge match against the Mummy of Amun-Ra, but she is unprepared when an entire army of undead royalty is unleashed on her. As she fights her away through these zombified pharaohs of ages past, the wicked power of the God-Queen mummy waits on the other side. After surviving Dracula, Frankenstein, and the apocalypse itself… will it be the Mummy that finally sends the legendary vampire hunter to her death?
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
The God Queen had locked Liesel within her own sarcophagus and set the place ablaze, and so it seemed this would be the end of an intrepid vampire hunter. Even as she passed out from the smoke, what the British did not realize was she still had allies who would risk anything to save a friend. It was only after five days of recovering did consciousness finally shake free and Van Helsing recognized a familiar face next the bed – Julia. The police commissioner begrudgingly acknowledged it was sanguine informant Carmilla who was her actual savior, even if she did not want to admit to such a foul relationship. While Gengrich patiently listened to her companion’s ravings, it was only afterwards did she have the courage to interrupt in order to update the crisis: Hatshepsut had moved up her timetable by creating a presidential rally for Roger Matthews, her unwitting pawn and the key to a creating a massacre to fulfill both their needs.
But even as Van Helsing tries to steel herself for the upcoming battle, it is regretfully now does she remember what led her down this painful path. Only after Julia asked the obvious question did this raven haired beauty began to realize how much death has accompanied her on all the journeys which she may have never meant to survive, if but perhaps for the aid of something divine; her father Abraham was but the first to fall, so many friends have left her side and enemies too succumb by her filthy hands, and then worst of all – the one true love in her life, Hades. It was only after his noble sacrifice did Liesel become empty inside, bereft if any motivation driving her forward aside from a lingering duty to silence foul creatures of the darkness. Now that she faces what may be her worse adversary ever does a lack of purpose begin to materialize as an admonition for her true goal? Is the Mummy of Amun-Ra truly the means to an end or an implausible excuse to fight an impossible foe with improbable success?
In Summary:
(Okay … I will admit up front, throughout reading and writing this review for the final issue of Van Helsing vs. The Mummy of Amun-Ra, I did cry. I am not ashamed by this show, and if you as a reader did not, you may need to reassess and take stock of your emotions to see what truly makes you feel for such an outstanding and forthright woman.)
Ever since writer Pat Shand began this epic saga began with the fallout from Grimm Fairy Tales Apocalypse and continuing with Van Helsing vs. Frankenstein, we knew Liesel would eventually have to face the ultimate fatality – a life without Hades. She has denied this fact for many months and as such, thrown herself into work to hide the shame and pain of outliving an immortal being; and what made it all the more painful and heart wrenching was the conversation she had with that chain smoking, wise cracking God of the Underworld of the fact that he will survive her. Her one true love having the last laugh, you can almost hear him joking in the irony of that situation, and that poor excuse for humor only makes his sacrifice all the more excruciating. But of course, Shand planned this long run escapade from the start, which allowed for flexibility in Liesel’s character and the stiff upper lip recourse of British stoicism. However as they say about bottling up your feelings, at some point they will bubble over and of course, it has to happen during her fight with Hatshepsut.
Although this might have seemed impractical for your average character and a mediocre writer, both Liesel and Shand show what make them stand out before the crowd. It is within this composition of our favorite vampire hunter which makes her such a stunning heroine and a sincere friend – which I for one would not mind calling her. Her ability to continue fighting things that go bump in the night, talking to Taylor when she is in the same situation, and even persevering once things come to a head within this title. But it is within this finale when Julia asks that question we have all been wondering since the end of Apocalypse: Has Liesel been taking on more daring and deadly jobs to muffle the pain of loss? We knew the answer, but it only makes the repercussions of the answer more daring and pronounced, even if she never directly answers; as the old idiom states – Actions speak louder than words, and in Van Helsing’s state that is all she has been doing, diving head first into danger. It is only when she is confronted by that sentence does the meaning truly settle in and a ring of truth comes to bear upon her actions, making all of her memories rush back, solidifying her pain and the lengths which she tried to hide it. This is what this series such a pleasure to read – the ability to expose a heroine to her deepest emotional foundations, shake them until something comes loose and then forge forward, now even more determined to face reality and the bitterness which it carries for this amazing person. We know any other hero would probably break down, cry their eyes out and then vent their anger, but not Liesel. She used her rage, especially when the God-Queen tried to manipulate the situation to her advantage, controlled it under a calm veneer and used those feelings to make a point, ending her sorrow and allowing her to stride forth. This is what makes her such a phenomenal woman and this title such a joy to absorb into your very core.
But even with such a monumentally inspiring narrative, it would be meaningless within this graphic medium without equally passionate artists to bring it to life. This is where Marc Rosete unleashes the ferocity of Liesel but also opposes it diametrically to the emotional trauma she feels now in her life. It is wonderful how he manages to enrapture the audience with so much violence and yet with a turn of the page, captures the reader with the vulnerability of Van Helsing, especially within this issue. But then again his illustrations would be pale if not for the varied palette of Walter Pereyra as he draws us into each panel via through a skillful manipulation of colors, light and shadow. The cooperation of these two talented gentlemen opens the world of this title, decorating the background with crimson as Liesel marches boldly into the story, scattering body parts and laying corpses in her wake. And yet it is only within this latest issue do we finally see how Liesel chooses to confront her past, let go of the losses weighing her down and then make peace with herself so that she can move forward. Although none of this would be possible if not for the synergy of these two artists, balancing powerful images of brutality against tender pictures of heartfelt sympathy for this dynamic individual.
However even within all of this tension of all out war with a God-Queen and the threat of Liesel breaking down when she is forced to confront her past, the equally Roberta Ingranata still manages to elegantly shows off her talent with pages which are noble in their detail and yet simple in construction. These origin flashbacks are the elements that connect the entirety of this title, allowing us to see how this conflict began and by what actions which caused this eternal battle. It is the shared history of Hatshepsut and Van Helsing by which the audience is enveloped by their conflict and as such, is essential to the understanding of the title. And while Ingranata is still limited by minimal pages to tell such a powerful tale, it is her dedication to this section which brings forth the primary emotional foundation to the story; Liesel constantly harkens back to these events through which she draws strength and a determination to finish what she started almost three hundred years ago. Therefore, to communicate these crucial moments, they need a team of colorists who can not only enhance their power but also manipulate the environment so as to draw the reader into the narrative via provocative tones and shadows, and that duo is Fran Gamboa and J.C. Ruiz. It is by means of this team that these inserts connect the story and thus, provoke the audience to want to read further, if not to know what happens, but also to understand what drives these powerful women.
And on a more personal note, in case you haven’t heard, this is the last series Pat Shand will be doing for Zenescope – aside from any future freelancing projects. But even as this may be an end, I still remember reading the first book under his credit, that of course was his iconic heroine, Robyn Hood; it was his development of that character – a street wise blonde whose attitude provoked the wrong person and thus caused her to undergo a journey which would forever change her life, drew me into the story, almost to the brink of being intoxicated by her struggles. That young girl who seemed determined to sabotage herself by any means necessary slowly grew on me, her exploits allowed me to understand a side of the human psyche which one would normally not see if not for dedicated people like Shand. The students from Arcane Acre, Liesel Van Helsing, Hellchild, Hades, Nicky, Marian and Robyn Locksley … all of these people seemed as if they could leap from the page and interact with me on a personal level, even if I knew that would be impossible; and when they died within those pages, it was almost as if a bit of me also passed when I knew they could no longer entertain us with their antics. But these opportunities are only possible due to the richness which Shand puts into each person, breathing life into them so that they are not static words on a page. And when I started reviewing his works and was allowed a deeper understanding into how he created those people via our conversations, I became in awe to how such wonders had sprung from a single mind. It is only now as I write this with the finality of his literary genius no longer gracing the foundation of this company’s books, does the gravitas shake my being, causing me to shed a tear knowing that his like may never be matched. And though I do have great hopes that he might be surpassed, I also know that future writings featuring his characters may seem hollow without the spark which Pat Shand incorporated into every snarky remark, insightful dialogue or clever manipulation of a classic scene. He may not be dead, but his presence within these books will sincerely be missed.
Van Helsing vs. The Mummy of Amun-Ra is an outstanding adventure into the struggles of a woman who refuses to let go her past, only to suffer from the poison which leeches from those decisions. It is an insightful story which took many pages to create, but the depth of Liesel’s love and the desire to never let go makes it all the more satisfying to see her struggle and cry as she realizes the strength she draws from Hades’ memories, even in passing. While some of us may never know the grief she encountered, Pat Shand’s thoroughly satisfying development of this narrative with the visually entertaining artistic talents of Rosete, Ingranata, Pereyra, Gamboa and Ruiz allow us to delve into a world which is heart wrenching in its depths and so emotionally warming in its ending.
Grade: A+
Series Grade: A++ Heartbreaking in its growth, but so rewarding in its poignant liberation
Rating: T (for Teens)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: July 12th, 2017
MSRP: $3.99
