The enemy of my enemy is my friend … unless he’s a werewolf!
Creative Staff:
Writer: Chuck Dixon
Artwork: Allan Otero
Colors: Robby Bevard
Letters: Taylor Esposito
What They Say:
Liesel thought an army of the undead was going to be trouble until she comes face-to-fangs with a big bad werewolf. The heir of the Van Helsing legacy must battle the beast to save the life of a vampire? Martial arts meets monsters and magic as the series explodes. Action, carnage and a fight to the death in a remote monastery at the top of the world. Chuck Dixon (Bane: Conquest) continues this epic horror saga to its bloody finish.
Content (please note that portions of the review may contain spoilers):
A white-haired feral beast has attacked the monastery, and with many of the fellow monks having fallen by the creature’s claws and fangs, it is left to Van Helsing, agent Wu and the timid novice Tshering to defend what stands as the Temple of Llasa Rama. But as the fight progresses, it is clear this lycanthrope it will not be as easy as Liesel thought to fell, even after being pelted by numerous oaken shafts. It seems the same tactics she uses to slay vampires will not work on this werewolf, however, when her poor guide is knocked backward by a glancing blow, she has little choice. Taking knife in hand, the agile Brit skillfully closes the gap and launches a series of kicks which only appear to make the beast madder – even strikes from her blade to vital areas show little effect. However, when Shen Hao bombards the monster with gunfire, its anger grow exponentially, causing the hunter to falter in her attacks and start to retreat.
It is only when an unexpectant ally in the form of Brother Yash wielding a silver edged spear does the tide of battle turn. In between his flurry of talented slashes and thrusts, the abbot tells his companions to leave the beast to him and check on their sanguine captive. Confused by the request, Liesel follows the monk’s suggestion as the rest follow her, regretfully to find the bloodthirsty prisoner dead in a pool of its own fluids. Only then do they return to find the beast has fled into the night, leaving both sides to nurse their wounds. Curious as to Yash’s knowledge of the beast’s tactics, only now does he reveal the truth behind the creature’s identity – it was the sherpa Chandresh who aided them during the last vampire attack. Now more determined to uncover the mystery behind all of this secrecy, Van Helsing turns to leave and follow the werewolf back to its lair, once again guided by her friend Tshering. But with a massive snowstorm approaching, will either be able to find the cabin before the icy grip of the mountains takes them in its frozen embrace?
In Summary:
With two-thirds of the series complete, writer Chuck Dixon finally reveals the title creature in all of its lupine glory … and it was well worth the wait. While we did see the lycanthrope unveiled in passing via the previous issue, it is only now does he rip lose and show Van Helsing he is an equal to the vampire hunter. But even within this conflict, Dixon gives us an underlying story which defines why the sherpa was reduced to becoming a feral creature with the full moon, and that fleshes out this tragedy even more. Only now do we understand why Chandresh became what he is now and how his thirst for vengeance is the driving force behind his rage for the vampires. But at the same time, while we do feel sympathy for his loss, the lengths by which this werewolf will go to find information is outrageous, even if it is driven by his uncontrollable fury. The loss of innocents may be inconsequential to a beast, but the man should feel some anguish for those deaths by his hands … but he does not. Perhaps he does not remember them falling by his claws, but whatever the excuse, he still did kill them and will eventually have to pay for those deaths – whether by the hand of man or deity.
To say that this issue is a visual masterpiece is an understatement, all guided by the talented hand of Allan Otero who erupts action from the beginning with Liesel and Tshering launching oaken shafts toward the reader. However, it only gets better once colorist Robby Bevard opens his digital paint can with an array of midnight blue gradients, accented by Van Helsing’s signature black and red costume and the monk’s subdued saffron-colored robes. But once the werewolf enters the fray, Otero does not miss a beat as you can almost feel the ferocity as he leaps forward, action lines extenuating the coming violence with claws extended and fangs bared; Bevard does an excellent job in emphasizing each muscle, its towering bulk hidden in shadow, seemingly a giant when compared to Liesel’s lithe frame in comparison. It is the fluidity of movement within each panel which propels the reader forward throughout the story, every picture telling its own story as the collective compels us to continue without wanting to stop. But if I did have a critique for the artwork, it would be the choice of slipping pure white frames into the tale after an opening which focuses on bringing out the beauty of darkness and that of the creature; after so many pages of midnight blue it would have been nice to gradually ease the audience into it with a slow progression of subtle yellows instead of a sudden burst of blinding white. But even with this sudden misstep, the magnificence of the overall illustrations and breathtaking colors only brings us back into the narrative, wanting for more.
With werewolf now a force to be reckoned, it is only a matter of time until the final confrontation is revealed. The story has been unfolding gradually and the build up makes us anxious to see how Dixon will bring everything to fruition, with Otero and Bevard only making the wait every bit more painful. With each issue they focus in on the goal, but much longer will they hesitate to let us see how it will all end … and who will survive this bloodbath at the top of the world?
Grade: A
Rating: T (Teen)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: October 18, 2016
MSRP: $3.99
