Vampirella the pilgrim.
Creative Staff:
Story: Erik Burnham
Art: Ediano Silva
Colors: Dinei Ribeiro
Letterer: Troy Peteri
What They Say:
Forbidden to modify Heliumite technology to try and save the dying planet of Drakulon, Vampirella and Dejah Thoris decide to navigate the River Iss and petition the goddess Issus for aid. It’s a dangerous journey, and with thousands of blood-hungry vampires currently on their way to Barsoom, there’s no time to lose!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
The opening installment of this series worked a lot better than I expected since it avoided some of the usual cliches that come from two popular characters meeting. Erik Burnham has a very good feel for Barsoom here as well as Vampirella which has lead to a blending that feels surprisingly natural and accessible in a way that I didn’t expect. It’s also succeeding very well thanks to Ediano Silva’s artwork and the great coloring from Dinei Ribeiro that showcases the color tones of Barsoom well. Both our leads retain the kind of look that longtime fans want from them but there’s such a good sense of presence about them beyond it that they draw attention regardless. It’s a good-looking book that definitely makes getting into it very easy.
With Dejah wanting to aid Vampi, especially since there could be such a sizable number of her people on the way, the session before the Jeddak is one that doesn’t go as well as she hoped. And it’s not too much of a surprise as the Jeddak is looking at it from a similar yet still different perspective based on his own history and experience and simply sees them as a real threat that he cannot help. They do come up with some interesting ideas to try and salvage things some, though it does end up turning violent a couple of times as Vampirella is trying to save her people, but the end result of going to see Issus isn’t a bad one. The potential for hope is there and the curiosity that is Vampirella may be the thing that gets them through the door. But that requires a journey and a journey takes time.
Honestly, a long journey would have been good as the dialogue between the two as they actively ask questions about each others culture is interesting and it reminds me of things of both sides that I had forgotten. It’s cut short since they do reach the river Iss fairly quickly only to discover strange planet creatures running amuck there. Which lets the book have a bit more of the action content that a lot of readers enjoy (myself included; I just prefer the more talkative and political intrigue side that Dejah can provide). It’s definitely fun to watch as Vampi has to figure out the best approach here and she and Dejah work well together with some good banter but not too much. The end result is a good sequence that puts them in more danger, which is a good hook for more.
In Summary:
The journey side of the series is fully underway at this point with Vampi and Dejah, on the same side even against some sizable obstacles like the Jeddak, and there’s some good stuff going on here. I really liked the Helium side a lot with what it’s presenting for all involved and it segues well into the journey, which is a lot shorter than I expected. I’m definitely curious to see what’s next as I’m digging what Burnham has put together here with the character interpretation as well as the journey aspect of it with the larger story. The artwork continues to really appeal with the beauty side of it coming across well but it’s thoroughly focused on the character side first and foremost.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: October 24th, 2018
MSRP: $3.99
