Can love conquer all … or is that just a hopeful illusion?
Creative Staff:
Writer: Pat Shand
Artwork: Leonardo Colapietro & Roberta Ingranata
Colors: Slamet Mujiono
Letters: Jim Campbell
What They Say:
Final issue! Liesel Van Helsing enters into her final conflict with the Frankenstein monster and its creator, who is willing to risk it all to save her creation. Locked in combat, Helsing drives the monster away from the heavily populated city and toward upstate New York, where they discover a den of deadly creatures that will change the course of the battle for the worse.
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
Liesel has been fatally wounded in her latest encounter with Franklin, but thanks to Angelica’s timely intervention, she manages to save her life. With her hope now rejuvenated, the hunter is consumed with ending this chase once and for all so that no more will have to suffer. She knows where the monster is headed … and in turn, where Taylor will pursue her husband – it is the place where this whole charade began. These are the mothmen, the beasts which took away his humanity and in turn, allowed him to surrender to the anger and confusion which now dominate his very essence. One creature once a man and the other whose sole purpose is to feed on any who are foolish enough to cross their path, the two foes must now face each other. But which will succeed to secure their own future and which will forever be fated to be buried beneath the ruins of obscurity, only time and a ferocious onslaught will tell the tale.
As the two arrive at the sickening pit of disgust and decay, they see the unlikely dual of wife and creation in the midst of a colossal battle for survival. One tries to make headway with an inadequate rifle while the other flails away by brute strength alone, decimating anything which may be within reach. It does not have a purpose, it is only instinct which drives him to push forward, with his mate in tow barely able to see past the destruction which bars her way. However as one of the winged monstrosities is about to land a menacing blow, it is not her husband which rescues her, but the raven haired heroine who has been chasing them from the start. Though instead of a note of gratitude for being saved, Taylor reciprocates with anger at the one who constantly interferes with her work. With his interest now focused on his creator’s safety, Franklin turns back once again towards his pursuant foe, intent on finishing what began as a one sided hunt. Van Helsing versus Frankenstein, the two must now face off once again, determined to complete what was before a foolish nightmare; it is only now with foresight that one can see the vanity of this pursuit … and the delusion which such audacity can result in is nothing but a fleeting and impossible dream – or is it?
In Summary:
I will admit this up front: by the end of this issue, I was crying my eyes out! The method by which Pat Shand crafted his version Frankenstein and modernized it to make it his own is an excellent treatment for this tragic tale. If you read Mary Shelley’s original The Modern Prometheus, you would see there are many similarities to the story, but with Shand’s interpretation, this makes it all the more heartfelt and gripping when he comes to the end. Liesel is not the creator itself but more like her namesake from Dracula, forever hunting the monstrosity, while Franklin and Taylor are a more dreadful adaptation of Beauty and the Beast; this juxtaposition of iconic roles makes this story all Shand’s own, and in turn he creates a tapestry which fits so beautifully into the Van Helsing world that you would think it was part of it originally.
The chase from the start of the series, with Liesel playing the role of Victor and Taylor is Franklin’s well meaning, if somewhat demented creator, all in an attempt to save the one she loves. While it is true that Liesel did plant the seed within her friend’s head, even if it was Taylor who carried out the experiment, perhaps that is why Van Helsing begins the escapade: she feels in part responsible for the creation. Whatever the reason, his rampage and the suffering caused for not stopping the creature is still a shared guilt, making it her duty to bring an end to this madness. It is fitting that this pursuit was also in the original Frankenstein, but instead of desperation and confusion being the motivation, the standard’s impulse was for revenge in not getting what he wanted – a companion; but in Shand’s version, it is ironically his mate who is trying to stop him doing anything else by curing him. Then to encompass the entirety of his tale with Shelly’s, Shand ends the pursuit again with another twist: instead of the creature killing the one Liesel loves, he sadly ends it all by his own enormous hand. What a grievously suitable way to end this chase and then to wrap it all with Liesel confessing to Hades all of her feelings, so they don’t end in same situation. But even within this sadness, I love how Angelica tries to console Liesel, this Hellchild who normally would lash out and repress her own feelings, now tries to comfort her relation – another appropriate outcome for this family. And yet, it all meshes together wonderfully into a mural of happiness, grief, atonement, denial and acceptance – for an end which no one would willingly desire, but at the same time, it is movingly satisfying for the horror fan and romantic in us all.
And if the story itself was not exciting enough for the standard reader, then the artwork will grab you by the throat and never let you go until the end. For Leonardo Colapietro’s first title under the Zenescope logo, this series has to be a highlight for his career with such an impressive caliber of illustrative awesomeness that sometimes words fail to impress the talent of this guy! Having not been released from the premiere, he has an ability to tell a story of such gruesome magnitude, and yet each panel is so engrossed with detail that sometimes you forget that this is a comic book. Slamet Mujiono’s phenomenal use of colors only helps to bring out all of those gory nuances for this literary and visual masterpiece. Every page feels like you are watching your favorite thriller/horror film: not like those so called shockfest movies where they try to overload the audience with so much blood and gore that they are overwhelmed and forget the story – quite the opposite; Colapietro and Mujiono are equivalent to a director and cinematographer, each bringing their own prospective to the project to bring out the best of each other’s work to produce a classic which no one will be able to forget. Everything settles into place and tells a sensible story with the right amount of action, drama and terror that they merge into something that neither could accomplish on their own. Pages seemlessly move the story forward, with characters who tell a story through responses which waste nothing to the imagination, leaving all displayed on the screen. The pain, frustration and heartache are real as reflected on their faces – leaving nothing to chance within this beautiful wonderland of love and hatred.
But the continuity of these pages would not be complete if not for Roberta Ingranata’s brilliantly moving dream sequences from the third issue onwards. The simplicity of these glimpses into Franklin’s damage psyche, triggered by words or actions, connect the once rational man to the now raging monster. Perhaps the last fragments of a fading consciousness, the monochrome images tinged with hints of color connect us to his past and he tries to make sense of the present. It almost seems at times that these flashbacks only serve to enrage him into an even wilder berseker fury, propelling us further into something which only he understands, but at the same time, we now begin to unravel some of his motivation. Each inkling which we are fed further serves to fan the flames of fury, stringing together husband and wife and a now monster and creator. We start to feel his pain of a life he once lived, a marriage and woman he cherished with all his heart and then that final piece – the one which breaks us emotionally and made me cry the most, an end to it all. The gorgeous full color display serves to bring everything into focus: a human Franklin being comforted by Taylor, trying to convince him the nightmare he saw was all a dream, when in stark reality … we the readers know the truth. That lead into Colapietro and Mujiono’s grimly steading and still shockingly reassuring page of the pair in repose, and end for both, but perhaps a new beginning of eternal happiness. We can only hope …
Van Helsing vs. Frankenstein is a new classic for horror fans and romantics at heart, a refreshing blend of the two genres for an appreciative and understanding audience. While I have always loved Shand’s take on our favorite vampire hunter, this series sets a new standard for the character as we are exposed her deepest fears and how she chooses to embrace them. The stunning realization of mortality only serves to galvanize her love for Hades, but the cost still crushes her spirit for the sacrifice which was made for her to understand that simple truth. Liesel has been changed and I sincerely hope that we will be able to see it has made her into a stronger woman who lives for the each day, in tribute for the dear friends she lost to this stunning revelation of clarity.
Grade: A++
Series Grade: A+++
Rating: T (Teen)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: February 1st, 2016
MSRP: $3.99