A new gorgeous installment.
Creative Staff:
Story: David Avallone
Art: Julius Ohta
Colors: Ellie Wright / Sheelagh D
Letterer: Taylor Esposito
What They Say:
A new dimensional shift finds our heroine with sharpened canines, an eye-catching monokini, and a taste for blood…but if that’s what it takes to stop the Great Old Ones from destroying our reality, pour her a Type O plasma on the rocks! The Crisis on Infinite Betties continues, and only our Pin-Up Protagonist can save the multiverse, in part two of the epic four-part saga from writer David Avallone (ELVIRA: MISTRESS OF THE DARK) and artist Julius Ohta (SHERLOCK HOLMES.)
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
As much as I’ve been enjoying Bettie Page since the book got underway at Dynamite, I think I’m enjoying it even more now – though I know that this is a short run and it should be that way. David Avallone is having fun throwing out title character into different bodies with each issue as we just wrapped up her time as Red Sonja and existing in her world. This one takes us to Vampirella and that brings its own uniqueness. A uniqueness that Julius Ohta is completely game for as he takes it to a whole other level here. It’s just gorgeous throughout as we get Bettie blended with Vampirella and as Ellie Wright applies some stunning color work to it. I love Ohta’s take on Vampi’s costume and the combination with how her personality handles everything here with what she’s been thrown into.
Waking up in a new body is one thing, but this whole new world of Vampiron is pretty bleak for her. Rivers of blood make her cringe but she also feels the draw to it all thanks to the cravings of being a space vampire. Bettie’s time exploring this world and her body doesn’t get a lengthy run as there’s story to tell but it’s beautifully done as she’s somewhat revolted but into it all as well as she’s fully listening to her body. It’s engaging and fun and even more so as it turns to danger with the arrival of armed goos called Saturdays that are on the hunt for her kind. They’ve been spending time waging war on Vampiron in order to eliminate this species before it heads into space and essentially drains the galaxy dry of other life because of how it operates.
What becomes amusing is that in however this is working, the man running the operation is a version of Benway from the first series, which completely flips Bettie out at first. It’s a delight to watch her handle the situation as she deals with trying to talk her way out of it before letting her body – which is faster and more dangerous than Red Sonja – take over and do what’s necessary (and to reveal to her that she has vampire wings). I really loved the way it moves around so quickly but with lots of time to dig into each piece, with the other Vampirons and the ancient god they’re trying to call that Bettie has already met. There are nods to how this is shaping up in the long run but even without that this is just such a blast in how it unfolds as it’s full of fun, excitement, and the right kind of danger even as it builds the bigger tale.
In Summary:
Bettie Page Unbound started off strong with its first issue but takes such beautiful leaps here that I’m in love. Avallone’s script is great and the dialogue is exactly what it needs to be but Ohta and Wright with the designs and color work with its heavy reds and blacks just makes this absolute gorgeous. Fans of Vampirella must own this book and it’s the kind of work that needs to be seen outside of the usual fans in a big way. I’m pretty much just gushing over this project in general but this installment clicked for me unlike any other Bettie Page book so far. I’m excited to see what comes next as something a little Barsoom-like is on the horizon.
Grade: A+
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: July 10th, 2019
MSRP: $3.99
