When backed into a corner … Chastity will do anything to survive.
Creative Staff:
Plot & Art: Daniel Mainé
Script: Erick Burnham
Colors: Bryan Valenza
Letters: Carlos M. Mangual
What They Say:
Chastity may still be trapped with no hope of rescue, but it’s her captors who are trapped with her! And they’re about to find out why half a vampire is far, far more terrifying than any threat they could pose. That’s right, Chastity is dropping the pretense of civility, and now are going to be dropping, too!
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
Still trapped on the ship and now confronted by a ruthless private army who will do anything to get the women back in their cages, Chastity is left with but one alternative to even the odds: turn some of her fellow captives into her kin. As the overconfident men press forward to end this futile conflict quickly, it is only then do they notice the number of feral eyes starting back at them from the darkness have increased, but it is now too late. The half vampire has taken the risk of changing Cassia, Molly and Dia into sisters of the blood, allowing them to strike back with unearthly strength to pacify these foolish men, even if the former pair are all too happy to butcher their way through the pack and the latter shows some restraint not to kill anyone. However as chaos erupts within the crowded cargo area with bullets ricocheting and hitting nothing, and the screams of the dying soon turning to silence, it is readily apparent who will win, even if the excitement is too much for some. As they attempt to reorganize themselves to meet the next challenge, it is the ear splitting screech of metal which signals the transport has finally reach its destination, but this pause in momentum is too much for Molly as an accidental bump by one of the girls causes her to rage upon the innocent, with only their leader the single barrier to stop something which would have been catastrophic.
As apologies are issued forth from both sides, it is Chastity who intervenes with a new problem once she hears what is imperceptible to human ears – two adult heartbeats behind a barred door with a small child panicking from what is to come. Startling the pair by tearing open the portal the fiery red head witnesses what she did not want to see, a gaunt girl tied to a chair and a pair of jailors preparing to do who knows what, but their chance is interrupted once Cassia rushes in and rips into the man with Jack the only one able to stop her from doing something she might have regretted. But as she interrogates this suspicious couple, it is obvious from a quickened pulse the woman is downplaying the role of their participation as to what has been happening upon this sailing prison. With only one needed to be a guide for the new destination, Chastity finishes off the other and leads a select group onto the island which they now find themselves stranded, however with no one in sight what can they do if they wish to be rescued from this endless nightmare?
In Summary:
As we once again leap into the fray of what seems impossible odds, even as Chastity explains the idea of changing some of the girls into vampires may have not been the best option, one cannot deny this notion created by Daniel Mainé and Erick Burnham has shifted the story into territory which is novel in its attempt to take a chance with the unknown. We have seen the saying Absolute power corrupts absolutely within many literary examples and visual mediums, however the reflection of allowing vampirism to empower three former prisoners and let them rage against the same people who kept them prisoners is perilous, but with great risk can also come even greater rewards or failures. To have our fiery red head face this prospect and tempt them with such unearthly strength is questionable, but at the same time one cannot but ask if we were in the same situation could we also be tempted by this opportunity for revenge, even if we might lose our humanity. The impulse is noteworthy and allows for the characters to internally and externally develop, but at the same time it also seems a bit blasé since the same peril has been shown before and usually it does not end well – even as we acknowledge Chastity has a firm determination not allow the trio to wander down the same path she is forced to face every day. To watch her show callous compassion is pleasing, even if her methods of stopping them are a bit forceful, but at the same time she knows this is the only way to cease them from doing something which they will regret after they return to normal. However if I did have an objection of how the narrative is presented, it would be the use of profanity within the dialogue – or lack thereof. Even as the pages themselves are littered with copious amounts of blood and gore, for some reason we are given word bubbles with blacked out text where curses are absent, even if we can fill in the blanks. This is not a classified document in which seeing such words would be a threat to national security, and yet instead of using nonsensical symbols to substitute for letters someone decides to break up reading flow spontaneity to cover up for more sensitive readers; this is ridiculous, since if someone is not mature enough to read such offensive material, then why does it need to be censored with which overpowering black boxes that detract from the magnificence of the artwork, causing our eyes to focus back on these aberrations? Next time, if you wish to sanitize the wording, either do not use such foul language or find a more appropriate manner to blot it out.
And yet as we adjust to this minor imbalance, one cannot deny the main reason this issue is so memorable is due to Daniel Mainé’s fantastic illustrations which open with movie blockbuster styling and the formidable colors of Bryan Valenza that present the reader with a menagerie of organic richness within such a confined space. The opening scene is reminiscent of a classic horror movie, with glowing red eyes signaling something is coming, but as their foes try to muster a defense, we know it is too late. The savagery of the following double spread is worthy of an intense action scene, with splatters of crimson and muzzle flashes almost allowing us to hear the results of this spectacular onslaught: men crying out in panic and pain, the screams of women allowing themselves to unleash pent up anger and the primal sounds of bones cracking plus flesh tearing. It is this ferocity which gets your blood pumping to see those who could not shoot straight in the last issue now have turned into blood hungry beasts, with eruptions of vibrant color extenuating moments of excitement and those ever present crimson eyes reminding us they have rage overflowing and ready to rip into anyone who gets in their way. And yet even with such fervent passion to wipe out all enemies, Mainé still manages to splatter the landscape with nuanced details such as the blood flow that allows us to know someone is still able to contain this explosive action. You can feel the fury threatening to consume the three women as they lash out against any who endanger those under their protection, and yet it is only Chastity who reins them in with her learned sense of control. This balance of callous caring and a need to spare those who she endangered is what makes this issue such a pleasure to read and visually absorb, and yet it is the acknowledgment that this struggle to contain them which makes the future worth returning for more of these graphic wonders.
Chastity continues to evolve into a title which allows us to begin caring for these characters, even as the story wanders into familiar territory, all with the charm of a lead who shows caring and a desire to protect within the same determined woman. But as we wonder what could be next for these women who struggle to retain their humanity, it is the sensational artwork and all-encompassing coloring which make us come back to see what kind of new adventures will prevail within the next memorable issue.
Grade: A-
Rating: M (for Mature)
Released By: Dynamite Comics
Release Date: December 18, 2019
MSRP: $3.99