The scales begin to tip ever so slightly.
Creative Staff:
Story: Thomas Sniegoski
Art: Michael Sta. Maria
Colors: Omi Remalante Jr.
Letterer: Troy Peteri
What They Say:
Vampirella’s plan to create a new Danse Macabre is slowly coming together, but will it be too late? Mistress Nyx reveals a secret weapon in her war against Vampirella—and humanity, and Vampirella plays Let’s Make a Deal with Abaddon, the Angel of the Apocalypse. You don’t want to miss this one!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
There’s been a lot of fun in watching this series from Thomas Sniegoski that has left me glad that there’s at least one Vampirella ongoing that I can read with her exploits. With the world pretty much past the point of no return and her team looking for a way to beat the odds, it’s got things stacked against them well. This makes for a lot of fun with what Michael Sta. Maria gets to present as we see Nyx all done up with a new outfit this time around, more players from the past arriving, and some big action sequences hitting that are all quite cinematically done. The result is that it feels like things are moving forward anew in a really big way but that there’s so much more ahead to deal with.
Vampirella’s bringing back of Dervish is definitely a big moment as getting the first of the “lost” Dansers back in play is definitely helpful. Those waiting under the residence know that it’s not a game-changer but it’s definitely something that feels like a shift to them and they can’t not admit that. A touch on Dervish’s story is nicely done and seeing him put into repair mode and protected at the moment shows some good moves by everyone at hand. Of course, none of this will matter in the short term if none of them survive as Nyx learned recently of their location from the one demon that survived the attack and returned home. Which is why she’s all done up in a new armored outfit and leading the demons personally. Of course, there’s an interesting quiet about them at first that shows that she doesn’t have quite the iron grip on them like she used to.
This issue gives us a lot of time in the action front as they’re mostly kind of trying to delay things here with no plan B in sight. Vampirella’s made her play to let Abbadon get involved in all of this as long as he doesn’t actually go and destroy all of them and the world with it. It’s a solid play but requires some trust but the reality is that Abbadon, chained up for so long, sees some real delights in front of him and is tempted by the prospect. This gets to play out in the final moments but the fight before it shows just how strong Vampirella and the hellhound alone are with this as they really dig into the horde that’s thrown at them. The artwork is fantastic and there’s a good sense of just how much mangling and destruction there is, with breathers placed in carefully to highlight other elements of the story so that it doesn’t just become nothing but fast-paced action that some might flip through too quickly.
In Summary:
I really enjoy Vampirella as a whole with all the spinoffs and other works going on but I’m drawn most to her world and how that all comes together. Thomas Sniegoski continues to do solidly with this series in focusing on a future where things went to hell as she attempts to help course correct things. With great artwork and a solid progression of the storyline, this series delivers issue after issue and this one is another strong entry in the run. Nyx is definitely starting to lose her grasp and everything is so close to spiraling out of control that I can’t wait to see the next installment.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: 15+
Released By: Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: October 21st, 2020
MSRP: $3.99
