Great evil lurks everywhere … but luckily there are those willing to fight it.
Creative Staff:
Writer: Joe Brusha
Artwork: Rodrigo Xavier
Colors: Robby Bevard
Letters: Taylor Esposito
What They Say:
Van Helsing has dealt with it all, from cursed creatures and undead beings, to interdimensional travel and the underworld itself. But when a new threat arises in the form of the Hellfire Club, a cult of demon worshippers determined to tear our world down, Liesel must rely on every skill she has at her disposal, as well as her highly inventive intellect, if she hopes to survive what is coming her way!
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
Within an affluent suburb outside New York City there lies a frightening secret hidden within an estate, one of which the neighbors know little of what happens behind closed doors, for within these walls a great evil stirs once again as aided by elaborately dressed cultists, with no one is aware of their vile plans. However as Liesel and Rick return from an guilt ridden date with the beautiful Brit apologizing for leaving the last time, she further attempts to justify this rudeness by blaming it on her secretive job, to which explains if he wants their relationship to continue, Rick must adjust to these unexplained departures, even if she will try to keep them to a minimum. But as they kiss and Van Helsing turns to leave, it is soon apparent the vampire hunter is being stalked by someone lurking in the shadows, who easily overwhelms this talented combatant with a haunting scythe. And while Liesel is eager to regain some dignity after being knocked down, the captivating woman gravely states she is here for help even as she easily disarms her attacker, only then stating she is an ally of Shang. While Van Helsing nurses her wounded pride and begrudgingly asks why this woman in black never said this before, it is only then does the reaper state she had never asked for help before, offering to discuss the matter in a more private location.
After being transported back to her home, Liesel listens as this crimson and raven haired beauty reveals who she is after – a group called the Hellfire Club, and while her host has never heard of it during her long life, it also went by another name being the Order of the Secret Circle. It is this moniker which rouses memories of a perverted old man’s club which Van Helsing recalls from the turn of the century London, however regretfully this description hid a much darker secret to which her guest describes with vivid detail. This society has been secluded for ages, founded by some of the most evil and powerful people, but it rose to prominence in the nineteenth century under Aleister Crowley, who was also called The Great Beast. It was under his leadership where the group’s goal was to summon the Twelve Kings of Hell and use their power to rule the world, but he was stopped by Shang, however there is now a new assembly who have successfully raised one beast, and they plan to do the same for the remaining eleven. But as she finishes her story, a nearby computer bank signals its owner the police scanner has picked up news of a burglary at the museum, where four policemen have been killed and the thieves stole an ancient tapestry which may be connected to the cult. While Liesel is skeptical of this secretive woman’s tale, she still offers to help her new partner provided they are aware of the next artifact, to which she responds with an equally cryptic response of the knowing next target’s intended location.
In Summary:
After such a fascinating cliffhanger contained within Grimm Tales of Terror Quarterly: Hellfire, I was sincerely looking forward to seeing how Keres would conclude her chase with the new Hellfire Club, and writer Joe Brusha does not disappoint with this follow-up for such an enticing story within this special, and yet while we are allowed to immediately leap into the boundless action, it is this narrative’s alacrity which works against the unprepared reader. Although this one-shot is not considered a Launch title and thus supposedly a stand alone story, at the same time those who are not familiar with the escapades of the Goddess of Death will not know what happened beforehand unless they have read the aforementioned quarterly, therefore the horrors which this group has produced will fall upon blind eyes due to this lack of knowledge. But of course, Zenescope and Brusha will be expecting the audience to be aware of past events, and as such this insight will be assumed in the best interest for full enjoyment, therefore this minor fault can be overlooked. However in the haste to fully explore what is to come, it seems the simple and obvious courtesy of introductions are ignored within the narrative, which would seem important for these dynamic women to fully trust each other – with Keres’ name having never been mentioned with the entirety of the book until it is Asmodeus himself who addresses his foe by that nom de guerre. It would not seem possible for someone as long lived and a genius as Liesel to lend credence to this mysterious woman’s words thanks only the mention of Shang’s name, especially for something which is as ominous as the raising of the Twelve Kings of Hell, and yet there is no hesitation in proceeding with this deity’s plans. And considering the intentions of the Hellfire Club, it is too coincidental that Keres is so well informed as to how the members will proceed with each summoning, with supposedly every demon lord needing unique materials for the ritual, and yet somehow she is able to immediately know what the next targeted artifact will be on their list; while this foreknowledge may be attributed to her near eternal existence and a supposed obsession to stopping this cult, to be able to lie in ambush for these miscreants makes the upcoming fight too quick to resolve with the villains easily escaping and leading into the final battle. As such, the book as a whole feels intentionally rushed to reach this inevitable and formulaic conclusion, with the heroes bursting in to stop the ceremony just in time, all while swiftly facing their respective rivals to save the world from a new demon being freed. It is only made worse with the Hellfire Club fleeing after a clichéd taunt they will succeed the next time they meet, leaving the story with a valueless victory with its only merit to lead into a future sequel, thus not sufficiently closing the door for this meeting and leaving the reader with a hollow and unfulfilling conclusion for our valiant heroines.
And yet even within such an expedited narrative, one cannot deny the spectacular panoramic illustrations of Rodrigo Xavier which allows for the story to so prominently unfold with such a striking attention to detail, allowing for the audience to embrace this opening sequence with a sense of awe to the opulent splendor which he elegantly displays, made all the more glamorous thanks to Robby Bevard’s delicate application of subtle colors and the disarming glow of warming sunshine, until we are exposed to the dark secrets which lie hidden therein. It is hard to believe the charming landscape which he saw before hides such ugliness beneath, with the Blood Countess and Bone Queen in such seductive costumes on either side of the Prince of Flesh, looking so debonair with his ivory white tuxedo, all with the smothering veil of ebony shadows eclipsing their presence, until we see the looming figure of Asmodeus on the next page, who is made to look ominously imposing, with every muscular detail accented to emphasize his power, becoming all the more sinister thanks to him being almost concealed in darkness. And yet even as we move onto a more pleasant sight of Liesel and Rick on a date, the looming embrace of night still cannot escape this beautiful Brit, with her face seemingly weighed down by guilt and made all the more hurtful thanks to the veil of shadows which extenuates her every sensual curve. But it is not until her conflict with a grim visitor by which we encounter a visual abnormality, and while we are never told this is the Keres, loyal Zenescope fans will immediately recognize this lovely Goddess of Death, but may have to do a double take since her appearance seems significantly altered from her cameos in Grimm Tales of Terror, where she normally dressed to blend in with the humans which she interacts. Although one cannot fault either artist for their alterations to this luscious grim reaper, you cannot but ask where this change has come from, harkening back to her original appearance in Grimm Fairy Tales Presents No Tomorrow, with that hypnotically revealing midnight burial shroud which barely covers anything and tight length boots, but the most confusing change is her now emotionless visage. She almost does not register as Keres, with her usual red hair not pulled back to expose her face, now being returned to her more stern disguise with heavy coal highlights accenting a crimson mane and bangs covering the forehead, and coal black lipstick plus ebony tears, making her countenance all the more fitting for the bringer of death. And while this graphic change is more traditional, it is also very distracting in making readers second guess who this gorgeous woman may be, even if in the back of our minds we realize this is a forgotten side to a deity who has been absent for far too long within the Grimm Universe, now welcomed back into a much needed role as a detached hero.
Van Helsing: Hellfire is a welcomed return to a sensational story, with the sinister inklings of the Hellfire Club now making a prominent return, all while re-igniting the captivating Goddess of Death who has been absent for far too long. However while the phenomenal illustrations and engrossing colors draw the audience into this endless roller coaster of thrills, it is a lack of basic details which makes the special feel rushed and too reliant on surface excitement to propel the narrative forward, thus almost abandoning those unfamiliar with prior events behind at the train station. And while this can be remedied by reading previous works, it would not be necessary if the flashback explanation was expanded, instead of pushing forward with a formulaic conclusion which leaves the audience with shallow satisfaction from what could have been an amazing lead into future encounters.
Grade: A-
Rating: T (Teen)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: January 27, 2021
MSRP: $5.99
