When the world stands against her … Van Helsing will never give up.
Creative Staff:
Story: Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco, Dave Franchini, David Wohl & Pat Shand
Writer: Pat Shand
Artwork: Alessandro Uezu
Colors: Walter Pereyra
Letters: Taylor Esposito
Lettering Assist: Elizabeth Sharland
What They Say:
Liesel Van Helsing has protected the nights from vampires, werewolves, and creatures beyond nightmares for years. But recently, several of her deadliest foes joined forces to take their revenge and break her spirit by killing the man she loves and taking his soul.
Led by Dracula’s Daughter Charlotte, this “League of Monsters” succeeded in their plan, but were betrayed and banished to the Underworld by their erstwhile benefactor – a being they believe to be Hades.
Now Liesel must team up with the very creatures who wanted her dead in order to save her love – but is it already too late for all of them?
Content (please note that portions of review may contain spoilers):
It has been more than a week since the disaster on the streets of London which tore Rick away from Liesel, and now as implausible as it seems, the vampire hunter has been forced to work with the Bride largely responsible for imprisoning her boyfriend’s soul within a repulsive abomination, with both her own beloved Frankenstein and that fleshy simulacrum, along with what remained of the League of Monsters, now banished to horror-filled depths. However, as the woman she once knew as Taylor and herself form an uneasy alliance, Van Helsing is still not convinced the being that was summoned via a sigil is Hades, forcing her to research into the origins of the symbol as the scientist attempts to keep Rick’s body alive. But even as Liesel delves deeper into her suspicions to prove the person who appeared is not the man she once loved, there is no information linking the icon with anyone in particular, leaving this mistrusting pair of dynamic women no other choice than to return to the place they both once visited, using forged documents to secure passage to Greece and locate a possible portal to the Underworld.
However as Taylor is pessimistic with their current location being a portal to the Underworld since there is no reaction from the sigil, it is Liesel who still will not admit the being who appeared before them is the man she once knew as Hades, but as these bickering woman continue to differ on opinions, the Bride hesitantly triggers her modified thermal lance, still worried they may end up someplace much hotter than where they need to go. But as they climb down the makeshift pit and land on solid ground, the worrisome sound of shifting rubble makes Van Helsing doubt the rationale of this dubious plan, as they fearfully watch the hole which once lead the surface now slowly close up behind them and making her believe they cannot hesitate when leaving for fear of the same happening later. Although that problem may be something for the near future, the ominous growl of a ferocious beast signals they are not alone within this cavernous domain, causing both to tentatively turn and face the protector of the gates to the Underworld, Cerberus – the three-headed canine and guardian who will not allow anyone to trespass on his master’s realm.
In Summary:
For a series presumptuously titled as Van Helsing: Return of the League of Monsters, one would assume the focus of this story would be centered upon the aforementioned group seeking revenge against our raven-haired vampire hunter, and yet even with an interesting premise managed by Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco, Dave Franchini, David Wohl and Pat Shand, with the narrative crafted by Shand himself, after the surprising conclusion of the last issue and disastrous results leading into this closing story, it is confusing as to the path this finale takes, resulting in a conclusion which leaves the audience wondering as to who is the true victor, especially when it is revealed by Taylor that Hades is the one who has seized the treacherous assembly.
While it is promising to have Shand open this sullen story with a brief internal monologue from Liesel, finally allowing loyal readers a glimpse into her emotional trauma and willing acceptance of losing Hades, which this skilled writer described during the finale of Grimm Fairy Tales: Apocalypse almost six years ago, then closing the story with a harrowing revelation of a primordial deity embodying darkness taking advantage of his absence within the Underworld, it is the hollow medium between these purposeful narrative points which lacks any worthwhile substance to create a fulfilling story. Instead, we are left an empty void that echoes Dante’s Inferno, with Van Helsing and Taylor taking the role of the Italian poet and Philemon mockingly becoming his escort Virgil as they tour the depths of this torturous landscape, glimpsing into the relevant punishments each member of the League have brought unto themselves, utilizing their unique qualities against them in ironic fashion just as Greek figures were given in their memorable myths.
However it is from these tragic passings where Shand allows Liesel to have expected misgivings against the people who previously sought revenge against her, and while their prior actions may have had some grounded meaning due to wrongs perpetrated against them, perhaps the hand which Van Helsing struck against them was too strict in reflecting her moral judgment without fully understanding what drove them to their tragic demises, thus allowing the dynamic Brit to supposedly forgive them as they struggle to survive the Underworld. And yet when they meet Charlotte, our heroine’s maternal half-sister and the driving force behind everyone’s need to seek their own twisted justice, Liesel has no remorse in leaving her behind, callously forbidding anyone from rescuing her even though she shows a fleeting sympathy for former friends the Bride and Frankenstein. While it is understandable given how much Dracula’s Daughter has taken from Van Helsing: murdering Jonathan and Mina Harker, opening the door for Julie to turn into Hyde and finally bringing back the nightmare who turned her parents, this once formidable woman could still be considered family, even if she herself maliciously tried numerous times to exterminate her own sibling for the perceived wrongs done to her father. And yet while our normally compassionate hunter shows reasonable sympathy for the monsters she pursues, trying to understand their primal drives or the reason behind rages which cause wanton destruction, none of that lucid leniency is shown toward her own kin, making Liesel appear to be a coldly detached and verbally vitriolic maniac, with none of the cherished tenderness which we recognize as a fundamental part of her hardened personality now being shown, having reached the limit of her mercy for anyone who has committed so many crimes against the wrong person. With all of the physical and emotional pain which Charlotte and Dracula have ruthlessly tormented against their relation, perhaps this is another part of the ingrained eternal punishment for this lilac haired rival, essentially cutting familial ties with a spiteful gaze and no final words as they part ways due to the misery which each has caused, now separated to live out their lives with no forgiveness for the other.
Even within a story that has left behind the kindness which we remember of Liesel as we descend into the depths, one cannot deny the sharpness of Alessandro Uezu’s linework, presenting the audience a beautiful woman who is confident in her determination, displaying the grandeur of supple skin and ample cleavage clad in skin-tight leather and tempting fishnets, all while she depicts herself as someone who willing to do anything to save the one she loves. And yet while we cannot but be in awe as to the spectacular nature of his imagery, it is the overly exuberant palette of Walter Pereyra that vividly detracts from what should be a morose atmosphere, in both gloomy setting and somber mood, over-exposing the pages with too much illumination, as if every neglected view of the stage has its own dedicated and overpowered spotlight, flooding the world with too much light so as to cast our heroine with an anemic alabaster skin tone, that stands out more so against the charcoal of her trench coat and tempting crimson bodice. And while Pereyra does attempt to provoke a restrained atmosphere with darker and dismal backgrounds, it is this oddly contrasting color scheme which makes the pale completions of Van Helsing and the Bride stand out more, provoking the audience to question if these women have ever been exposed to the sun or have spent too much time in their laboratories seeking the answers they need.
However what stands out most amid all of these curious tonal choices is the one which glares upon loyal readers with the most contempt – a departure from what we have always known as Liesel’s alluring chestnut eyes framed by a luscious mane of ebony hair, now making those familiar in the audience have reservations as to who this person might be, with striking peridot eyes which seem out of place and make us doubt if this is the same woman who we have come to know over the years, only to be corrected upon seeing her dual-color cyberpunk goggles and dapper top hat. With every chance we see this vexatious appearance, it makes us doubt if what we are reading is truly a Van Helsing tale, to then be shocked back into reason once a grim show of horror is wonderfully displayed upon the page, only once again unbalanced by an abundance of overly bright scenery within what should be a depressing Underworld. Even as we relish in the rare chance of appropriately toned panels mixed in with glaring white framed pages, it is these emphasized faults which make us want for something uniform in tone and comforting in a story, presenting a visual panorama suitable for our favorite vampire hunter.
Van Helsing: Return of the League of Monsters may have begun as a promising tale of much-needed comfort and welcomed revenge, but as chance events unfolded within a chilling atmosphere, the predictable story quickly stumbles and becomes a leading narrative, with a repellent but expected change to what was once a caring character. Although some may not appreciate Liesel’s understandable callous attitude, it is the stunning artwork that wonderfully communicates her every intention, even as odd choices in color scheme and piercing green eyes make us question if this is the same woman we have admirably come to know over the years, with every chance encounter of a familiar face made aggravatingly unsettling due to this misleading transformation. And while we may scrutinize where this departure of the woman we knew may lead Van Helsing, it is the morose shift to her life that makes us worry how she will cope with more personal loss, even as we witness a new chapter unfold for the vampire hunter who must always leave behind those she cares for the most.
Grade: A
Series Grade: A
Rating: T (Teen)
Released By: Zenescope
Release Date: January 19, 2022
MSRP: $5.99