American Vampire #29 Review
Writer: Scott Snyder
Art: Rafael Albuquerque
Reviewed by David Short
Oh, Scott Snyder– you sly devil, you. American Vampire #29 starts as we expect it to, and then (as Snyder does only the way he can) flips the script and leaves us begging for more. My wife is a recent convert to comics and has taken a strong liking to American Vampire. She asked me today if the book was good, and, after laughing at the lunacy of the question for a good 5 minutes, I responded with, “It’s always good– just a matter of how good.”
It is a bit of a lull in an arc that is billed as a summer blockbuster. That’s not to say it is a lull in content though. Pearl and Skinner are on the road hunting down the vampires from the VMS’s list. We see them come across their first victim, and the action does not disappoint. However, the moments that stick with you after this issue are the down times. We get some great character work with Skinner in #29. We learn why he is working for the Vassals, and get a huge reveal on the final page. Though the main plot has revolved around Pearl trying to get help for Henry, we clearly see that this arc has a lot more to do with Skinner than we previously thought.
Rafael Albuquerque’s art is as good as ever. There are moments that things get a little out of proportion, but it’s nothing to complain about considering the quality of the work he puts out. He’s a very stylish artist anyway, so they don’t really stand out in the finished product. The art team on American Vampire is so amazing that without, even one, member it would be noticeable. Given how many inkers and colorists are plugged into various books without mention these days, it speaks to the overall mastery of the look they have achieved.
Verdict
Buy it- I recommend American Vampire to readers who ask for new books more than any other book currently available. That’s high praise considering the quality books that are out there. More so, every person that has read it has loved it.
