DC Vs. Vampires #1
Written by James Tynion IV and Matthew Rosenberg
Art, Color, and Main Cover by Otto Schmidt
Lettered by Tom Napolitano
Reviewed by KrisK
It’s that time of year again, where undead miniseries of popular franchises stalk the comic shops. Most of the time, you get zombies. This time, though, DC brings us vampires. (Task Force Z is the zombie offering this year)
The story starts with I, Vampire‘s Andrew Bennet wandering the streets, on the way to the Hall of Justice. His entire body covered to protect from the sun. A speeding car slams into him outside the Hall though, and he loses his hat. His face immediately begins to smolder. Thankfully, Hal Jordan arrives to rescue the dying vampire and bring him to the medical ward. He demands to see the entire League, but Hal informs Mr. Bennet that the League is off planet. The apparent exception to that rule is intern Zan of the Wonder Twins who joins them. Andrew briefs Hal and Zan. Somebody murdered the vampire leader, Mary, Queen of Blood. The tenuous truce between humans and vampires is over. The vampires infiltrate and change over heroes and villains throughout the universe. They already reached powerful villains, using their powers to travel in daylight and hide their identities. I can’t say much else without spoilers.
The writing team created a solid infiltration story with strong Secret Invasion vibes. The mystery around who “died” pushes the suspense of the story. Zan brought some needed levity, and considering his liquid powerset, he may come in handy. Rosenberg and Tynion work well with the three characters who dominate the issue. Green Arrow and Batman don’t get much time, but considering Tynion knows Batman and Rosenberg knows archers (Hawkeye: Freefall), I am sure they will play huge parts.
Speaking of Hawkeye: Freefall, Schmidt takes ownership for all the art but the lettering. His vision suits the comic well. The sun feels blistering hot when Andrew Bennet travels under it. While the world sports many colors, it remains bleak and harsh.
Verdict: I didn’t expect much from an obligatory Halloween miniseries, but this series delivered a fun conspiracy with bite.
