Vampirella #0
Writer: Paul Cornell
Artist/Colorist: Jimmy Broxton
Letterer: Travis Lanham
Publisher: Dynamite
A review by Gregory Brothers
When you think about the “bad girl” era of comics in the 1990’s, Vampirella is one of the ones that stand out to people. Although she is considered to be the poster child of that time period, the truth is the character was actually created in the 1960’s. In 2010, Dynamite Comics got the rights to the character, have made a few changes, and released a couple of different volumes. The solicits from Dynamite for Vampirella #0 promises:
Beginning a new and VERY different direction! Vampirella was last spotted in 2016 doing what she does best-defending the world from threats both mystic and evil. She hasn’t been seen since. Now, over a thousand years later, she is poised to make her faithful return…
Vampirella #0 starts with a small group of explorers making their way across a snow covered barren land looking for something. It is obvious as they make their way across the land that they are trying to both escape from some unknown and unseen enemy, while also seeking out help that they are not sure is there. As the small troop comes upon what they believe to be the end of their trek, we see what it is that they fear had been following them, and what steps they must take to find the help they need.
Vampirella #0 is a great jumping on point for any reader, be it a hardcore Vampirella fan or someone who has never picked up a comic before. The use of the team exploring gives the reader the feel that something is different and dangerous about this world as they risk their lives in this winter wonderland to seek out help. Although the general idea is revealed of who the main villain is that they are fleeing, the reader is not given all the answers, nor how the world got to the condition it is in. By the end of Vampirella #0, Cornell does an excellent job answering some of the major questions that readers will have about the whereabouts of Vampirella, while also keeping the mystery of how the world has changed and what dangers lie ahead.
The art and coloring from Broxton is done brilliantly. While keeping the landscape simple and plain to represent the wasteland that the characters are in, Broxton uses futuristic designed clothing and weapons in brighter colors to show the jump in time. What is striking is the difference between the snow-covered terrain and the cave that the group is trying to get to. We go from bright white-out conditions to the use of shadows and darkness to help hide what the group is looking for, to a flash of brightness as their goal is uncovered. All of it is done in a way that makes the reader know where each panel is taking place as the story unfolds.
The Verdict
Buy it! As I said before, Vampirella #0 is the perfect jumping on point for any reader. It is written in a way that keeps the mystery going while laying the path for the new series. Being a #0 we don’t see a lot of the title character, but we do find out where she has been and what she may be facing now. The art does a great job of letting the reader feel the emotions of the panel while not taking away from the story. The various colors and even lines make those differences pop, as the futuristic designs against the desolate terrain is striking. In addition to the story being a great introduction, the fact that Vampirella #0 costs only a quarter makes it easy to throw it in your stack of comics to give this new series a try.
