Review: DC Vs. Vampires #12

DC Vs. Vampires #12 came out this week, ending this series ... in a way. Yes, this volume is over. But the book ends wide open for a sequel. And given the side books that have sprung from this, I expect we will see more. Will I see more? I am on the fence.

The story here, as written by James Tynion IV and Matthew Rosenberg, is troubling because plot wrinkles and surprises have been thrown into the mix in these last couple of issues. But when you know those things exist in this world, you wonder why they haven't been utilized before. Why would Barbara have sunlight weapon technology only be used in Gotham instead of everywhere? Why would Ollie resurrect Swamp Thing in the prison and not before in the hero headquarters? In this issue, you will see that there are even more things introduced at the last minute that weaken the story. Mary Marvel? Sunlight bombs? Where were these elements before?

The other issue I have with the story is the 180 of Babs Gordon. How do we get from main protagonist to main antagonist in one issue? As much as Supergirl being a nonfactor in this book irked me, this irked me more. Babs doing a heel turn after some rather purple prose with Nightwing? That's wrong. 

One thing that hasn't disappointed is the art. Otto Schmidt's style is wild and well suited for the book. It has just enough of a surreal feel to it to jump off the page. 

But in the end, I have to think this book sort of failed. The story and the plots don't make a ton of sense, especially when read in one sitting. The fact that it feels truly like a first chapter also feels like the marketing was a feint.

On to the book.

Review: DC Vs. Vampires #11

DC Vs. Vampires #11 came out last week, the penultimate issue of a series which has stretched my suspension of disbelief the longer it has gone on. 

Writers James Tynion and Matthew Rosenberg have created a world where vampires have utterly taken over the world. But some of the logic doesn't make great sense. Blotting out the sun will work so the vamps can work 24/7. It also would make plant life impossible to grow. How can humans, the vamires livestock, live without food? How can Swamp Thing remain incredibly powerful? Why isn't the world a frozen wasteland? 

Take away that main issue which bothers me like a popcorn kernel stuck in a tooth, you have the overall narrative. There are three separate plotlines. One, Green Arrow is trying to free a human farm in Kansas. Why Hawkman, the vampire lord there, hasn't simply killed Ollie is a mystery. Two, Babs is heading into Gotham to face down Dick Grayson, king of vampires. It is a '6 against a city' battle which seems like a suicide mission ... except Babs has been hiding Vamp-killing ordinance. Why not give it to the main army fighting the vampires? Why hide it? Lastly, Supergirl is on her way to Australia to get into a rocket to head above the clouds. Here we learn that aliens are helping the vamps so they can get off-world. They aren't suitable cattle ... that is, except Martians.

As the last few issues, this one rolls along quickly. You can't think too hard about this world without it unraveling for its lack of internal logic. At least this time Supergirl gets to do something instead of just cowering in the background.

The art by Otto Schmidt is quite nice. I feel Schmidt has amped up the rough or sketchy aspect of his work here. Guillem March's cover is very scratchy for him but it apes Schmidt's work well enough.

On to the book.

Review: DC Vs. Vampires #10

DC Vs. Vampires #10 came out last week, inching us closer to the end of this series.

As has been the case with this book, we are basically following three different subplots as it winds through this horrific world. Batgirl is leading an attack squad into Gotham to kill Dick. Ollie is trying to free people from a blood farm in Smallville. And Steel is doing his best to get Supergirl to Australia hoping to get her above the clouds and into the sun.

Writers James Tynion IV and Matthew Rosenberg keep the book plugging along, switching back and forth from  one plot to the other and keeping them all moving forward. There are some questionable plot points here, things which don't make much sense even in the context of a comic book world. But for the most part, it is enjoyable. I keep hoping we'll get something heroic out of Supergirl before the book ends. And I have enjoyed the insanity of Harley Quinn here.

The art by Otto Schmidt is at his most stylized and wild. It crackles along very well. For me, the Gotham pages work the best for his look. I have said before that I'd buy a Batgirl or Birds of Prey book by him. 

I do like the Kara The Vampire Slayer variant cover by Nathan Szerdy. 

On to the book.

Review: DC Vs. Vampires #9

DC Vs. Vampires #9 came out last week marking the halfway point of the second arc of this book. As this second arc has Supergirl as a main character and ... gasp ... a hero I felt the need to grab it and review.

I have admitted in the past that books like this or zombie titles don't usually get my attention. I am probably not the target audience here. But I will also admit that I am a sucker for Elseworlds and that I have been enjoying this book so far.

Writers James Tynion IV and Matthew Rosenberg are doing what they should do in books like this, introducing us to the broader DCU in the context of this vampiric wasteland. Now I didn't read the first 6 issues so I don't know how or why so many heroes got turned to the dark side. But I like the ragtag group of uninfected heroes who are still trying to save the world. Steel, Jayna, Green Arrow, Batgirl, and a depowered Supergirl sort lead different factions on different quests. There is a very nice surprise in the middle of the issue which I didn't foresee which also made me happy. 

Perhaps the one thing that I worry about is that there are three very different plot lines happening in this book meaning each issue is sort of sliced into thirds. I am far more interested in the Batgirl and Supergirl plots than I am the Green Arrow one and so I wonder if so many plot lines are too many for a book this length. 

I love the art as well. Guillem March's covers are horrific and dynamic. I loves seeing Supergirl front and center fighting fanged Atlantean warriors. Otto Schmidt is on interior art and brings his somehow both loose and polished look to the inside. I really like his work.

All three plots are nudged along in this issue so let's get to the details.

Review: DC Vs. Vampires #8

DC Vs. Vampires #8 came out last week but I am just getting to the review right now. 

This is a 12 issue series seemingly told in two halves so we are in the second issue of this leg. While the first issue put the players on the board, this issue moves them into position. We end with a clear idea of three plot lines that will be moving forward. I think that sort of set-up needs 2 issues to get to where we are and so I'm glad we didn't rush. I think it is crazy for a human army as small as remains on Earth to split itself into thirds. But the characters leading these plots all spell out their reasons well enough.

Writers James Tynion IV and Matthew Rosenberg clearly have a good grasp on these characters as everyone feels right. Ollie and Dinah are clearly in love but in disagreement. Barbara can't get Nightwing out of her mind. And Supergirl has just the right mix of inexperience and confidence, that fine line she needs to walk, that it all works.

The art by Otto Schmidt is wonderful. There is a sort of grindhouse rawness to it that works. The fight scenes are appropriately monstrous. And yet, there also romance scenes and more poignant scenes that soften and shine off the page. I love his work.

On to the book.

Review: DC Vs. Vampires #7

Anj reading 'DC vs Vampires'.

A sentence I never thought would be true.

To be honest, the whole zombie craze came and went without me ever getting interested. So books like this never really grab my attention. And when I saw that most of the super-heroes I care about  were turned into vampires, I actively looked away. 

And that is crazy because the creative team of writers James Tynion IV and Matthew Rosenberg as well as artist Otto Schmidt are all creators I trust. These are people I usually follow to projects.

So what changed?

Well, the solicits did their job, playing up the role Supergirl is going to have in the second half of this miniseries. And it sported Kara on the cover. With now Supergirl solo title on the market, I am looking for content. So why not give it a shot.

This was a pretty fun issue. Tynion and Rosenberg must have known this would be  jumping on point because they give us a quick and efficient recap. We don't need all the details, just the broad strokes. The world is plunged in darkness, overrun by heroes and villains turned into vampires and running the world like their own little blood farm. We also get a solid action piece where we see just how powerful the threat is as a bunch of c-listers get taken out pretty easily. But best of all, we get to see how important Supergirl is ... not only to the physical fight against the vamps but to the morale of the world. Incredible. It is an excellent opening chapter.

Schmidt's art is wonderul. It somehow walks the fine line. It is minimalist but complicated. His line work is fine and his expressive work is fantastic. The Supergirl in the book is haggard and depowered. I look forward to seeing her drawn by him when she is restored.

Good Supergirl stuff!

So it looks like I'm in for this mini-series back end. On to the issue.