American Vampire Second Cycle #10 Review

Tags

American Vampire, American Vampire Second Cycle #10, David Mccaig, Pearl Jones, Rafael Albuquerque, Scott Snyder, Skinner Sweet, The Grey Trader, Vampires, Vertigo Comics

American Vampire Second Cycle #10

Review by Paul Bowler

After evading a gruesome fate Pearl Jones and Felicia Brook must escape Area 51 in American Vampire Second Cycle #10, just as Skinner Sweet’s mission into space with Agent Poole to recover film from a Russian satellite before the Grey Trader’s agents hit’s a snag. The space walk to the satellite holds a nasty surprise for Skinner and Poole, when they open the hatch and they find vampires waiting inside for them! As the war with the beast reaches space, loyalties are tested, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance…

The smash-hit Vertigo comic book series American Vampire Second Cycle reaches a major turning point, as #1 New York Times best-selling writer Scott Snyder and acclaimed artist Rafael Albuquerque bring Pearl’s and Skinner’s mission in 1965 with Felicia Brook, the director of the Vassals of the Morning Star, to its penultimate stages as the conflict reaches the cold vacuum of space. Vampires in space, bloodletting, and dramatic events in Area 51 collide as the cold war, the space race, and the menace of the Grey Trader conspires to drain every last drop of blood from the century’s boldest decade for mankind.

American Vampire Second Cycle #10 is one giant leap for vampire-kind as Skinner’s mission with Pool unfolds 22,346 miles above Earth, as they battle infected Carpathian vampires the Russians put in space to protect the Okrahna. Skinner and Poole face a violent, no-holds-barred, struggle for survival, as the fight to get the film and the perils of zero gravity tests their strength and resolve to the limit. Back on Earth, the action continues at an equally break-neck pace inside Area 51 as Pearl and Felicia confront a chilling realization about their mission.

Scott Snyder pitches the action and drama in this issue of American Vampire perfectly. Its edge-of-the-seat stuff, the simultaneous pressing of two buttons at critical junctures is a masterstroke in tension, while the optimism of Pearl’s argument with Felicia dices with Armageddon as Skinner and Poole risk everything for one last shot at survival. Dark Moon Part 5 is one of Snyder’s finest issues of American Vampire, a number of key plot strands are skilfully brought together, the strong characterization really shines though, and the way elements from this American Vampire story arc begin to fall into place is handled brilliantly.

Rafael Albuquerque’s incredible artwork for this issue delivers some of the most striking visuals we’ve ever scene in the series. Most notable of course, are the scenes in space with Skinner and Poole fighting infected vampires. When Skinner cuts loose against his attackers, with the Earth and the Moon gleaming behind them in the icy void of space, it makes for a spectacular sight, and it’s not long before globules of blood are floating amongst the stars. Pearl doesn’t pull her punches either, as she fights her way though Area 51 alongside Felicia and the facility provides a fittingly grim setting for one of the issues most pivotal scenes. Dave McCaig’s colors are stunning, vividly bold while also impressively subtle, the shadowy blue-grey bleakness of space contrasts perfectly with the sombre, grimy palette for Area 51, and the fantastic sight of Skinner and Poole floating almost silhouetted in front of the moon is simply breathtaking.

American Vampire: Second Cycle #10 builds to a double-edged cliff-hanger, where a nerve jangling high-octane chase begins, and betrayal strikes as Skinner grows dangerously close to succumbing to his infection. Full of stand-out moments, with its exciting story by Scott Snyder and outstanding art by Rafael Albuquerque, American Vampire Second Cycle #10 is another brilliant issue of this acclaimed series!

Publisher: Vertigo Comics

Writer: Scott Snyder

Art: Rafael Albuquerque

Color: Dave McCaig

Letters: Steve Wands

 Follow @paul_bowler

 

American Vampire Second Cycle #9 Review

Tags

American Vampire, American Vampire Second Cycle, American Vampire Second Cycle #9, Area 51, comics, Horror, Pearl Jones, Rafael Albuquerque, Scott Snyder, Skinner Sweet, The Grey Trader, Vampires, Vassals of the Morning Star, Vertigo Comics

American Vampire #9

Review by Paul Bowler

Having snuck into Area 51, Pearl Jones and Felicia Brook must now escape from the top secret facility in American Vampire Second Cycle #9, while Skinner Sweet takes a perilous journey into space with Agent Pool to stop the Grey Traders people acquiring film from a Russian satellite. As Pearl and Felicia confront the terrifying horrors lurking behind the walls of Area 51, they might become test subjects themselves, just as Skinner encounters a deadly new threat in space as his mission reaches a crucial moment…

The critically acclaimed smash hit Vertigo Comics series American Vampire Second Cycle blasts into space as #1 New York Times best-selling writer Scott Snyder and renowned artist Rafael Albuquerque take Pearl’s and Skinner’s missions with Felicia Brook, the director of the Vassals of the Morning Star, to new heights of unparalleled terror that are – quite literally – out of this world. The cold war and the space race are now inexorably entwined with the ancient threat posed by the Grey Trader, and the stakes have never been higher for Pearl and Skinner!

American Vampire Second Cycle #9 is a veritable roller coaster ride of non-stop action. Scott Snyder continues to build the creeping sense of dread and tension that has permeated every corner of this new arc, over the course of this issue the individual strands of Skinner’s and Pearl’s separate missions gradually begin to converge as the pieces start falling into place, and the nail-biting action doesn’t let up for a moment.

A 24 caret blood transfusion may have stemmed Skinner’s infection for now, temporarily holding off his inevitable transformation, but we are soon made all too aware of just how tenuous a reprieve this really is for Skinner. While the mission in space approaches its objective, the bond between Skinner and Agent Pool continues to develop, and Pool’s story about his brother reinforces this arcs social and political backdrop in the most tragic of circumstances. Back on Earth, Pearl and Felicia are now captives inside Area 51, were they face the disquieting horror of a secret chamber that can erase anything; an area which also has far reaching links to the search for The Beast that leave a decidedly aquatic subtext swirling in the historic eddies of its wake…

Scott Snyder crafts some excellent character building moments during this issue of American Vampire, striking key emotional beats, melding humour, and stark, outright terror, which sublimely evolve into the issues most dynamic scenes. Skinner’s and Pool’s mission thoughtfully blends melancholy memories with the awe-inspiring majesty of space, while Pearl’s and Felicia’s experiences in Area 51 see them witnessing grotesque torture as they face a desperate struggle to find a way out and escape in one piece. This is American Vampire at its very best, thought provoking, dark, and unflinchingly graphic, this issue has it all!

Needles to say, Rafael Albuquerque’s phenomenal artwork on this series remains as outstanding as ever. From an apocalyptic Las Vegas lost between somewhere and forever, Albuquerque infuses Skinner’s nightmarish vision into our imagination with some deeply unsettling, and disturbing scenes as the Grey Trader’s influence bubbles away under the surface, festering, and worming its way into Skinner’s consciousness. Likewise, the scenes in space are stunning, and the dawn of a new day is simply breathtaking. Area 51’s interior is chillingly dark and ominous, which serves to heighten the even tension further. The colors by Dave McCaig accentuates the feel of the different environments perfectly: the way the burnt orange glow inside the capsule dissolves into the beautiful golden hues of the dawn is beautiful, cold blue and vivid green tones make Area 51 feel more like a high-tech slaughterhouse of horror, and the inky void of space is a beautifully silent sight accentuated by the faint shimmering glow of the Earth’s atmosphere.

American Vampire Second Cycle #9 rockets towards a thrilling climax when the grim reality of a death trap begins to sink in for Pearl and Felicia just as Skinner and Pool make a shocking discovery in space. Enthralling from cover to cover, with its excellent story by Scott Snyder and terrific art by Rafael Albuquerque, American Vampire Second Cycle #9 excels on every level and is another stand out issue in this remarkable series.

Follow @paul_bowler

 

American Vampire Second Cycle #7 Review

Tags

American Vampire, American Vampire Second Cycle, American Vampire Second Cycle #7, Area 51, comics, Dave McCaig, Pearl Jones, Rafael Albuquerque, Scott Snyder, Skinner Sweet, The Grey Trader, Vampires, Vassals of the Morning Star, Vertigo

American Vampire Second Cycle #7

Review by Paul Bowler

The Cold War starts to heat up in American Vampire Second Cycle #7, its all nuclear silos, civil rights movements, and space programmes as the Grey Trader’s influence grows ever stronger. The smash hit Vertigo series American Vampire Second Cycle continues the new arc as #1 New York Times best-selling writer Scott Snyder and acclaimed artist Rafael Albuquerque send Pearl and Skinner on a blood soaked countdown to terror. While Pearl Jones and Felicia Book set out to reach Area 51 to acquire a powerful weapon, Skinner Sweet and Calvin Pool’s team gets ready to embark on a voyage to the deadliest frontier of all: space!

After the horrifying encounter with the Grey Trader, events take a startling new turn in in this issue, as Skinner Sweet and Pearl Jones find themselves embarking on two very different missions. This issue grabs you by the throat right from the start and goes straight in for the jugular with its terrifying prologue in West Florida. From there its action and drama all the way as Dark Moon Part 2 begins in earnest outside a grim looking gas station in Arizona.

There’s a great dynamic here between Pearl and Felicia Brook, the director of the Vassals of the Morning Star, they work well together, and they both share no illusions about how dangerous their plan to break into Area 51 to steal the weapon for the VMS will be. Optimism may be a bitch, especially when it comes to the USA’s top secret facility of weirdness, but compared to the thought of lunch at the Gobble and Gas it’s definitely a chance worth taking.

Scott Snyder keeps the plot racing along, each scene and shift of location melding into the other seamlessly, and even when the flashback to Detroit (1960) comes crashing through the roof the pace and suspense never congeals for a moment. When we catch up with Skinner and Calvin’s team at launch complex 19 in Florida, preparations are already underway for their mission into space to prevent information from a Russian satellite falling into the hands of the Grey Trader’s people – an incident that could well spark nuclear conflict. However, the mission is far from straightforward, the module will be cramped, and Skinner’s opinion of their ride to get them into space and the “something” called a computer is absolutely priceless!

With the Cold War, the space race, and the civil rights movement, providing a heady social and political backdrop for this story arc to unfold across, Scott Snyder sublimely weaves these themes into the issue, heightening the tension as the action unfolds, the sense of upheaval and resistance to change boils away in the background, and the constant threat of nuclear devastation is ever present during this juncture in history. Add the vast legacy of American Vampire into the mix, along with the ancient threat of the Grey Trader, and you have an issue that encapsulates everything that makes American Vampire Second Cycle so utterly compelling from cover to cover.

Talking of covers, wow oh wow! Rafael Albuquerque’s crazy Vampire monkey cover is awesome, and it gives you a tantalising glimpse of the fabulous artwork from Albuquerque that awaits you inside this issue. The hauntingly bleak scenes at the gas station in Arizona really set the mood, before we join Skinner and the rest of the team for our first look at the Titan II rocket. There are some particularly nightmarish moments for Pearl as well, there’s also Skinner’s ongoing struggle with the infection, and Rafael Albuquerque masterfully splices these hellish visions and grotesque monstrosities to form a violently dark and twisted shock twist. The colors by Dave McCaig are also excellent throughout, and bring a rich clarity to every scene.

The issue closes with a stunning confrontation, the revulsion of the sixth breed, and a sweetly horrific cliff-hanger that will have you on the edge of your seat. Strap yourself in for one hell of a ride because American Vampire Second Cycle #7 is a terrific issue, and Snyder, Albuquerque, and McCaig have really excelled themselves with this one!

Follow @paul_bowler

American Vampire Second Cycle #5 Review

Tags

American Vampire, American Vampire Second Cycle #5, David Mccaig, Matias Bergara, Rafael Albuquerque, Scott Snyder, the Vassalas of the Morningstar, Vampires, Vertigo Comics

American Vampire Second Cycle #5

Review by Paul Bowler

The California Gold Rush saw thousands migrate west in hope of striking it rich. One poor unfortunate miner’s quest to make his fortune uncovers a horror unbound in Nevada, at a mining operation, where something ancient and evil has awakened. The miner’s journal survived, passing through many hands over the generations until it finally came into the possession of a Mr Gene Bunting, the west coast bookkeeper of the Vassalas of the Morningstar, the ancient clandestine organisation dedicated to the destruction of all manner of dark abominations. Now in 1954 Gene Bunting’s desire to uncover the truth behind the story held within those dusty linen pages of the journal has brought him to the Nevada desert, where untold horrors await at the Royal Forkes drift claim…

American Vampire #5 is a one-shot story in this critically acclaimed Vertigo series written by #1 New York Times best-selling writer Scott Snyder, featuring brilliant artwork from rising star Matias Bergara, that brings us ever closer to the mystery of the ancient evil that reunited Pearl Jones and Skinner Sweet to face the menace of the mysterious Grey Trader. Ever since Skinner recalled his terrifying experience about what happened to him and the bus of vampire refugees to Pearl in American Vampire Second Cycle #3, where Skinner described how he managed to escape from the hellish depths of an old mine shaft, the mystery and lurking dread of this moment has lingered unexplained, until now in American Vampire Second Cycle #5, as the sinister legacy of the event that chilled even Skinner Sweet to the bone is finally revealed.

The Miner’s Journal is a wonderfully dark and macabre story by Scott Snyder. Even though it’s classed as a one-shot story, this untold tale offers a new insight into the events we’ve already seen in Second Cycle, and the way Snyder weaves this issues story into the ongoing narrative of the series and its characters is fiendishly clever. Gene Bunting’s trek into the Nevada desert in search of the old mining project, the Royal Forkes drift claim mentioned in the pages on the journal he has acquired, takes him to a lonely gas station, where an old woman gives him directions, until Bunting finally arrives at the site to begin his search. I really like how we also learn how the journal has taken its own journey, heightening the brooding air of menace even further, while Snyder keeps us hanging on every word as the pages turn and history divulges its dark secrets.

Indeed, the story within the journal itself is exquisitely macabre, beginning with the blind optimism of youth and friendship, before hope gradually melts away, and the creeping horror of the situation begins to sink in. Dodger and Seb are beautiful written characters, even though we glean only scant knowledge about them, Scott Synder makes them seem totally real and believable, so as the final pages of the journal unfold you not only feel that you know them, you’ve completely invested every ounce of your imagination to their horrendous fate.

The art by Matias Bergara for this one-shot issue of American Vampire Second Cycle is excellent, which together with David McCaig intricate colors and letters by Steve Wands, ensures this issue is one that you will want to read and enjoy many times over simply to savour the intricacies of the story that Snyder has so masterfully constructed. From its bleak opening moments in the desert, where you’d swear you can almost hear the dusty wind billowing around the creaky rundown gas station, to the beautifully crafted pages of the ancient journal, and right through to Bunting’s descent to the cavernous depths of Royal Forkes, Matias Bergara’s art is stunning and he captures the tone and style of Snyder’s and Albuquerque’s vampire series perfectly.

With its gorgeous cover by Rafael Albuquerque, spellbinding half prose story and art from Snyder and Bergara, American Vampire Second Cycle #5 is a master class in horror, frightening, intense, and utterly compelling from beginning to end, brilliant!

Follow @paul_bowler

 

American Vampire Second Cycle #3 Review

Tags

American Vampire, American Vampire Second Cycle #3, DC Comics, Pearl Jones, Rafael Albuquerque, Scott Snyder, Skinner Sweet, The Grey Trader, Vampires, Vertigo

 

American Vampire Second Cycle #3

Review by Paul Bowler

The threat of the Grey Trader grows ever nearer in American Vampire Second Cycle #3 as evil forces begin to rise. Having enlisted Calvin’s help to investigate the mystery surrounding the Grey Trader, Pearl Jones learns some horrifying truths about this ancient evil. When Pearl receives a dire warning from Calvin before he is attacked, Pearl is shocked when the newest arrival at her sanctuary for Vampires, a young girl called May, undergoes a horrific transformation. After his experience on a rain swept night near the Texas / Mexico border, Skinner Sweet must now confront his demons, figuratively and literally, a horror unlike anything he has ever faced before.

The smash hit Vertigo series American Vampire Second Cycle continues as Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque heighten the mystery surrounding the Grey Trader. Ancient, powerful, and steeped in the history of the world itself, the Trader has his own nefarious agenda, one that will encompass this blood soaked Vampire sagas move into the 1960’s, as fate conspires to bring Skinner Sweet and Pearl Jones together again.

These are dark times for the Vassals, the Signal Man has issued his warning, even the merest mention of the Grey Trader was enough to strike Calvin with fear last issue, and his subsequent investigation saw him attacked in his hotel room as he called Pearl to warn her. If you thought the blood curdling terror of that brief telephone call was nerve jangling, with its tantalising mention of the original infection, then what follows that conversation in the pages of American Vampire #3 will enhance the brooding atmosphere further still as it hacks and slashes its way into the darkest recesses of your imagination.

Now dark forces are coming that threaten them all, and Pearl must do everything in her power to protect her young charges after young May succumbs to her infected bite and metamorphoses into a hulking abomination. Scott Snyder masterfully builds the tension from scene to scene, as the creatures devastating strength proves too much for even Pearl to handle. Her flight from the farmhouse with the children is nail biting stuff, leading to a frenetic chase to the fields that culminates with brutal violence and heartbreaking tragedy.

American Vampire Second Cycle #3 is a fantastic looking book, the art by Rafael Albuquerque is absolutely stunning, and instantly transports you into the nightmarish situations that Calvin and Pearl have to face. Albuquerque delivers one of his most terrifying creations yet; a lumbering monstrosity with gaping maws of teeth, and the sheer power and ferocity of the creature Pearl is confronted with in her own home genuinely unnerving. Dave McCaig’s colors are a perfect complement to Albuquerque’s art, with moody shadowy tones to accentuate the suspense and vivid splashes of crimson and orange to punctuate the horror and violence.

Skinner Sweet’s return is fittingly blood soaked, however, it is the fantastic splash pages which reveals the events that transpired after Skinner stumbled upon the bus full of Vampire refugees, and the terrible things he witnessed, that will stay with you long after you’ve finished this issue. Rafael Albuquerque’s art in these scenes will simply blow you away, as we follow Skinner’s journey , plummeting into the screaming depths of a place so unimaginable it will claw against the inside of your skull like gnarled fingers down a blackboard.

American Vampire Second Cycle #3 is a master class in horror and suspense from Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque, this issue is packed with standout moments, it delivers the long awaited, if brief, reunion we’ve been waiting for, and the closing moments will send a chill down you spine with its sublime twist of terror.

 Follow @paul_bowler

 

 

 

American Vampire Second Cycle #1

Tags

American Vampire, American Vampire Second Cycle #1, Pearl Jones, Rafael Albuquerque, Scott Snyder, Skinner Sweet, The Grey Trader, Vertigo

American Vampire Second Cycle #1

Review by Paul Bowler

American Vampire Second Cycle #1 marks the return of the Eisner-Award winning, and critically acclaimed series by #1 New York Times best-selling writer Scott Snyder (Batman, Superman Unchained, The Wake) and acclaimed artist Rafael Albuquerque (Animal Man), as they move their blood drenched vampire saga into the 1960’s

Pearl Jones is an entirely new type of vampire, part of an American breed; their kind can walk in the sun and have rattlesnake fangs. Stunningly beautiful, and immeasurably powerful, Pearl is also hiding from her tragic past… Skinner Sweets is also an American vampire, the first of his kind, ruthless to his enemies and bad to the bone.  He is also Pearl’s maker, now he’s going to Mexico, and has plans of his own…

American Vampire Second Cycle follows their dark paths, will fate bring them together again, or will they remain separated forever? And just who is the new villain waiting for them on the horizon, a being more vicious and evil than anything we’ve ever seen in American Vampire before? Who is this Grey Trader, a storm of conflict is brewing in his wake, and what exactly will his arrival mean for Skinner and Pearl?

The hit Vertigo series American Vampire returns after a year in hiatus, with American Vampire Second Cycle #1, which picks up where Pearl has returned to her family’s farm after Henry’s death and is coming to terms with her grief. She is also looking after lost children at her house, but protecting them will not be easy, especially now The Grey Trader has taken up the hunt. Skinner was once an outlaw in the days of the old-west, now he is trying to recreate his former life as a mercenary, riding a chopper as he travels the lonely highways.

The wait since American Vampire #34 in January last year, when the Vertigo title went on hiatus to allow Snyder to concentrate on his acclaimed run on Batman, Superman Unchained, and the launch of The Wake, has left us eagerly awaiting the return of this landmark series. Now American Vampire Second Cycle #1 is finally with us. Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque continue to build on the epic scope and scale of their vampire saga with Second Cycle, exploring the conflicts affecting the vampire world, while expanding the mythology of the series.

After galloping through a chilling flashback that take us to the Mexican Territory of Arizona in 1881, American Vampire Second Cycle #1 reunites us with Pearl Jones on her family farm in Kansas 1965, where she returned after Henry’s death. Pearl has turned her parent’s home into a sanctuary for vampires seeking refuge, where she helps them to relocate and start over. The newest arrival, a young girl called May, is quickly welcomed by Pearl. We are also introduced to the other children that Pearl has taken in, a very eclectic and intriguing mix of vampire species.  However, as Pearl begins researching the girls species, May delivers a sinister warning to Pearl about a new, and even deadlier evil.

Skinner Sweet is currently terrorizing the Texas / Mexico border, stalking the highways on a chopper, dealing out death and mayhem in equal measure. Skinner has made his home in a  train car, a hideout that he helped create long ago, burred out in the middle of the desert where it is perfectly suited to his role as a bandit on the border. Skinner is now more aware of the longevity of his existence than ever before, and as the world has changed around him, he doesn’t seem able to find quite the same fulfilment as he used to. But soon Skinner finds himself facing a new threat, when an ambush on a storm drenched night leads him to a fateful encounter.

It’s interesting to see the paths Skinner and Pearl have taken. In term of the series timeline, nearly ten years have passed, and both of them have in a sense gone home – back to places in their former lives to forge new roles for themselves. They are each seeking out a meaning and purpose in their unead lives, but its clear right from the outset that big upheavals are on the horizon now The Grey Trader is coming. This new villain is undoubtedly one of the most powerful we have seen in the series so far, ancient and deadly, the Trader seems engrained within the very fabric of history itself, and he soon begins to make his presence felt.

The art for American Vampire Second Cycle by Rafael Albuquerque is stunning. From the opening scenes, Albuquerque’s artwork sweeps you along with the break-neck pace of Snyder’s narrative, switching seamlessly between characters and time zones with every turn of the page. Two exceptionally detailed splash pages bring us right up to date with the paths that Skinner and Peal have taken since we last saw them. Rafael Albuquerque brings a fluid clarity to these intricately structured scenes, highlighting key points where Scott Snyder has skilfully weaved in numerous references for the series fans while also making the recaps accessible to new readers.

The chase between Skinner and the truck is another stand out moment, where the “sugar man” closes in on his quarry, culminating in a brutal and explosively bloodthirsty showdown on the deserted highway. Dave McCaig’s colors complements Albuquerque’s art perfectly: the dusky orange hues surrounding Pearl’s farm are wonderfully evocative, the aforementioned highway chase swirls in haze of heat and dust, giving way to darker moments of reflection, before the cold blue tones of a rain swept climax envelopes you in the coming storm.

American Vampire Second Cycle #1 is a fantastic start to this new chapter in Scott Snyder’s renowned vampire opus. This promises to be one of the most exciting storylines so far, with a building scene of foreboding, it looks set to push the boundaries of the series like never before. Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque have excelled themselves with American Vampire Second Cycle #1, fans of the series will be delighted with his brilliant first issue, and it also serves as an excellent jumping on point for those checking out the series for the first time.

Follow @paul_bowler

Sandman Overture #1 Review

Tags

JH Williams III, Morpheus, Neil Gaiman, Sandman, Sandman Overture, Sandman Overture #1, Vertigo

Sandman Overture #1

Review by Paul Bowler

It has been twenty five years since The Sandman changed the world of modern comics, now best selling writer Neil Gaiman’s fabled series has finally returned, with the stunning prequel: Sandman Overture, which tells the events leading up to Morpheus’ capture by an occultist at the start of the Sandman series. This incredible six issue mini-series by the legendary Neil Gaiman marks the return to the series that made him famous. Sandman Overture also features the stunning artwork of award winning artist JH Williams III, whose lavish imagery provides a suitably epic vista for the Sandman’s origin. Sandman Overture will feature cameos by many popular characters, including The Corinthian, Merv, Pumpkinhead, and Morpheus’ siblings Death, Despair, Desire, Delirium, Destruction, and Destiny, in a story revealing how the Dream King could be captured as we discover the untold secrets of the Endless…

Sandman Overture #1 takes us to a distant star system, where a tiny world with two moons and its three distinct species, of furred humanoids, swarming insects, and delicate plant life with the most beautiful minds of all live as one. The harmonious dreams of one of one plants unfurls like its petals to welcome that which it has never encountered before, a visitor who is soon consumed by a tragic fate, one that ripples out across the dreamscape…

As the Corinthian stalks a new victim in London 1915, Destiny studies the pages of the universe he carries. Turning a page the rarest of events occur, Destiny summons his sister, Death, as he walks his gallery, even though he does not know why, Death knows the events of a hundred galaxies away heralds a dark turn of events for Dream.

George Portcullis has the strangest recurring dream, he manages an office in London for a man he has never met, but one day his master finally arrives, Morpheus the Dream King, and he is expecting a visitor, the Corinthian. Displeased with the Corinthian’s conduct, Morpheus prepares to pass judgment on his creation, but the Dream King is suddenly compelled to leave by a strange calling he has never experienced before…

Sandman Overture #1 is everything we could have hoped for and more. Neil Gaiman’s long awaited return to the Sandman universe brings us an unimaginable box of delight to enjoy, with its grand scope and scale, intricate storyline, and wonderful characters you are immediately immersed in the sheer majesty and dark splendour of the Dream Kings world. The opening events in a distant galaxy masterfully draws your into the story, which quickly branches out to encompass the Corinthian’s sinister ploy to ensnare his next hapless victim, while the pages of the cosmos splay out before Destiny as he summons Death who in turn seeks council from her brother. We join Morpheus as he arrives at his London office within the dream of George Portcullis. In his meeting with the Corinthian, the Dream King voices his displeasure at how the Corinthian has defiled the laws set by Council of the First Circle.

However, before Morpheus can act, he is summoned away by unknown forces. Resisting for a time at least, the Dream King returns to his castle, where he is greeted by Lucien. As he dresses for battle, Morpheus is puzzled when Lucien asks if he is coming back. Morpheus’ reply to the question is cut short, as he is suddenly taken away, pulled across the cosmos, where he finds he is not the only one compelled to answer this strange calling.

The art by JH Williams III is simply stunning, every page is a glorious wide screen landscape, with exotic alien worlds, an uncanny glimpse into the pages of Destiny’s book against the gleaming expanse of the universe, to Morpheus’ dark London office and the wonder of his castle, Sandman Overture #1 surrounds and binds you within the rich tapestry of the Sandman’s mythology. The chilling POV from the Corinthian’s perspective are a macabre delight, alien’s worlds are rich and teeming with strange life forms, and Morpheus’ and his siblings look regal and magnificent. The colors by Dave Stewart complete these beautifully rendered scenes, with the striking pallet used for the alien world gradually giving way to the  swirling hues of Destiny’s realm, before plunging into the monochrome tones of Morpheus’ office that slowly warm with color as he arrives. Todd Klein’s letters complete the seamless blend of fantasy and reality, fusing perfectly with JH Williams’s art, entwining us with Neil Gaiman’s exquisite narrative to make this wondrous issue complete.

Sandman Overture #1 is the beginning of this 6 issue, bimonthly miniseries. By the time you reach the final page of this first issue you will be absolutely captivated by Neil Gaiman’s Sandman Overture. This book feels as if your are welcoming back an old friend, everything is familiar, but it also possesses a vibrancy and freshness of a treasured memory.

With its incredible double page interior artwork; choice of covers by JH Williams and Dave McKean, this release by Vertigo Comics is a superb return to the world of Neil Gaiman’s acclaimed comic book series.

American Vampire The Long Road To Hell : Review

Tags

American Vampire, American Vampire The Long Raod To Hell, Rafael Albuquerque, Scott Snyder, Travis Kidd, Vertigo

American Vampire

The Long Road to Hell

Review by Paul Bowler

Although the critically acclaimed American Vampire ongoing series by Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque is still on hiatus at the moment, this week our thirst for blood is sated a little as Vertigo release American Vampire: The Long Road to Hell, a one-shot special by co-writers Snyder and Albuquerque, with art by Rafael Albuquerque. This eagerly awaited release has a striking cover by Albuquerque, and a variant cover is also provided by Tony Moore.

American Vampire: The Long Road to Hell also marks the return of fan-favourite Vampire Hunter Travis Kidd, who was introduced during the Death Race story arc. Travis Kidd was a character who not only hunted down Vampires, he also chose to “bite them back”, by equipping himself with a set of wooden Vampire teeth.

This special issue sees Travis Kidd hunting down the Heartbreak Killers, two young lovers who have just been turned into Vampires. They have stolen a car and taken to the open road, fleeing across the heartland with a pack of Vampires hot on their tails, while they desperately try to fight the bloodsucking thirst that threaten to consume them. They befriend a young boy from an orphanage, who is searching for the father he’s never met, and he joins them on their journey to Vegas. With time running out, Travis Kidd must find them before their young lives end in a terrible tragedy.

The hiatus for American Vampire enabled Albuquerque to have plenty of lead-time to write and draw The Long Road to Hell. In developing something outside the main storyline, it gave Albuquerque the chance to explore some new characters in a love story engorged with violence and blood, as well as the welcome return of Travis Kidd. The Death Race arc ended with Kidd armed to the teeth and breaking down the door of a coven to fight over twenty vampires. Travis ends up playing a very different role in The Long Road to Hell, he has never been portrayed quite like this before, and it offers a new insight into this popular character.

The Long Road to Hell introduces us to Billy Bob and Jolene, two love struck teenage thieves who plan to get married one day on their ill gotten gains, but a fateful attack by a group of Vampires in Nebraska in 1959 changes their lives forever. After being transformed into Vampires they go on the run from Oscar Brood and his gang, stealing the ring he uses to maintain control over his coven, before embarking on a blood-soaked crime spree. Having learned that a cure may exist in Vegas, they set out to find this mysterious initiative, but they are unable to resist their growing thirst for blood. They quickly gain notoriety as Heartbreak Killers, feeding whenever they can as they make their way to Vegas in the hope of finding the cure. After stopping for gas Billy Bob and Jolene meet Jasper, a boy with a special gift, he helps them and they in turn promise to take him to Vegas to find his father. But the long journey begins to take its toll on Billy Bob and Jolene. They struggle to cope with the horror of what they have become, enduring agony and torment while desperately trying to resist the bloodsucking urges within them. Fortunately Jasper has a special knack of finding “bad people”, and he uses it to find people for them to feed on, but even this is unable to quell their hunger for long.

Now as they drive across the heartland Billy Bob and Jolene find they are being pursued by Oscar Brood and his savage pack of Vampires, time is running out and now the rockabilly Vampire Hunter called Travis Kidd has set his sights on the Heartbreak Killers. The Long Road to Hell ends in Vegas where Billy Bob and Jolene must resist the terrible thirst that drives them, or risk losing their last hope of salvation forever.

Rafael Albuquerque has created an enthralling tale that captivates your senses from the very first page, as he sends the lives of the young pick-pockets Billy Bob and Jolene spiralling into the empty abyss of despair, leaving their hopes and dreams of a better life shattered beyond all recognition after their induction as Vampires. Essentially a love story, The Long Road to Hell provides a fantastic adventure for fans to enjoy as well as offering a blood spattered introduction to the world of American Vampire for new readers.

Rafael Albuquerque serves up a fascinating cast of characters, each with their own tragic story to tell, which gives them all some small shred of hope to cling onto. Billy Bob and Jolene are a pair of lovable rogues, their dreams of getting marries are blighted when they are turned into Vampires. Their struggle to cope with their bloodlust is heartbreaking, but they manage to find a kindred spirit of sorts in Jasper, who uses his unique abilities to help them. There is a subliminal moment where Jasper meets Jolene for the first time, he is like a bright beacon of light for her, and later when they talk in the motel she opens up to Jasper about a particularly dark time in her life.

A headline in a newspaper catches the eye of Travis Kidd in a shadowy motel room, heralding the return of everyone’s favourite badass Vampire Slayer. This is where the story really begins to sink its teeth into you, the action never letting up for a moment as Travis Kidd’s blood smeared katana cuts a swathe through all who stand in his way.

Back in 2011, Scott Snyder started to list artist Rafael Albuquerque as “co-creator” for American Vampire, in recognition of his significant contribution to the hugely successful Vertigo comic series. Now with this giant-sized special, Snyder has given Albuquerque the opportunity to write The Long Road to Hell. This is Rafael Albuquerque’s first foray into writing for Vertigo, offering the Brazilian artist a perfect opportunity to bring a new take on the AV universe, as well as introducing some new characters and the return of Vampire Hunter Travis Kidd. Albuquerque first became noticed for his work in American comics with Boom! Studios, and then later with Blue Beetle for DC, before receiving critical acclaim following the release of his Oni series Mondo Urbano (created with studio mates Mateus Santolouco and Eduardo Medeiros) in 2010 and starting on American Vampire.

The Long Road to Hell takes place in the 50’s, the same decade in which the most recent storylines, Death Race and The Blacklist, were set. In doing so, Albuquerque not only recaptures the essence of these stories, he also maintains the individual tone and style of each decade of American Vampire. Its fantastic how Rafael Albuquerque’s art brings the 50’s to life, every page is sumptuous to behold, and Dave McCaig’s colors shift dramatically as the story grows increasingly darker as it hurtles towards its bitter sweet ending.

Rafael Albuquerque has excelled himself with American Vampire: The Long Road to Hell, this is brilliant addition to the series, and his skills as both storyteller and artist are phenomenal. Although we may have a while to go as yet before American Vampire returns in earnest, this one shot by Albuquerque more than makes up for it, and I hope that The Long Road to Hell is just the first of many writing contributions that he will make to this remarkable series.