REVIEW: Vampirella No.24

Another enjoyable installment in Priests’ run of “Vampirella”. “Vampirella” No.24 is another excellent excursion into the Vampi-verse mythology. Yes, the plot of this arc plays out much like “Blade:Trinity”, but without the dated humor that was the primary reason that Ryan Reynold’s first foray in the Marvel Universe was almost universally panned (I still enjoy that flick though, where are all my Blade 3 ridaz at ?!?!?).

The plot here in number 24 builds up to the eventual end of Priests’ Vampi-run, tying up loose ends behind the FBI agent who-would-be Dracula, and explaining how Vampi fell in love with a little boy (prophecies in the Vampi-verse aren’t requited to age) through his sessions with how I would only want Brother Voodoo to appear in the future Marvel Universe, should he reclaim his rightful Sorcerer Supreme mantle.

The usual hotbeds of activity make a bevy of appearances as the Manson-like hunter of this would-be-Dracula traverses from Los Angeles to (groan) Atlanta. And in an exciting fashion to as this man, does what Manson only probably wished he could – traversing through portal after portal hot on the trail of both Vampi and her (what seems forced) love interest. There’s even an amazing sequence of police brutality here that would make Robocop blush, as LAPD lets loose on the elite degenerates that occupy the streets that are only a highway away from the hell-scape of Skid Row familiar a to native like myself. At least in the Vampiverse, California tax dollars are put to good use …

I am still at a loss as to how this Manson look-alike was able to conjure up portals, when Victory got some panel time and was able to give a thorough explanation as to her backstory, in a new one-piece outfit that gives any femme fatale on stands right now a run for their money! And the funny part is Victory is fully clothed with a cape – two things that don’t tend to fly well within the comics industry during the creation process of brand new characters. Gunduz & Graves oughta to get a medal for Victory’s re-design, as she’s even more of a standout than she was during her prominent appearances in “Sacred Six”, all it took was just just one page of this issue here and a new outfit to nearly blow all of that out the water! Biased journalism as this is, Victory will always be my favorite, but she is not the only familiar face for “Sacred Six” – heads: those crazy vampire teens make a reappearance and even Pantha gets some action for a few panels.

“Vampirella” No.24 doesn’t feel like the penultimate issue that it is, this Priest work can standalone in any comic book collection as a collectible or as a book that needs to be re-stapled because the mind-bending story inside could only be read over and over for years to come. A recurring theme with Priest and his associates as they continue to make the Vampi-verse proud.

SCORE : 5/5

(W) Christopher Priest (A) Ergun Gunduz (CA) Shannon Maer