Review: Vampirella vs The Superpowers #6 (of 6)

I am not sure what happened to this book. At one point it was one of my favourites, right up to the Red Sonja vs The Superpowers crossover, where things got a little messy, primarily due to some scheduling issues. I think that it is safe to paraphrase “with irregular scheduling, comes irregular reading and reviews.

For those not in the know, Vampi is on plural 1949. A plural is Dynamite’s version of the multiverse. Yes, the oft used idea of separate worlds, so like our but also so different continues to be mined. Anyways, on the run Vampi looks to have an audience with Governor Masters in an effort to combat the nefarious threat of Doctor Bloc. Master’s though has his own way of protecting the world and he doesn’t want the Powers asserting their authority.

Dan Abnett could be described as writing by the numbers this issue. There is some truth to that as all plots and subplots lead here; the magic is in the weaving. If you are coming into this series from this point, you have missed Abnett laying the table. As such, the “twist” may seem obvious, especially as there is a dialogue tick of Minority Report level that gives the game away. Still, Abnett’s writing is entertaining and seems to have given Vampi a more reflective tone as she is now part of a larger universe.

Given that art is subjective, Pasquale Qualano’s work could be seen as angular, quirky, disproportionate, all of which is correct, though there is one more adjective that applies, gorgeous! The art may not be as curvy as you may expect for a Vampi book; Qualano builds on his strengths, utilising the angular pencils to extend legs and frames. Qualano has the benefit of the traditional Vampi suit, with thigh high boots further add to her languid frame. Camera angles are used well to show a level of dynamism throughout the book which includes a hefty conversational element. The colors from Ellie Wright (whom I met at the recent Thought Bubble event are a lot darker than you may seen from her on the Rocketman and Rocket Girl book, which was a throwback to a brighter past. Letters are provided by Jeff Eckleberry whose fonts and word bubble placements do not affect the pace of the story. Finally, there are a raft of covers available; regular readers will know that by and large, I will always go for the Joseph Michael Linsner cover (see banner), this time around is no exception, though the Jae Lee A cover is equally splendid.

All in all, this is a satisfying conclusion to this series that seems to have been going on forever. What would you expect from a consummate professional such as Dan Abnett, who still leaves enough breadcrumbs for a follow up run or one-shot.

Writing – 3.5 Stars
Art – 5 Stars
Colors – 5 Stars

Overall – 4 Stars

Written by; Dan Abnett
Art by; Pasquale Qualano
Colors by; Ellie Wright
Letters by; Jeff Eckleberry
Published by; Dynamite Entertainment

Author Profile

Johnny "The Machine" Hughes

I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow

Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network