I don’t know what it is about this book, but I really like it; so much so that I forgot that it was a Vampire book until I sat down do the review. There were some pacing problems with the first issue, but I contribute that to the first issue hill that all comics need to climb. This second issue is much smoother and although it hangs out in the past for most of the story, I personally didn’t mind since that was the part I enjoyed the most from the first. This issue begins in fencing class… I’m not sure why they fence, but they have a Vampyre class for fencing and they wear dark colors instead of white. Besides that, this scene is used to introduce us more to the supporting character Damien. He’s a gay vampire from Texas and that’s probably the strangest sentence I’ve ever typed in my life. The teacher pits him against his homophobic ex-roommate, Thor which is another strange sentence. Damien makes quick work of Thor and shows that his sexuality doesn’t stop him from slicing and dicing. Also were given the knowledge that you get to pick your Vampyre name, my first thought was hell yeah I want to be a Vampyre. I would go by Ace Danger Cabeal, but my initials and signature would be ACDC.
At any rate, Zoey gathers her friends to help her learn the next lesson from the Goddess Nyx, but Aphrodite has other thoughts. She’s still really sore about Zoey taking her leadership position on the Daughters of Darkness. Zoey can’t take it anymore and uses the wind to throw her in the courtyard fountain, which is funny but she regrets it instantly. She decides to learn about wind in the handbook as her actions seem to be an omen of sorts.
The story they tell is about a Celtic tribe that gets over taken by the Romans after their King dies. The tribe is ruled by the Queen, but the Romans don’t recognize her authority. They beat her and rape her two daughters in front of her. After that the tribe attacks the Romans, but a new invention sees the decimation of the tribe. The mother decides to kill herself with poison and asks the daughters to follow after her, but just as the mother finishes drinking a Vampyre shows up for the girls. He reveals the moon symbol on their heads, but is killed by the Romans shortly thereafter. The girls are captured and raped again, until breaking free one night. They must then survive a harsh journey to nearest House of Night to become full-fledge vampyres.
Don’t worry there is still plenty of story after that which I will leave for you to read. The story is very good and I really enjoyed the back and forth that the series has established so far. The flashback story does two things: it builds the world the series is set in including the school and Nyx, it teaches our character a lesson which then builds her character. There is a large group working on this story so I’ll just say that everyone has good chemistry when it comes to adapting this series into comic form. I can tell that the demographic is mostly women, but I think the story and the comic do a good job of introducing it to a male audience.
The art team of Joelle Jones and Joshua Covey is very solid. I’m not sure how the art is broken down, but it looks like one style for the present day story and one for the flashback. The two styles look very similar which gives the book a nice cohesion. The facial expressions were particularly good as they captured the torment of the young girls and everything that followed.
If you missed the first issue I have to ask why, because it was only a dollar? If you can still find it then pick it up, but otherwise Dark Horse is officially “day and date” digital today so you’ll be able to get the first and second issue on their app store (which is much improved). If you like print like me then pick it up as well, the story is progressing at a slow rate and the subtle recap within the narration will get you up to speed on everything from the first issue.
Score: 4/5
Writer: P.C. Cast, Kristin Cast, Kent Dalian Artists: Joelle Jones, Joshua Covey Publisher: Dark Horse Comics