Vampirella: Southern Gothic #1
Written by Nate Cosby
Pencils by Jose Luis
Inks by Nelson Pereira
Color by Inlight Studio
Letters by Marshall Dillon
Cover by Johnny Desjardins
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: August 14, 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

Everyone’s favorite skimpily-clad, sexpot vampire is back in a brand new comic book entitled Vampirella: Southern Gothic #1! She’s gone through a myriad of changes over the decades, but one thing always remains the same, Vampi continuously manages to kick the crap out of whatever she faces. And now, after so many adventures on this world and others, she finds herself in the deep south. Mississippi, to be exact…

Following a pretty awesome battle with a few dozen shoe-stealing demons, our heroine decides to take a break to heal from an especially nasty wound. As sleep becomes her primary focus, she is roused from her impending slumber by a call on her mobile phone. After a bit of a flashback, the reader is able to identify the caller as Jacob, a former lover who is in a bit of a pickle. Traveling by train (who travels by train these days? Badass vampires, that’s who), Vampirella arrives in Mississippi to find Jacob awaiting her with a story about a woman who has died under different names a total of 37 times (insert funny Kevin Smith/Clerks reference here). While making a pit stop for some breakfast, we finally find out the connection between Jacob and the multiple resurrected woman. I’m not going to spoil the story but he is definitely dedicated to the lady in question.

I like the concept here; it’s not new by any means, but it gets the ball rolling quicker than many other plots. Using a personal connection to bring the protagonist into the mix is a tried and true method of kickstarting a story. There are some original plot devices here from Nate Cosby that hopefully will become larger pieces as we go forward in the series, but since this first issue is really just the set up, we won’t know until later on. My biggest complaint this go around is the art, to be honest. Jose Luis does a passable job with most of the panels, but the lack of background in some of them isn’t making me a fan of his work. Some of the pages are gorgeous, but others aren’t even close. Just an observation, of course. But for a character who’s following relies heavily on how well she’s drawn, it might behoove someone to spend a bit more time on the artistic element in the comic.

It’s a decent book, just not one to make someone ooh and ahh. This is a shame, because this is a perfect jumping on point for new readers. A fresh start is to be had, if someone is dedicated enough to give this issue a chance. I’m kind of on the fence here. I love the character and I really like Dynamite Entertainment, but this book might fall under the radar for many folks. If you see it, flip it open and give it a read. It’s definitely in the “try before you buy” category. Consider yourself warned.