Review: American Vampire 2nd Cycle #10
Astrophysics major with an obsession for comics, tv, movies and books, so please tell me how wrong I am
Vampires in space. Need I say more? Scott Snyder’s American Vampire epic from Vertigo Comics is still chugging along, and it’s great to be along for the ride. Read more here in our ComiConverse review.
American Vampire has seemed to fall off the radar for a lot of comics readers in 2015, but Scott Snyder/Rafael Albuquerque’s book is still a compelling read, and I give it a huge recommendation. Visually, it’s as good as ever, while the story still throws in a few curveballs to keep things interesting.
We find our heroes split up on two different missions, with the ladies Pearl and Felicia tasked to recover the Isakku (save-everyone weapon), while Skinner Sweet and Calvin Poole are making history as the first vampires to perform a spacewalk, in order to stop nuclear war of course.
The latter is a spectacle to watch unfold, as Albuquerque’s art speaks for itself and really conveys the amount of fun the artist is having with a no-gravity fight to the death against Russian 3rd Tier Carpathian Vampires (wait what?). Even though this scene is completely ludicrous, Snyder still grounds it with Skinner Sweet’s devilish attitude, having him state “So a billion f$$$ing stars out here, and ours is the only one they're allergic to?”
Meanwhile, Pearl and Felicia are realizing their futility at Area 51, after General Dizzy betrays them and forces the pair to escape in a bloody stampede. Albuquerque really shines during this escape, showcasing Pearl’s vicious nature and her willingness to kill/dismember. It was quite obvious that the General was going to backstab them, and this contributes to one of the minor issues with the current story arc, which is introducing characters that are clearly going to betray Pearl and her gang. It’s sometimes pretty blatant, but forgivable since there are so many wheels turning in the story.
The relationship between Calvin and Skinner is really the only glimmer of hope that we get to see throughout the whole issue, with Calvin choosing to save Skinner albeit him knowing that Skinner could transform into his uncontrollable tongue-self without his Gold I.V. drip. All of this turns out to be for nothing, when ground control head Bixby reveals he is working with the darkness all along (surprise), and strands the two up in space a la Clooney/Bullock style. These panels really stand out visually; two American Astronaut Vampires drifting away together.
The good with Issue #10 is the writing between the characters, and the great is the artistic ingenuity. Second Cycle really conveys the love that Snyder has for his fanged children, and shows he is not finished with this universe yet. Little hints at things like The Council and The Ancients really keep this book interesting and making me want more. The universe that this pair has built is fantastic; starting in the 1800’s and moving through history, the reader really feels immersed in this world and it’s inhabitants.
Overall, Second Cycle has been a great read and is slowly unveiling the true faces that are hunting our heroes. The characters are in the direst of circumstances, and with previous issues exploring the nature of the “First Evil”, I can’t wait until we get more from the duo of Snyder and Albuquerque.
Let us know what you thought of the issue, and if you're excited for what's next!
AJ DeMare is a contributor to ComiConverse. Follow him on Twitter: @PermaTrashed
Very Good
Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque continue their vampire epic, with highs outweighing the lows in this issue.