Vampirella #5: Antihistamine is Love

For those wondering for what purpose did this latest Vampirella series exist, look no further than issue #5. Pulling in the villains of her past and expectations of how to live on Earth, we finally find a strong direction established by the issue’s end.

That direction unfortunately comes at the cost of Vampirella’s prominence in the story however. Within all of the moving pieces, Vampirella #5 seems to lose track of the main character herself. I understand there is a lot to explore and develop, but anytime the protagonist feels like a secondary character in their own series, I have to have some apprehension.

That doesn’t mean Vampirella #5 is a bad issue, the introduction of Nyx is a remarkable event that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Especially when considering the newly returned Vengeance of Vampirella series that features Nyx after she felled Vampirella and laid claim to Earth. Her involvement in this series can only mean serious danger ahead. I also know Priest oftentimes plays more towards the long game with his writing, so it’s important to understand where we are at within the story and what it intends to achieve.

The excitement that comes with this reveal is the real star of the issue though. While the visuals remain strong, the plot work really doesn’t allow that many opportunities to shine. Still, the few moments with Vampirella we do get are as stunning as ever. Ergun Gunduz is doing some really solid work handling so many aspects of the art.

For those following this new series, this will be a turning point that really kicks events into motion. New readers will most likely want to go back a few issues to catch up because it looks like everything is about to really start picking up, which is a great thing. Hopefully the next issues can reestablish a central focus and run with this interesting story in a way that feels organic, because there is potential here!