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Review: I, Vampire #16

By | February 1st, 2013
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“I, Vampire” was recently dealt some major blows with the loss of artist Andrea Sorrentino and a cancellation notice. Can Fialkov make the best of a crummy situation and continue to tell great stories? The short answer is yes, he can.

Written by Joshua Hale Fialkov
Illustrated by Scott Clark

• The true origin of vampires in The New 52 is revealed here through the life and times of Cain!
• Andrew’s plans as King of Vampires are coming together, and that’s not good for humanity.

“I, Vampire” is a series that has never been afraid to do the unexpected. In its short run we’ve seen protagonist Andrew Bennett go from noble vampire, to messianic figure, to the series’ main antagonist. The current status quo is essentially a mirror of where things were nearly a year ago. The ability to turn on a dime while dealing with issues like the innate capacity for good and evil inside each one of us is absolutely fascinating, and a big reason this book has gotten the attention it has.

Things are beginning to come to a head as Mary, Professor Troughton, and Debbie learn about the origin of Andrew’s sire, Cain. Under Fialkov’s pen, Mary, Queen of Blood no longer, is a fantastic character to read. While she doesn’t get as much time to shine in this issue, Fialkov still manages to give her a few great lines. The glimpses of Cain’s back story are pretty predictable and frankly, a little dull, which causes this “good guy” side of the story to drag considerably. Also, if Cain is supposed to be the literal Cain of Genesis (as has been implied, but not confirmed), shouldn’t he be a little less…Caucasian? An appearance by DC’s most interesting mage gets things moving once again, and we’re left with the impression that there’s more to Cain than is being let on.

On the flip side of the coin, we have the story of the last vampires, Andrew, Tig, and Charles, as they continue their assault on the Van Helsings. This section is far more interesting, as the trio search for a mysterious artifact of Biblical proportions. Andrew clearly has a master plan, and watching the pieces slowly fall into place keeps interest high. While Andrew and Tig have been well fleshed out over the course of the series, Charles is still rather underdeveloped. It’s unfortunate that this “Anti-Constantine” might not get the same attention other characters have received, due to his late introduction and the series’ impending end. He’s a great addition to the cast, and Fialkov has expressed that he has further plans for him and Tig, so maybe we’ll see more of Charles outside of “I, Vampire.”

As great as Fialkov’s writing is, it’s arguable that it’s Andrea Sorrentino’s art that truly drove this book to greatness over the course of its first year. This is all the more evident in his absence, as there’s clearly something special missing from this issue. That isn’t to say Scott Clark’s art is sup-par by any means. His flashback scenes with Cain hearken back to similar ones drawn by Sorrentino previously in the series. When viewed close up, his characters are extremely detailed, with lines marking their skin and textures drawn into their clothing, giving everything a life of its own. When the camera pulls back, the art does becomes a bit more mundane, as the characters loose focus and the bare backgrounds are exposed.

Clark receives assists from several artists on this issue, including pencils from Fernando Blanco and Szymon Kudranski, and inks by Dave Beaty. Dave Beaty’s inks compliment Clark’s pencils, giving everything a smooth and ethereal feel that is a lot closer to the series’ normal look. Blanco and Kudranski’s styles, however, are a far cry from Clark’s. Blanco’s work is rougher and less detailed, making his section look rushed compared to the rest of the issue. Kudranski’s style looks like a digitally augmented animé, and his two pages stick out like a sore thumb. The fact that Blanco’s, Kudranski, and Beaty’s pages are scattered randomly throughout the issue means the art feels very disjointed, never able to settle on a particular style, although series colorist Marcelo Maiolo does an admirable job in attempting to give the book a unified feel. In many instances, characters look a certain way on one page and then appear very differently on the next. This hurts Fialkov’s ability to convey the story, and is a huge disappointment for a book that until recently has had a very distinct visual style.

Like most of the books in DC’s “Dark” line, “I, Vampire” is telling a refreshingly unique story that is unfortunately very under-appreciated. As the tension continues to rise and the story builds to its eventual climax, now is definitely not the time to jump ship. Art issues aside, this remains one of the New 52’s very best.

Final Verdict: 7.5 – Keep buying this book while you can, you’ll miss it once it’s gone.


Zach Wilkerson

Zach Wilkerson, part of the DC3 trinity, still writes about comics sometimes. He would probably rather be reading manga or thinking about Kingdom Hearts. For more on those things, follow him on Twitter @TheWilkofZ

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