The Good
For the past year, Joshua Hale Fialkov and Andrea Sorrentino have been giving us the adventures of Andrew Bennett and Mary, Queen of Blood. Despite the feeling that they've been slightly isolated from the rest of the DC Universe, we've had plenty of action and adventure dealing with vampires in a time when many are a little overloaded with the concept. Because they get to tell their own stories (with the occasional guest appearance from Batman or Justice League Dark), you never really know what's going to happen. Issue #12 comes in.
We do have a guest appearance here from members of Stormwatch. Even if you haven't been keeping up with them in the New 52, you can easily figure out what's going on. When they arrive, they find Andrew and friends in the midst of a humongous battle with "zombified versions of the Van Helsing vampire-killing cult." But with a bunch of vampires and zombies fighting, what will be Stormwatch's reaction and course of action? Fialkov delivers the outcome in a brilliant fashion.
Sorrentino kills it with each issue. He draws such a beautiful but frightening environment that would probably make you pee your pants if you had to be there. The muted colors by Marcelo Maiolo complement the art and when it's time for something to shine, you can bet it's going to stand out.
As for the story, there are game-changing issues (which we seem to have a lot this week) and then there's this one. Fialkov hasn't shied away from shaking things up and mixing up what's going on. This is one of those cases. It's enough to make you ask your comic, "Josh, what the heck are you doing?!?" but in a good way. Fialkov's writing will keep you on your toes as you can never be sure what is going to happen next.
The Bad
Nothing. I love this comic.
The Verdict
Have you been reading I, VAMPIRE? If not, I highly recommend you go back and pick up this issue up along with the previous eleven. You can jump in here and figure things out. Your excitement and enjoyment will be greatly enhanced if you have been following these characters. Fialkov and Sorrentino are carving out their own little dark corner of the DC Universe and it's been a great and trippy ride. Originally I had concerns over the lack of involvement by other characters in this title. We have seen some guest appearances and they've all fit in nicely. Where the book shines is the fact that you don't know what's going to happen. Fialkov has no qualms about shaking up the status quo and that's part of the fun. I, VAMPIRE is a comic that you will read out of pure enjoyment rather than out of a feeling of obligation. Head out to your local comic shop and have them add this book on your pull list. You'll thank me later.