Grayson #2

Writer – Tim Seeley, Tom King
Artist – Mikel Janin, Guillermo Ortego, Juan Castro
Colours – Jeremy Cox

It looks like Dick is not as insulated as the first issue would have had us believe as he has been covertly in touch with Batman.  Meanwhile Helena is teaching her students in a lesson when The Hood, another operative, crashes the party having been wounded.  Because of The Hood’s apparent failure, Mr. Minos, the Man with the Labyrinth Face sets Dick and Helena out on a job to recover another artifact.  Unlike the last mission they were on, this one ends with Dick not being overly satisfied with the outcome.  This issue was almost as good as the first, the only difference in not having the speed of last issue’s action sequences.  The book also felt different than the last, where the first issue was more Jason Bourne and this issue was more 1960’s British spy thriller.  It makes the book both interesting and compelling at the same time.  Mr. Minos is quite the intriguing character and just what he has in store for Dick and possibly the rest of the DC heroes remains to be seen, but it can be nothing good.  It is also great to see that Midnighter has a continuing presence in the book as well, having been foiled by Grayson in the past issue.  For now, he seems to run true to his character which is nice as many of the Wildstorm properties have not been treated as kind.  Beautiful artwork by Janin and company also grace the book once more and it helps to make Grayson one of the best new releases from DC in quite some time.

4 out of 5

Vampirella #3

Writer – Nancy A. Collins
Artist – Patrick Berkenkotter
Inker – Dennis Crisostomo
Colours – Jorge Sutil

So Vampirella is still fated to transform into Umbra, Lady of Shadows and sister to Chaos, if she cannot kill and consume the blood of some of her fellow vampires.  It just so happens that those vampires are going to be of the exceptionally tough kind.  The one she is hunting in this issue is called the Krasue, that when night falls, they abandon their bodies so that they are just a head and their entrails flying around while they sate their hunger.  This issue by Collins and Berkenkotter was particularly fun as Vampirella must team up with her nemesis, another vampire, to do what she needs to continue living and not become some sort of death god.  Collins injects some originality in the book with The Krasue.  Having a vampire look and act differently than others is exactly what is needed in vampire lore at the moment as much of it in the genre is carbon copied from one to the next.  In some respects, the book resembles American Vampire by having the different ‘breeds,’ which is a compliment, but Collins and Berkenkotter take it a step further with the design elements and it works perfectly.  A good, enjoyable issue that keeps the ball rolling on the latest reboot for our heroine.

4 out of 5