Inhuman #9

Writer – Charles Soule
Artist – Ryan Stegman
Colours – Richard Isanove

Things are happening on two fronts for the Inhumans.  In Attilan, Queen Medusa, affected by the incursion spell, is a different person than anyone is used to and she has decided to become more pro-active in her dealings with the human race.  At Ennilux, Reader has turned Xiaoyi over to his masters without fully realizing just what they had in mind and it seems these Nuhumans are going to be in for a fight.  Charles Soule begins this second arc with a bit of a bang and it should be extremely interesting going forward, especially with Medusa’s personality change.  While Medusa has always been a strong woman, she is even more so now with all of her aggression at the forefront and seeing her as such shows that she could be a match for more than any hero who chooses to confront her.  Ennilux is a fascinating concept for the Inhuman race, a group that runs like the mob, and one that does so through deception and lies as well as indecent practices.  There is a fair amount of action in the issue which keeps things moving along and Ryan Stegman’s pencils look as great as ever.  One of the things that this title has carried on since its inception is having some of the best pencillers in the business to illustrate its pages and it is good to see it continuing on with Stegman returning to the book.  With Medusa’s new direction and directive’s it should only be a matter of time before the Marvel Universe at large becomes involved in the business of the Inhumans and they are brought to the forefront.

4 out of 5

Vampirella #7

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

There is a bit of a vampire pandemic going on down in Brazil and it is up to Vampirella to head down there and put a stop to it and the legendary Dr. Faustus.  Another great issue from Nancy A. Collins and Patrick Berkenkotter continue to take Vampirella in exciting new directions especially as she is now the Queen of the Nosferatu.  While Vampirella might have her hands full dealing with her new nation, she is now summoned to see Madame Evily, the director of the Kabal.  She also wants Vampirella to become a member.  The Kabal is another interesting concept put forward in the book that also explores the monster side of things in this universe.  After going through all she did to rid herself of the Lady of Shadows, Vampirella soon learns that there is a group of like-minded creatures who do not want the world to end and they work in secret to prevent that.  Collins, in her short time on the book has really rejuvenated Vampirella and her world for the year we find ourselves in and it has energized this title and the character to say the least.  Before this, Vampirella was getting a little boring, for years in fact.  Her tales were fun and it was not as if they were written or drawn badly, but Vampirella was getting stale and she needed something to liven her up and thanks to Berkenkotter and Collins that has happened.  Vampirella is now a title that is eagerly anticipated each and every month and it has been a while since anyone could actually say that.

4 out of 5