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Although Vampirella/Dracula: Unholy #1 can be awkward, at times, when it hits its stride it crafts some good, gory, and questionable sexy fun.
On the surface, it seems that being the husband of Vampirella — a sassy, gorgeous, and badass vampire who defends humanity — would be a dream. But life is anything but a dream in Vampirella/Dracula: Unholy #1. Picking up from the events of Vampirella #1, newlyweds Vampirella and her new husband Matt are spending their honeymoon by visiting Transylvania. The duo plans to locate Dracula’s castle and find a cure for Matt’s virus.
In Vampirella/Dracula: Unholy #1, Vampirella wants to be the best wife she can be. She’s determined to cure Matt at all costs. But the issue asks, Is Matt as innocent as he appears? Or, is there something darker about him that goes beyond the vampire virus? Vampirella digs deeper for answers as she realizes she might have entered into a honeymoon from Hell.
The first issue of the series, “Fistful of Dirt,” recaps Matt’s backstory and his life as Vampirella’s new husband. He first meets Vampirella as a seven-year-old, infected and hunted for reasons beyond his awareness. She becomes his protector and eventually his wife. This setup is a bit creepy, considering Vampirella is immortal, and Matt starts as her ward. More awkward is Matt’s reluctance and ambivalence to the situation. He goes along with everything because it’s his only way to rid himself of the virus and the dark destiny as Dracula’s successor.
However, Vampirella manages to remain sympathetic. She genuinely wants to save Matt. In flashbacks, it’s shown how she first used scientific methods to rid Matt of his disease before resorting to more “mystical” methods — including uniting in marriage. After all, only love can defeat evil, and their “honeymoon” consists of collecting soil from Transylvania. Fantastical setting and space vampires aside, this is a surprisingly sexless tale for a character famed for seductiveness and gleeful abandon.
In Vampirella/Dracula: Unholy #1, Vampirella and Matt have good dialogue and a rapport. Their snark elevates this unusual story from what could be embarrassing to darkly humorous. It helps that Vampirella is the same sexy, upbeat hero she always is and shows sensitivity and patience (with a subtle side of sarcasm) to her reluctant husband. As a continuation of a longer-running story, Vampirella/Dracula: Unholy #1 maintains continuity fairly well — though it could use a bit more Dracula.
Vampirella/Dracula: Unholy #1 doesn’t have the tightest writing, but this is a part of its charm. Vampirella mainstay writer Christopher Priest perfectly captures the campiness that makes the series so beloved. When it doesn’t take itself seriously, Vampirella/Dracula: Unholy #1 is good, gory, pulpy fun, hearkening back to the violently campy comics of the ’70s and ’80s. The issue’s cold open — courtesy of Matt’s nightmares — is especially fun. Matt dons his best Dracula impression, and of course, Vampirella provides her signature spooky brand of cheesecake pulp. There is plenty of humor to be had — from the witty, deadpan delivery of the characters to the silliness of the Transylvanian Dracula Castle funhouse.
The art style is raw, which adds to the comic’s appeal. Willie Schubert’s lettering adds to the fun, choosing a particularly fancy and monstrous font for (Dracula) Matt. The only downer is colorist Mohan’s subdued palette, brightened only with the spare pops of red, from Vampirella’s revealing iconic outfit to hilariously tacky billboards.
Vampirella/Dracula: Unholy #1 can read as awkwardly as the relationship between Matty and Vampirella. But when it hits its stride, it’s good, gory, and questionably sexy fun with two protagonists equal in wit and wildness. Plus, there’s the sweet promise of an appearance from Dracula, which will delight diehard Vampirella fans.
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