Vampire: The Masquerade, from Vault Comics, contains two concurrent stories that connect. The series, set in Minnesota, is based on the White Wolf Publishing RPG of the same name.
Winter’s Teeth, written by Tim Seeley, and illustrated by Devmalya Pramanik, (colour by Addison Duke) opens with Prince Samantha extolling upon the history of egg tempera, as a painting of the city undergoes its annual update. Cecily Bain, who works for Samantha, can cloud minds. Bain brings Alejandra, a young vampire, in under her protection, but things get complicated before the dawn feeding!
And complicated it is, for me and other first time readers. But the mood is spooky, the ideas original. The characters will ‘gel’ in time, as we get to know the dynamics and direction of the drama. Let’s just say that Seeley delivers strong characterization, and Pramanik can handle the dark, sooty underworld of the bits and bites of vampire life! Gestures, expressions, agony, and bloody good art.
The second story of the issue is The Anarch Tales, written by Tini Howard and Blake Howard, with art by Nathan Gooden (colours by Addison Duke).
Colleen Pendergrass is one of a group of Anarch vampires outside the city. Her ex-husband, Mitch, turned her into a vampire. Mitch now turns out to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, endangering Colleen and her friend! Colleen may be resistant to daylight, but not every vampire is!
The mood is murky and the colouring muted, as the night time drama unravels here. Gooden’s drawings are creepy enough, the figures are eternally hunched and uncomfortable. It all happens under the light of the subdued fully horrific moon.
Vault Comics, Vampire The Masquerade #2, $3.99 for 33 pages of content, plus prose. Mature
Newsdesk