Vampirella receives news of the passing of an old foe and receives an invite to their estate to hear the will and testament that was left behind at their request. Aided by her friend Hattie, Vampirella attends the Manor in Rookhaven where she is met by some of the attendees, chief among them, Mr Frey. Why is Vampirella on the will of Baldassarre Fechin? Who is out for Vampirella?
Sara Frazetta and co-writer Bob Freeman, weave a tale that is centered on legacy and what’s left behind for those among the living. There is genuine urgency to tell a Vampirella tale that shows love and appreciation for the character, and her interwoven ties to Frank Frazetta’s contribution to that legacy of the character. As for the story itself, it’s an investigation that lures Vampirella into the throws of an old foe, whose motivations are unclear and could very well be a trap for her. It’s an interesting setup having Fechin, an old foe of Vampirella’s, leave behind a will for his own enemy. It sets up a lot of questions and interest as to where the story will go and how the execution will land. Frazetta and Freeman set up a fun mystery that is standalone and doesn’t require any prerequisites to get into this mini-series full of supernatural thrills and mystery. There is a section in the book that comments on the parallels of magic and art, and it lends itself to some of the themes contained in this issue.
Alberto Locatelli illustrates this book and is a perfect choice to contribute art to this particular Vampirella mini-series. His ink-wash art style adds a certain charm to the story that is visually beautiful to look at. Accompanied by Tom Napolitano’s stylistic lettering and The Brewing Factory’s minimalistic color choices, Vampirella: Dead Flowers has an evergreen feel that is worthy of having in one’s library of stories to reread for the seasons. While it remains to be seen how this series will play out, it is off to a promising start and anyone that is a Vampirella fan, a Frazetta fan, or someone that wants to get into Vampirella, this is one to add to your pull list.
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