Review - Van Helsing: The Horror Beneath
From Zenescope Entertainment
New from Zenescope Entertainment this week is a new Van Helsing story - The Horror Beneath.
Liesel Van Helsing has spent the better part of her life hunting all types of monsters that have threatened the lives of innocents and the people she loved. But when a long-dormant evil returns from within someone she holds dear, Liesel must decide whether her faith in her friends outweighs her duty to the world.
Guest starring Julie Jekyll!
Story Dave Franchini, David Wohl & Pat Shand
Writer Pat Shand
Artwork Hakan Aydin & Giulia Pellegrini
Colors Grostieta
Letters Taylor Esposito (Of Ghost Glyph Studios)
Editor David Wohl Production & Design Christopher Cote
Van Helsing and Julie Jekyll have been through a lot recently, including new enemies, old ones, and different realms. Now seems the time to take stock.
There is a degree of that, with Van Helsing thinking about when she originally met Julie and what happened there. It’s well told in flashbacks and adds some new dimensions to their relationship and what they went through to get here.
In the now, though, Julie is having trouble, and yes, it has to do with the Jekyll name. These transformations are gradually killing Julie, and it seems to have fallen onto Van Helsing to find a cure.
There is a cure, though, sort of, but this also comes with risk and some sacrifice. Julie is hesitant to take it yet. This adds a new dimension to the story, with some good back and forth between the two friends and some tough decisions to make. These decisions cause some issues between the two, and working these out makes an interesting choice and a certain degree of property damage.
Although this is a slower issue than normal for Van Helsing, the flashback adventure does add a certain degree of action to the story, with some classic vampire battles going on. There is also a nice switch between the artwork style here, where it is not so jarring between them but a good transition. Throughout, the artwork is enjoyable and well done, with some good choices of light and facial expressions between the two main characters.
This is a good issue and serves as an interesting reset for Van Helsing and Julie and serves as a point to move forward.
