Reviews - Van Helsing: Bride Of The Night and Robyn Hood & Belle
Two new comics from Zenescope Entertainment
Two new large-sized comics from Zenescope Entertainment this week. There is Van Helsing Annual: Bride Of The Night and a team-up in Robyn Hood & Belle. Both are out now in print and digital form. Check out some of my thoughts.
Van Helsing Annual: Bride Of The Night
Liesel Van Helsing has discovered a horrible secret, one that will end the world she has sworn to protect. With nothing left to lose, and her back against the wall, there is only one thing she can do…fight. She needs to fight like her life depends on it, like all she cares about is at stake--because it is, and only she can choose how it all ends! Guest starring Dracula’s Daughter, and featuring a shocking villain from Van Helsing’s past!
Story Dave Franchini, David Wohl & Pat Shand, Writer Pat Shand, Artwork Eman, Casallos, Julius Abrera & Allan Otero, Colors Walter Pereyra & Maxflan Araujo, Letters Taylor Esposito (Of Ghost Glyph Studios), Editor David Wohl and Production & Design Christopher Cote
This was a very interesting read. It kept me hooked throughout, and although there were some of the quieter aspects, these were well-played and had some good character moments.
Van Helsing is still teamed up with Dracula's daughter - her half-sister- and to be honest, they make a pretty good team. The duo are looking into this mysterious organisation and have to work to find out what is happening. That work includes lots of vampire slaying in ingenious and bloody ways and a fair amount of explosions.
The investigation goes deep and has links to another Van Helsing adventure1 - even so, this works well, and for those of you who know your vampires, this does make some sense. The big battle at the end is well played out, and the ending leaves something that may be picked up next week.
This was an excellent issue, and there is still some other work for Van Helsing to do regarding Julie, but this ties off this chapter and leaves something for the future.
Get it at Forbidden Planet:
Fairy Tales Team Up: Robyn Hood & Belle
Robyn Locksley, better known as Robyn Hood, has dealt with her fair share of horrors during her time living in New York City. And besides that, she has also fought literal monsters to keep it safe. Belle DiMarco has been hunting creatures and beasts, all over the world, her whole adult life, and even some years before it. Clearly, she was born for this. So, when a secret military facility makes a heinous, and extremely deadly, set of mistakes—these two heroes get stuck cleaning up the mess.
Writer Dave Franchini, Artwork Giada Belviso & Rodrigo Xavier, Colors Juan Manuel Rodriguez, Jorge Cortes & Grostieta, Letters Taylor Esposito (Of Ghost Glyph Studios), Editors David Wohl & Dave Franchini, and Production & Design Christopher Cote
This was an entertaining team-up, and it cleverly combined Robyn and Belle's recent adventures.
Starting, we get some excellent moments showing Robyn and Belle and their ‘support’. It’s a nice and clever moment before we get to the battles and the monsters.
Robyn takes the lead here initially, with Belle catching up a little later. It does look like their fighting styles complement each other, and there are some nice links to both their previous adventures. There is also the family aspect for Belle, which adds some exciting parts to the mystery and what we finish up with.
Belle’s desperation to find her brother is evident here, and it works well with her nature; Robyn is a little more pragmatic, and that mix makes them an exciting team.
The ending is pretty good and has the mysterious person on screen, which will build into future adventures for Belle, I am sure. It would be good to get Robyn in more to it, though…
Get it at Forbidden Planet: