Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
American Vampire: Second Cycle #10
Vertigo (DC) Comics
Snyder, Albuquerque & McCaig
"American Vampire: Second Cycle" reaches its penultimate issue with the two plots seeing alternating action as the tension rises. Generally, this is a very exciting read. The drawbacks of the comic have to do with the length of the gaps between issues. If you are willing to go back re-read the previous issues of "Second Cycle" then the little tidbits that are dropped in this issue will have a greater impact. There are also some required suspension of the physics behind the space activity but that is easier to dismiss in light of the fact that these are vampires. Overall, this issue is a great set-up for the finale of the series. I recommend this comic.
The scenes alternate with regularity as we get some action in space for a page or two and then some action on the ground. Things don't look so good and then things turn around before the big cliffhanger. Snyder also uses a technique in the alternating scenes that I enjoyed tremendously. Snyder uses dialogue that carries over from one scene into the next scene but could easily apply to the scene that it was just transitioned to. This was the perfect type of story where this technique makes sense and adds something to the book.
Each plot has stuff go wrong. Sweet loses his lifeline and also has his antidote line cut as he battles the Soviet vampires. Meanwhile, on the ground the battle appears to be in hand but the doomsday scenario is deemed necessary to launch. Without trying to give away too many details this comic book blows up whatever plans everyone seemed to have with their respective missions. The pace of the book is perfect.
Skinner Sweet in space is kind of a wacky idea to begin with. However, the push-pull effect while in a vacuum is kind of ignored. Sweet swipes at the vampires and pushes himself outward here and there. While he seems to be armed with a gas propulsion device, he doesn't seem to use it and the art doesn't really show it until the very end. I find myself wondering a lot how characters were fighting as if there were gravity. I can ignore the fact that the Soviet vampires are without protection because I assume they aren't human and don't need to breath and can survive the temperature depth.
The artwork is very good. There is a tremendous amount of tension in the comic book and the artwork conveys it well. The pages all have a darkness to them but they still provide a high level of detail on the pages. The artwork provides a great companion to the story.
"American Vampire: Second Cycle" reaches the penultimate issue with a tension filled, dramatic, action-packed story. The comic has alternating sequences that deal with the two plots. The book puts the characters in a tough spot but then pulls them out, only to have them drop into a meat grinder by the end. This is a very good comic book. The gaps in the series make going back and re-reading the previous issues in "Second Cycle" kind of required but that's not that tall of an order. I recommend checking this out as the ending appears to be a classic in the making.
4 out of 5 Geek Goggles
