DC Vs. Vampires #7 - DC Comics

DC VS. VAMPIRES No. 7, September 2022

Quite considerably ramping up the scale of the vampires’ invasion of Earth to a truly global level, this beginning to the mini-series’ “nightmarish second arc” certainly seems to do a cracking job in depicting just how horrifically all-powerful the blood drinkers’ empire has become since the treacherous murder of the Dark Knight. Indeed, the opening double splash-page to Issue Seven of “DC Vs. Vampires” provides a picture of the terrifying fate awaiting any remaining pockets of humanity which speaks more than a thousand eloquently chosen words. 

Enjoyably however, this sense of grandeur doesn’t deter James Tynion IV and Matthew Rosenberg from still focusing upon the individual inhabitants of their deadly alternative world, and making their audience suddenly care for the likes of Adam Strange, Negative Man and Peacemaker. These ‘B-Listers’ have clearly taken up the fight in the name of mankind, and almost immediately capture the sympathetic support of the reader as they desperately attempt to escort an emaciated Kara to a safe haven whilst all the time fending off the ghoulish incarnations of some of the DC Universe’s heaviest hitters; “Yes. I have always thought you were the most boring member of the Justice League.” 

Furthermore, the shocking and systematic demise of Mister Bones’ band of brave do-gooders to an utterly arrogant Wonder Woman is not only as debatably chilling as comic book violence can possibly get, but also helps quickly establish the deadly, ruthless nature of those heroes infected by vampirism. Establishing such a despicable malevolence really is crucial to this publication’s final third, when it becomes evident that even the highly experienced Green Arrow has been significantly shaken to his core by the sights he has seen and is resultantly angrily at odds with some of his fellow super-heroes when they suggest “travelling halfway around the world, cross the ocean” to Australia to clear the ash clouds dominating the sky.

Adding an incredible amount of realistic fatigue to this comic’s considerably sized cast are Otto Schmidt’s pencils, which really do help promote the utter exhaustion felt by the few mortal survivors of the new Vampire King’s reign. Likewise, the Siberian illustrator does a stellar job in portraying this book’s more action-orientated moments and brings a genuine pathos to the plight of Robert Todd when the skull-headed protagonist sadly slips into lifelessness alongside Jayna after the Wonder Twin seemingly rescued him from an overconfident Firestorm.

The regular cover art of "DC VS. VAMPIRES" #7 by Guillem March