DC Vs. Vampires: World War V #8 - DC Comics

DC VS. VAMPIRES: WORLD WAR V No. 8, June 2025

Having apparently decided to stop providing any explanation as to what is occurring within this mini-series’ tortuously tiring tale, and simply throw an absolute bucketload more B-string characters into the mix for good luck, Matthew Rosenberg’s narrative for this particular twenty-four page periodical must surely have completely deflated any reader hoping to understand just what was going on. Indeed, like the last human survivors battling against a blizzard-ravaged Sante Fe in New Mexico, many within this comic’s audience will almost certainly feel like they’re having to wade through waist-high snowdrifts as they painfully navigate the American author’s ‘storyscape’ of unrelated set-pieces and word-weary conversations.

Easily this publication’s largest problem however, is just how utterly disconnected everything feels. One moment the action is revolving around Miss Martian trying to hold off Darkseid’s forces in a desolate-looking church, and then suddenly the spotlight lurches to The House of Mystery where a dead John Constantine is informed that he’s been 'saved' simply so he can impotently watch the Lord of Apokolips’ unexpected invasion of a vampire-infested Earth through a mansion window.!?! Furthermore, any perusing bibliophile will doubtless find it incredibly difficult to keep up with the movements of Lashina, Mad Harriet, Caitlin Fairchild, Hank Henshaw, F.E.L.I.X., G.I. Robot, and Kilg&re, not to mention Jack Kirby’s roster of the New Gods and the Metal Men, when the writing doesn’t supply any rhyme or reason as to where they’ve suddenly come from, or what their motivations are; “I can still eat someone’s bones though, right Gilotina.?”

Admittedly, that doesn’t mean that Issue Eight of “DC Vs Vampires: World War V” isn’t completely devoid of pulse-pounding action. Far from it in fact, as Ra's al Ghul’s Batman and Alfred Pennyworth’s Green Lantern are prodigiously pencilled by Otto Schmidt getting into a right scrap against an army of Parademons. But as with so much of this comic’s content, the bickering pair’s appearance appears to follow no overall plot, and comes completely out of the blue.

Intriguingly though, what does prove a far more satisfying yarn is this book’s sadly short-lived back-up feature entitled “Wildcat: Going The Distance”. Penned by Shane McCarthy and drawn by Fabio Veras this disconcertingly dark insight into what happened to Wildcat when the vampire’s first took control of the world is wonderfully atmospheric, and remarkably manages to pull upon the emotional heartstrings of any onlooker as Ted Grant desperately searches for his missing son amidst a land ravaged by blood-sucking killers.

The regular cover art of "DC VS. VAMPIRES: WORLD WAR V" #8 by Otto Schmidt

DC Vs. Vampires: World War V #5 - DC Comics

DC VS. VAMPIRES: WORLD WAR V No. 5, February 2025

There can surely be little doubt that Matthew Rosenberg’s revelation towards the end of this twenty-four page publication’s plot had its readers genuinely gasping in revulsion at “the horrifying secret” behind how the vampires were still defeating the human resistance. In fact, many a bibliophile will probably find themselves unable to move along from Green Arrow’s discovery and its “shocking connection to the Speed Force” without at least re-visiting the disturbing scene a couple more times; “They’re doing something with all that food they grow. If they’re not feeding a large group of people. What are they feeding.?”

Impressively though, this eye-opener isn’t the only surprise Issue Five of “DC Vs Vampires: World War V” has in store for its audience, with the comic’s American author clearly still having a few more trump cards tucked up his sleeves. Foremost of these disclosures is probably Big Barda’s sudden emergence from out of a dark, winter night’s sky to absolutely clobber the blood-drinking fiends intent on murdering her husband (and potentially harm their infant baby). To say Jack Kirby’s creation completely annihilates the likes of a heavily-fanged Power Girl and Raven is a massive understatement, and genuinely helps imbue this comic with some truly palpable energy at a time when its other simultaneous story-threads are undeniably dialogue-driven.

Likewise John Constantine’s ill-advised visit upon the convalescing vampire queen, Barbara Gordon, doesn’t pan out quite as some onlookers might have expected – albeit the Hellblazer is seemingly a little too cocksure for his own good when it comes to antagonising Gorilla Grodd. In fact, the anti-hero’s decision to visit the dark heart of the Nosferatu Empire appears suicidally insane straight from the start, largely due to him not actually having anything tangible with which to bargain for his life.

Prodigiously pencilling all these sense-shattering shenanigans is Otto Schmidt, who really imbues Big Barda with all the momentous muscle a member of the New Gods is expected to wield. Furthermore, the Siberian-born artist does an incredible job of capturing Batgirl’s myriad of emotions using just her eyes and mouth - a talent which is particularly impressive considering that the undead creature’s entire body is covered with unsightly burns and blemishes, so it must have been extra hard providing the figure with even the smallest of facial expressions.

The regular cover art of "DC VS. VAMPIRES: WORLD WAR V" #5 by Otto Schmidt

DC Vs. Vampires: World War V #4 - DC Comics

DC VS. VAMPIRES: WORLD WAR V No. 4, January 2025

Despite containing a couple of rather shocking revelations which should genuinely catch this comic’s audience by surprise, Matthew Rosenberg’s palpable pacing problems throughout Issue Four of “DC Vs Vampires: World War V” arguably bury much of their impact. Indeed, this twenty-four page periodical’s plot is so suffocatingly sedentary, that even a pulse-pounding battle between Alfred Pennyworth and Ra's al Ghul is somewhat drowned out amidst all the word-heavy dialogue – and at the time Bruce Wayne’s butler is wielding all the awesome power of a Green Lantern, whilst the dead billionaire’s estranged father-in-law has just been revealed as the new Batman.

Quite possibly one of this book’s other big problems are all the mysterious characters it suddenly introduces throughout the narrative. These shadowy figures are clearly going to be central to this mini-series’ main plot in the long-term. But they simply appear absolutely out of nowhere with little explanation, and supposedly shake the people they encounter to their very core, such as the shrouded old woman who confronts Gorilla Grodd inside his high-rise palace, and informs him that she knows he has lost his formidable psychic abilities since becoming one of the undead.

Likewise, many a bibliophile may well become increasingly confused as to just what Robin’s role within this convoluted storyline now plays, following the death of his mother and rebellious followers. Having previously appeared to be a major thorn in the Vampire Queen’s side, the Dark Knight’s former sidekick first appears to be a pawn in his grandfather’s scheme to become an immortal blood-drinker himself. However, once Alfred intervenes and this opportunity passes, poor Damian is simply penned as a pitiable traitor to his own kind, whose life is now seemingly without any purpose; “I’m sorry, kid. Tell yourself this is a mercy killing if that makes it easier.”

Debatably as uninspired by all these slow-moving shenanigans as many within the publication's audience is Otto Schmidt, predominantly just seems to go through the motions with his pencilling. Fortunately, the illustrator does somewhat up his game throughout the aforementioned fracas between Pennyworth and The Demon's Head, even if it does appear a little odd that the former butler’s formidable Oan energy-fuelled powers are apparently little match for the elderly mastermind’s punches.

The regular cover art of "DC VS. VAMPIRES: WORLD WAR V" #4 by Otto Schmidt

DC Vs. Vampires: World War V #3 - DC Comics

DC VS. VAMPIRES: WORLD WAR V No. 3, December 2024

Haphazardly throwing its audience all over the show with a twenty-four page plot that arguably rarely reaches any sort of conclusion with its various sedentary scenes and action sequences, Matthew Rosenberg’s storyline for Issue Three of “DC Vs Vampires: World War V” probably struck many readers as being something of a mess. Sure, the American author does a fairly solid job in progressing Aquaman’s attempt to put an end to Damian Wayne’s unruly rebellion against the now dead Vampire Queen Barbara Gordon. But even this ambush is debatably hamstrung by its events suddenly being cut short by an unlinked, dialogue-driven interlude concerning John Constantine and the Black Canary back at the Headquarters of the Human Council.

To make matters even more bemusing though, apart from the comic’s opening, which presumably depicts the creation of the mysterious “Miracle Child” ten months ago, there isn’t a great deal of direction as to just how much time passes in between set-pieces. These time jumps cause the likes of Arthur Curry and Dinah Drake to seemingly pop up all over the place, with Green Arrow’s partner in particular appearing to be knee-deep in snow and blood-drinkers on the streets of Newark, New Jersey one moment, and then almost randomly appearing alongside an inebriated “Hellblazer” to give him some sort of earful in the next; “I didn’t know you could do magic drunk.”

Resultantly, it’s possibly only this publication’s aforementioned focus on Robin and his heavily-bandaged renegades’ battle against the vampire army which properly holds the attention. However, having witnessed Batman’s former protégé being saved at the last minute from Cassie Sandsmark’s clutches by Batwoman bravely sacrificing herself, any engaged onlooker is then left wondering exactly what happened next, as the story suddenly shifts elsewhere, and when it does return, Damian is strangely hiding alone from Black Adam deep inside a snow-laden forest somewhere.

Perhaps somewhat discombobulated by all these somewhat senseless shenanigans is Otto Schmidt, whose pencilling occasionally appears to be surprisingly rushed and undisciplined. Furthermore, the illustrator’s layouts debatably don’t tell the entire tale, such as when a blood-drinker somehow manages to wrestle from out of Ted Grant’s grip so as to slay a “traitor” spilling his guts, or Zealot apparently turns upon a horde of biters unwisely stalking her down some streets so as to slay them.

The regular cover art of "DC VS. VAMPIRES: WORLD WAR V" #3 by Otto Schmidt

DC Vs. Vampires: World War V #2 - DC Comics

DC VS. VAMPIRES: WORLD WAR V No. 2, November 2024

Containing such an impressive variety of twists and turns that it might make even the most ardent of fairground ride fans somewhat queasy, Matthew Rosenberg’s script for Issue Two of “DC Vs Vampires: World War V” rather cleverly still makes this comic’s complicated narrative extremely accessible, courtesy of simply telling the story in sequence as events take place. In fact, with the exception of Mister Miracle’s all-too brief plot thread, each incident is arguably handled in its entirety before the reader is moved on to a new development somewhere else within this mad Elseworld.

Just as notable as this pulse-pounding pacing though is the intriguingly palpable presence of the planet’s truce between humanity’s survivors and the blood-drinkers who at one point appeared destined to conquer the Earth. This political nightmare, supported by the likes of Lois Lane and apparently despised by Black Canary, permeates almost every panel, and leaves the audience in absolutely no doubt that just one move by either side will probably result in another massive battle between the two sides; “Don’t take it personal. Some people only understand war.”

Easily this twenty-four page periodical’s highpoint however, has to be Wonder Woman’s rule-breaking incursion into a League Of Shadows safehouse, and the undead Amazonian’s utterly wicked skirmish with Talia al Ghul. The gloves really are off for this particular conflict due to the American author imbuing the dread Princess Diana of Themyscira with a truly disconcerting adoration of sickening violence. Such a dramatically different incarnation of William Marston’s co-creation is incredibly intriguing to see, as is the writer’s shock conclusion when Alfred Pennyworth desperately attempts to thwart the inhuman killer by donning the late Hal Jordon’s Green Lantern ring.

Adding plenty of visual plausibility to all these blood-curdling confrontations and divisive arguments are the pencils of Otto Schmidt and colours of Pierluigi Casolino. Together the two artists really manage to make this publication a feast for the eyes by somehow bringing the stark light of day to the streets of Dakota City, and freezing chill to the snow-covered roads criss-crossing Johnstown in Pennsylvania. Furthermore, it’s difficult to imagine a more terrifying yet seductive version of Wonder Woman patiently picking apart the Daughter of the Demon's Head or calmly enquiring with Bruce Wayne’s former butler just how he wants her to kill him.

The regular cover art of "DC VS. VAMPIRES: WORLD WAR V" #2 by Otto Schmidt

DC Vs. Vampires: All Out War #2 - DC Comics

DC VS. VAMPIRES: ALL OUT WAR No. 2, October 2022

Sporting more grisly beheadings than a history book about the French Revolution, the sheer savage violence on show throughout Issue Two of “DC Vs. Vampires: All Out War” must surely have made this twenty-four page periodical a huge hit with its audience. Furthermore, the gratuitously bloody nature of Alex Paknadel and Matthew Rosenberg’s narrative isn’t simply present just to appease the gore fans either, but rather to reinforce just how desperate the plight is of this comic’s surviving cast following the “horrifying vampire attack” upon them in the previous instalment.

Such dire despondency is particularly typified by the beleaguered super-heroes' evident terror at having to face one of their deadliest foes in the shape of an entirely homicidal Wonder Woman, who effortlessly begins whittling down their already low numbers just as soon as she enters the fray. Seldom has the Amazon’s Lasso of Hestia been shown slicing through the necks of her opponents with such utterly lethal abandonment, and yet that is precisely what William Marston’s co-creation does whilst confronting a couple of Talia al Ghul’s guards in a blatant demonstration of the blood-drinker’s sadistic nature; “I only ever need to follow him from a discreet distance and a banquet always presents itself.”

Helping to make the sacrifices, slaughter and ever-growing body count even more memorable are Pasquale Qualano’s delightfully intense layouts, and Nicola Righi’s disconcerting penchant for splattering every possible panel with as much claret as the colourist can muster. Such eye-catching visuals genuinely help reinforce the brutally grim carnage occurring, and also adds an extra dramatic element to the genuinely sad demise of “the most dangerous… fella in Metropolis”, when Jimmy Olsen is suddenly bitten by Diana Prince’s alter-ego completely out of the blue during the heat of the battle.

Far less as ferociously fast-paced, though just as enthralling, is Emma Vieceli’s dialogue-driven short story “Dark Birth”. Well-drawn by artist Haining in a Manga-like style, this tale rather intriguingly features a pre-apocalypse Dick Grayson inadvertently stumbling upon the vampiric plot by the Acolytes of Shadow to assassinate Mary, the False Queen, and seemingly sets up just how Nightwing would surprisingly be revealed as this limited series’ shock central antagonist.

The regular cover art of "DC VS. VAMPIRES: ALL OUT WAR" #2 by Alan Quah

DC Vs. Vampires: All Out War #1 - DC Comics

DC VS. VAMPIRES: ALL OUT WAR No. 1, September 2022

As spin-offs from a limited series go, Alex Paknadel and Matthew Rosenberg’s storyline for Issue One of “DC Vs. Vampires: All Out War” definitely seems to do a reasonable job in depicting just how desperate things have become for those super-heroes (and villains) who have been able to endure Dick Grayson’s bloodthirsty betrayal of the Batman. In fact, the duo’s notion of the planet’s sole survivors living below ground in a cavernous stronghold is really well-penned, leaving little doubt as to just how tenuous its inhabitants’ grip is upon a ‘normal life’ due to thirty-six percent of the humans’ food supply being wholly reliant upon Captain Atom converting “his energy output into solar radiation for us so we could grow crops and get Vitamin D.”

To make matters even gloomier, this yarn’s riveting plot also shows just how disconnected some of the settlement’s Council members are with one another, courtesy of Deathstroke’s brazen attempt to resurrect Bruce Wayne’s emaciated corpse using a Lazarus Pit in Switzerland, and then encourage him to stage a coup against the likes of Lead, Midnighter, John Constantine and Metropolis’ Mayor Fleming. This shocking betrayal by Slade Wilson not only demonstrates just how ineffectively “bureaucratic” the so-called protagonists have become in their battle against Nightwing’s ever-expanding Vampire Empire. But also leads to what little stability they had being completely destroyed by an infected Damage, who unsurprisingly follows his former friends from the Swiss Alps back to their secret sanctuary so as to blow it up.

Perhaps this book’s most eye-catching element however, lies with Pasquale Qualano’s pencilling and colourist Nicola Righi’s unnerving red, black, grey and white tones. This somewhat unique look to the twenty-three page plot genuinely appears to help reinforce all of its sombre themes, whilst signposting numerous elements throughout the publication’s panels, such as the blood-red moon, Deathstroke’s persistent presence and Captain Atom’s life-giving energy.

Equally as enjoyable is this comic’s ‘back-up’ tale, “Who’s Trapped”, by Guillaume Singelin. Featuring the final fate of Commissioner Jim Gordon at the hands of his daughter, Batgirl, this exhilarating, action-packed fright-fest is absolutely crammed full of high-speed antics, and strongly reminiscent of a Manga-style magazine; “You were a good cop, a good father, Mister Gordon. I promise to avenge you. All of you. And I keep my promises.”

The regular cover art of "DC VS. VAMPIRES: ALL OUT WAR" #1 by Alan Quah

DC Vs. Vampires #8 - DC Comics

DC VS. VAMPIRES No. 8, October 2022

Admirably living up to its pre-publication blurb of continuing “this bloodthirsty series”, James Tynion IV and Matthew Rosenberg’s script for Issue Eight of “DC Vs. Vampires” certainly tries to cover a lot of different plot-threads within this twenty-two-page periodical. However, whilst the writing duo are enthrallingly successful with both the Birds of Prey heading back “into the heart of the vampire kingdom”, and Supergirl’s action-packed crossing of “a vampire-infested ocean”, Green Arrow’s mission is disappointingly barely touched upon, with the authors instead disconcertingly depicting Oliver Queen squandering eighteen panels simply arguing with his partner, Black Canary; “They’ve got blood farms, Dinah. Humans kept in cages to feed on. I can’t let that go. You can’t ask me to.”

Fortunately though, this dialogue driven interlude is easily forgiven considering the quality of the penmanship surrounding it, most notably Kara Zor-El’s terrifying trek towards Australia and her subsequent battle with a sea full of homicidal fish-people. Indeed, the Atlantean’s attack upon the Kryptonian’s small-sized fishing trawler is debatably the highlight of this comic, as both John Henry Irons and Jayna demonstrate just how truly desperate the super-heroes are by quite literally tearing their scaly foes apart with their bare hands.

Similarly as gruesome is this publication’s portrayal of Jason Blood’s apparent massacre at the House of Mystery, and a badly wounded John Constantine’s miraculous escape. Admittedly, much of this harrowing confrontation sadly occurs ‘off-screen’, just as the world’s “leading expert on the occult and demonology” politely introduces himself to a startled Phantom Stranger, Spectre and Doctor Fate. But Otto Schmidt’s marvellous pencilling of an open-mouthed Barbara Gordon when she discovers Hellblazer’s mutilated form in the battle’s aftermath speaks a thousand words as to the fiery carnage which must have taken place inside the Kentucky-based residency.

Seemingly sat on the side-lines, repeatedly throwing a bucketful of gore over the printed proceedings in every other scene, is this book’s artistic team of Schmidt and Daniele Di Nicuolo, who together genuinely appear to completely splatter anyone in ‘claret’ whenever the opportunity arises. In fact, bibliophiles will probably be hard-pressed to recollect a title sporting so much evisceration and disembowelment this side of a Teen Plus reader rating.

The regular cover art of "DC VS. VAMPIRES" #8 by Guillem March

DC Vs. Vampires #4 - DC Comics

DC VS. VAMPIRES No. 4, March 2022

Arguably focusing predominantly upon Batman’s tussle with Green Arrow in the Batcave, and the duo’s subsequent realisation that neither is actually a blood-sucking predator, James Tynion IV and Matthew Rosenberg’s storyline for Issue Four of “DC Vs. Vampires” still manages to incorporate plenty of insights into just how the rest of the Justice League are coping in their separate battles against the Undead. Indeed, the sheer scope of this twenty-two page periodical’s plot is breath-taking, as the pair’s penmanship takes the reader from the dark depths of Gotham City’s terrified criminal underworld to the distinctly deadly domain of London’s seedy nightclubs.

Happily however, all these somewhat short-lived spotlights really do pack a formidable punch, with John Constantine’s surprisingly cosy tête-à-tête alongside a fully-fanged Zatanna Zatara and Doctor Fate probably proving the most enthralling of the bunch. The member of the Trenchcoat Brigade really is depicted at the very height of his magical powers, nonchalantly overpowering the female Homo magi with a mere gesture of his fingers before the seductress can get her teeth into him, and then later getting angry with his cosmically-created team-mate when the incapacitated vampire is disintegrated before his shocked eyes.

These fascinating insights into the sense of comradery between the different super-heroes is similarly as well-written when Red Hood and Batgirl suddenly encounter the vampiric Gorilla Grodd. This sense-shattering action sequence makes for an especially impressive read as Cassandra Cain doesn’t actually utter a single syllable until after the fight’s end, when she dramatically holds up a defaced playing card featuring the deck’s Joker; “But you and I might be the only two people to ever see a gorilla jump out a skyscraper window, or turn into a bat.”

Of course, this comic’s biggest highlight is Bruce Wayne and Oliver Queen’s understandable unease at taking on the rest of this title’s “all-star ensemble cast” now they’ve discovered that Green Lantern is the Justice League’s traitor. Artist Otto Schmidt does a first-rate job of pencilling the dramatic pulse-pounding panels leading up to this moment, and then tops it all by depicting the big powerhouses Superman and Wonder Woman also entering the fray against the Dark Knight by brazenly invading his secret headquarters.

The regular cover art of "DC VS. VAMPIRES" #4 by Otto Schmidt

Justice League Dark Annual #1 - DC Comics

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK ANNUAL No. 1, September 2019

Although Ram V was absolutely correct in his pre-publication publicity that this comic contains “a story about Swamp Thing and The King of Petals and the greater events of The Justice League Dark storyline”, the “award winning author” was arguably doing his narrative to the thirty-eight page long “A Carious Bloom” something of a distinct disservice. For whilst “this one-of-a-kind story” unquestionably features plenty of Alec Holland’s horrific-looking alter-ego, as the anthropomorphic mound of vegetable matter ponders the fall of the Parliament of Trees and exchanges barbed comments with a somewhat disconcertingly all-knowing John Constantine, it is undoubtedly this book’s fascination with the emotionally draining fate of Doctor Oleander Sorrel which provides it with a hook few perusing bibliophiles could surely resist..?

Indeed, rather than simply being a tale concerning the super-heroic exploits of a monstrously transformed swamp monster, an edgy "supernatural advisor", a member of the Bureau of Amplified Animals and an Amazonian Princess, this “Justice League Dark” Annual instead provides its audience with a completely compelling, yet equally chilling, literary journey involving an agonised parent’s worst nightmare. Certainly, it is hard not to feel overwhelmed with emotion for Natasha at the loss of her young son to cancer, or the grim fate of the woman’s distraught husband when “his walking grief” wants to spend time at her sisters and seemingly never returns to therapeutically mourn their dead child with him; “I poured myself into work after that. Hours spent planting strains into the ground. I did not eat. I did not sleep.”

Just as enthralling as this comic’s tearful plot is Guillem March’s beautiful storyboards, which go a long way to help pace out the despair-laden drama across such a sizeable, well-populated periodical. Frantically panelled one moment to depict the quick-fire banter between Swamp Thing and the Hall of Justice’s most recent addition, as well as infer the panic of Oleander’s beating heart as he races through his home looking for his upset wife, the professional illustrator from Spain also occasionally slows things down to a much more settling, sedentary pace courtesy of a lavishly-sketched flashback sequence showing a grim-faced, bespectacled Sorrel experimenting upon his blessed flowers all on his lonesome, or a fantastically-colourful and well-detailed drawing of the short-lived King of Petals, eerily stalking full of bloom through the undergrowth of his former life’s garden.

Story: James Tynion IV & Ram V, Art: Guillem March, and Colors: Arif Prianto