The Vampires Of Lower Bennett Street #2 - Markosia Enterprises

THE VAMPIRES OF LOWER BENNETT STREET No. 2, July 2018

Despite perhaps somewhat precipitously moving away from its previous edition’s wonderfully atmospheric Seventeenth-Century shenanigans to a “futuristic and terrifying world [where] there are many questions to be asked”, Mike Lynch’s script for Issue Two of “The Vampires Of Lower Bennett Street” still must have provided its readership in July 2018 with plenty to enjoy with its hard-hitting physical violence and penchant for automatic weapons fire. Indeed, the sheer tempo of its plot, as Lazarus’ party easily overpowers Agent Grey’s ill-equipped small military force and finally escapes their centuries-long captivity arguably imbues this book with far more passion and pace than its forerunner.

Fortunately however, this series of frantic fire-fights involving the blood-drinkers “finally freed from their underground tomb” haven’t seemingly been penned simply for the sake of action, and add a lot of interest to this “new nightmare” as the long-time slumberers both discover and then explore their invulnerability to their enemies’ ineffective armaments; “Huhh? See! Their muskets have no effect upon us, strange as they are!” Such unexpected imperviousness really does bring out the viciousness of the vampires, with Martha in particular appearing to disconcertingly enjoy the fact that the firearms won’t harm her, but will quite easily blow the head clean off one of the soldiers she has just captured.

In addition, the West Irishman’s narrative also introduces the incredibly intriguing bat-headed sub-leader of this dark and twisted “totalitarian future”, whose vampiric abilities appear to have been enhanced with nano technology. Splendidly attired in the long black leather raiment of your typical fascist dictator, even down to his swastika-like motiffed red armband, this cold-hearted killer dominates every panel within which he appears, whether that be him matter-of-factly slaying one of his own men with a poison-laden syringe and subsequently ordering for the dead trooper’s head to be removed and body burnt, or simply informing Grey that he will soon undergo “the procedure” now his application to join the new breed of vampire’s order has been fruitful. 

Similarly as successful as Lynch’s narrative is Joe Campbell’s pencilling which packs plenty of panels with just the sort of intense pulse-pounding proceedings an audience would expect from a plot focusing upon “Lazarus and his vampire allies” battling against gas-mask wearing goons, hovering satellites, and state-of-the-art fighter planes. In fact the artist’s ability to represent the breath-taking speed with which some of this comic’s cast can move is one of this publication’s highlights, as his dynamically-etched blur-lines shockingly show just how outclassed the Demon Mother’s forces are when engaging this book’s titular characters in close combat.

‘First published on the "Dawn of Comics" website.'

Writer: Mike Lynch, and Artist: Joe Campbell

The Vampires Of Lower Bennett Street #1 - Markosia Enterprises

THE VAMPIRES OF LOWER BENNETT STREET No. 1, March 2018

Featuring an opening sequence which seems highly reminiscent of the action a bookworm might expect to find housed within one of Jonathan Maberry’s “V-Wars” adventures, this digital-only publication undoubtedly contained more than a few surprises for its audience upon its release in March 2018. For whilst Mike Lynch’s treatment for his twenty-seven page magnum opus initially portrays “the immortal Lazarus” fleeing precisely the sort of gas-mask wearing, automatic-firearm carrying, elite foot-soldiers pencilled within the panels of “IDW Comics” aforementioned book depicting the “sweeping, threaded narrative of the global phenomenon known as the Vampire Wars”, the West Irishman’s tale instead soon engagingly transcends into a fascinating ‘historical’ piece set within the author’s homeland in 1690.

Indeed, despite Mary’s one-time dead brother at first facing a hail of bullets, a fall from a considerably-sized skyscraper and a ride upon the wing of a technologically advanced fighter plane, all of which would quite understandably have left any perusing bibliophile somewhat breathless with excitement courtesy of Joe Campbell’s dynamic story-boarding, it is debatably not until the bearded Bethany-born adventurer undertakes his “quest to find an ancient artefact that will grant him the one thing he seeks most in life” that this comic truly captivates the reader on account of the man’s mysterious love-hate relationship with a band of dark-spirited blood-drinkers. So close an association between a supposed holy man of the Lord and the soulless creatures of the Devil really does 'strike a surprise', especially as Lazarus’ affiliation with the vampire, Martha, appears so intriguingly intimate during their joint atmospherically-penned exploration of “an ancient seat of worship.”

Interestingly however, Lynch is not shy of adding an enjoyable, strong sense of personality to his supporting cast either, with the local township’s guards Thomas and Oliver providing a moment of much-needed humour when they challenge a pair of impudent monster hunters for refusing to explain their presence before the settlement’s barred gate; “Emm… Well… Since you put it like that! We are bound for Lower Bennett Street to do the Lord’s work…” Whilst in addition, the viciously ill-natured Leon, unable to slake his thirst until he has unwisely slaughtered a handful of hapless soldiers and resultantly led the local enraged garrison to the very door of the coven’s secret abode, proves an entertaining foil to the high morals of Jesus’ long-lived, strait-laced friend.

Writer: Mike Lynch, and Artist: Joe Campbell