mackknopf | Sep. 29th, 2011

I debated posting this review, because I’m afraid people are going to think there are too many bad new DC titles, and so will be put off from buying any themselves. Hopefully I’ve found the worst by now and can spare you the disappointment. In fairness, there are more good titles that I’ve seen than bad titles. However, there are some which make me feel ashamed and slightly furtive about reading comics, which is not a sensation I'm accustomed to. Let’s just say I’m glad I flipped through “Voodoo” by Ron Marz and didn’t buy it. “I, Vampire,” on the other hand, pleasantly surprised me, and I plan to add it to my pull list at the comic store.

"Voodoo"

When I saw the name "Ron Marz" as the author of “Voodoo,”, I didn't expect much, since he's the guy who famously had Hal Jordan slaughter the Green Lantern Corps. This comic, however, reached new depths of bad writing and exploitative artwork. Did I mention the protagonist is a shape-changing alien stripper who takes off most of her clothes on stage for the readers, among other acts at her strip club? That's right. Nothing interesting there, aside from Marz’s nerve at trying to defend his book. No, I won’t post any pictures or link to his interviews; I don’t think he deserves the attention.

I also can't believe the book is rated "T plus" for teenagers on up, instead of "M" for Mature. Oh, I suppose I can, having seen what gets allowed in a PG-13 movie. "Voodoo" is a cross between softcore porn and a made-for-TV "B" movie. This may be a sleazy new low for the 52 reboot, rivalling "Red Hood and the Outlaws." DC must be planning a certain percent of the releases to appeal to the lowest common denominator of the sex-starved fanboy. Alternatively, DC has extremely poor editorial control, which I doubt. Someone had to green-light this book and authorize payroll. It might have been a while since my last hot date, but I still know lousy comics when I see them.

“I, Vampire”

I really sunk my teeth into this (sorry, I can't help myself); it was just that much fun. More to the point (or stake), “I, Vampire” features a horror theme with drama, violence, and my favorite rendition of the undead since possibly “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” There are legions of unrepentant monsters, led by a woman loved by the man who wants to "redeem" her. Unfortunately, she has other plans, and they involve vampires taking over the human livestock and getting rid of those pesky superheroes! Yes, it's a star-crossed vampire romance set in the DC universe, starring a Joss Whedon "Angel"-like character and a Dracula-esque female, with lots and lots of blood. The writer, Joshua Fialkov, says both of them will be getting equal billing in the story.