I honestly didn't know what to expect from this book. Sure, Vampirella is one of the few Bad Girl to survive the deluge of such titillating comic-book heroines of the 1990s, but the Magdalena was blank slate as far as this particular reader was concerned. I figured it was just another Bad Girl; after all, she's a Top Cow property. What I found instead was a pleasant surprise and a character with plenty of potential, but in an ultimately unfufilling story.
Once upon a time, Paris was plagued by a most unnatural killer, and forces from within the Catholic Church were dispatched to put an end to his reign of terror. The monster was slain, and his remains scattered over a great distance, with a single rib held under guard at the Vatican itself. Now, the vampiric killer has apparently returned to wreak bloody havoc, and two heroines -- Vampirella, a vampire who hunts her own kind, and the Magdalena, the latest Catholic warrior to bear the proud title -- are hot on his trial. But what will happen when the devout agent for good encounters the blood-sucking offspring of Lilith?
Well, they fight, of course. This is a team-up comic after all, and Wohl isn't so bold as to disregard that tired team-up formula. What he does offer, though, is a thoroughly accessible script. Everything one needs to know about both title characters is to be found in these pages, and I have to admit, I love the concept and design behind the Magdalena. To my amazement, she's all covered up... and hooded and cloaked, no less. Clearly, the character's primary goal is as a Catholic super-hero, not an excuse for more four-color cheesecake artwork.
The artwork is, for the most part, typical Top Cow fare, but there are moments when it really shines. The underground architecture of the acidic vampire's lair is impressive, as is the initial double-page reveal that brings the Magdalena into the story. The use of three different inkers shows, though, as there's an uneven tone to the art. Sometimes it's quite polished, and at others, it's rough and sketchy. I also thought that the Magdalena's sleek design put Vampirella's to shame, making the Harris heroine look rather silly in comparison.
The elements of the story I found the most interesting were those that spelled out what the Magdalena is all about, and Wohl's imagination regarding the killer's grisly "designs" -- brought to life quite well by the artists -- was impressive as well. Aside from that, there's not really much to hook the reader. The acidic vampire is a rather odd concept that's never satisfactorily explained, and Vampirella's behavior stretches credibility as well. Subtlety is far from a forte here.
Note: This comic book was not among this week's new releases.
