Review Shooter: American Vampire #16
Cover by Albuquerque sans text
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Rafael Albuquerque
Continuing my tradition of bringing you reviews of comics that are midway, or at the end of a story arc, here’s my review for the latest issue of this stellar series!
If you’re new to this series, you’re missing out on some of the most well written and deftly illustrated stuff hitting the stands today. So far in the series, we’ve been taken from the old west and have now moved on to World War II, following three main characters throughout. If you think this is some boring history lesson, look at the title! It’s history meets horror with great character development along the way.
OLD ISSUE SPOILERS
When we last saw our heroes (some more than others) in this latest story line ‘Ghost War’, the secret U.S. Marine team, dispatched by the vampire-hunting group The Vassals of the Morning Star, had gone to Taipan to search for vampiric threats to the U.S. military’s actual operations there. However, when they reached the island, they found a new species of vampire that came out of the woodwork and transformed whomever they bit within minutes. Needless to say, they ran for dear life, losing a soldier along the way. They were then caught by Japanese soldiers and taken to a compound they were planning on destroying the next day.
OLD ISSUE SPOILERS DONE
Basically, this issue tells of the horrors the group faces once they learn what it is the Japanese forces are doing in the compound and how they plan to get out. There are some things in here that I wouldn’t want to spoil and would be made all the more sweeter if you were to check out the previous issues in this arc; or better yet, the fifteen issues before this one!
Not much more can be added to what i said before about this issue and series; Scott Snyder provides another exciting chapter in this Eisner-nominated series with in-depth character narration, an engaging story and one Hell of a cliffhanger. As for the art, Rafael Albuquerque is still great, bringing his own artistic style to the characters and settings, giving personality to every panel.
With the first eleven issues awaiting you in trade format, you’d only have to track down the past five issues to get all caught up on this series. If you’re craving something new mixed with a history you used to think dull in school, check out American Vampire. Worth every penny.
New reader accessibility scale: 7 Although this story arc is near its end, getting caught up on it or the series promises a great read and interesting characters.
