I, Vampire #15 Review Proof that Zero Month wasn’t a total waste of time and money.

I don’t know if this is how things really go down at DC HQ, but it seems like they use hot creators like life preservers. Joshua Hale Fialkov spends his first issue of I, Vampire without Andrea Sorrentino, IGN’s Best Comic Artist of 2012, and the issue suffers. Now, that’s not to say that the art is a failure under the pencil of Dennis Calero – then again, it’s not much more than serviceable. Even with returning colorist Marcelo Maiolo and a distinct effort on Calero’s part to maintain visual continuity with Sorrentino’s issues, the lulls in intensity and atmosphere are apparent. These effects may be a result of the occasional misstep with characters’ faces and poses, or the decision to use a lower close-up-to-medium-shot ratio. In spite of the shortcomings, however, the story is told competently by Calero. I will admit to scratching my head, though, at the decision to split up a top ten comic book creative team just to buoy a floundering title.

Now, with that off my chest, let me just say that Fialkov’s script has plenty of juice to make this purchase another no-brainer. The characters crack off genuinely funny banter at a regular clip, and the events still have the feeling of a breathless charge, refusing to stagnate in terms of action or plot progression. There’s a major modification to Mary’s relationship with Andrew that completes the title’s recent barrel roll and further complicates the wonderful tangle of dramatic tension lines. In the short term, Fialkov promises to entertain us with a deeper look at the Van Helsing sect while he allows the new status quo more time to set and mature.

The overall experience in I, Vampire #15 is quite enjoyable, but it’s hard not to wonder what might have been if the title had retained its award-winning artist. Calero will find his unique voice for the series instead of aping Sorrentino (and, honestly, the sooner, the better). Until then, I, Vampire fans will just have to settle for some of the best writing to be found at DC.

Poet Mase is a regular contributor to IGN who has managed to embroil himself in a text message SNAFU that will surely get him dumped. Follow Poet on Twitter @PoetMase, or post a message on his IGN profile PoetMase.

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