A new series from Vault Comics is out now – this is West Of Sundown #1.
A beautiful vampire must flee monster slayers in New York City and reclaim the ancestral soil that restores her undead flesh. But the world has changed since she was reborn in the New Mexico desert, and now Constance der Abend and her loyal assistant Dooley must adapt to life in the rough frontier town of Sangre de Moro, where all sorts of monsters have settled.
Writers: Tim Seeley & Aaron Campbell
A western tale of survival starring a cast of literary horrors from the diabolical minds of Tim Seeley, Aaron Campbell, and Jim Terry.
Artist: Jim Terry
Colorist: Triona Farrell
Letterer: Crank!
Designer: Tim Daniel
Cover A: Aaron Campbell
Cover B: Jim Terry
This is a fantastic start to a new series. After the American Civil War, a vampire is making her way through New York society when a fire caused by those who hunt her kind causes her to travel back to her home soil. These hunters are still hot on her trail and we get an excellent reveal of one of them at the end of the issue.
Building up the story, we get a really good look at our two protagonists. It’s hard to think of a vampire being the protagonist, but the way she is shown in this issue has a bit of nobility about her. She seems to only feed on those who deserve it – but is that because of her assistant Dooley or is it her?
The trip to the frontier town is well played out too, and it made me think of Dracula’s trip to Whitby in the book – but this does have a different outcome. The Count does get a mention here, although not by name, and I think that was a nice tease.
There is some action here too, with a race into the fire well done, and an almost animalistic attack on some outlaws. This was bloody and full of tooth and fang – very well shown.
This issue finishes off well for the buildup to the following story. It is well-paced and told and has some excellent art and colour schemes. Something I will enjoy reading more of.
