DC Comics reviews 8/2/22 – Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #3, Batman #126

DC vs. Vampires #8

With a handful of issues left, now isn’t the time for slow burn progression of subplots.

Writers James Tynion IV and Matthew Rosenberg are sticking with their formula from the first issue. The heroes rally, vampires invade a secret base and carnage ensues.

Easily the most significant aspect of the issue was the various groups among the heroes preparing to make desperate quests to stop Nightwing and his vampire army.

Batgirl and Bladk Canary take Harley Quinn to Gotham while Green Arrow sets off on a separate mission. And Steel, Supergirl and Black Manta head out on a fool’s errand to possibly recover her powers.

Tynion and Rosenberg largely have the personal moments down and play a game of “can you top this?” with the gruesome deaths. The bar was set back with Zan’s death and nothing else has come close.

Otto Schmidt’s art has been somewhat inconsistent in this series. Some pages look crisp with a high amount of detail while others are too loose. Daniele Di Nicuolo provides spot art relief on some pages and the fit is a strong blend with Schmidt’s style.

This has been a recurring problem with the series, but it’s really time for the heroes to get a big win. Every issue finds the vampires adding to their body count while the heroes stay on retreat mode. It’s time for a confrontation where the good guys come out ahead for a change.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10