DC vs. Vampires #6 Preview

[Jabare]

yeah people in here thought it would be the Joker or Darkseid.

It being Nightwing doesn't make sense honestly. But hey Nightwing feats I'll let it go

[Zagre]

My TL went ballistic posting spoilers for this so I caved in and grabbed the issues instead of getting the trade. All in all, given how vitrolic some reactions were, I have to say I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I read it all in one go so I can't speak for whoever followed this monthly, but I thought it has a decent mystery going for it as its central narrative, really liked the general tone of not knowing who's a friend and who's the enemy (though it seems that has ended now), the characters were fun to read in general and it balances some lighthearted affair, some very dark comedy and some actual bleakness pretty well, which is easier said than done.

Batman basically plays the Ned Stark role, in the sense that he's the character you think you'll follow along but every moment that passes you see he's unprepared to deal with the situation. I actually enjoyed Bruce in this, he seemed a bit more humane and fallible though of course, it only really works because the story actually makes him pay for his mistakes instead of letting him get away scott-free like almost always (in fact, I would argue the story wouldn't work if he didn't end how he ended). Green Arrow was pretty awesome and I really liked his scene with Hal in the end. The character's voices in general felt pretty spot on, which is always welcomed.

The highlight for me though, were the villains. I don't know if it's because I'm soured of alternate universes were every villanous version of a hero is angry all the time, but I actually enjoyed these vampire versions and I liked that they were allowed to be mostly themselves, only, you know, minus the murdering tendencies and being in general colossal dicks. It's little details like Hal having a sincere conversation with Barry or Diana actually trying to talk to the people she was to convince as a friend instead of, I don't know, just come in sword in hand and try to ram it through their chests like a barbarian that made them feel a bit more in character, which is necessary from a reconizability POV given how brutal they can get when they show their true faces.

Reading it in one go, the reveal worked for me. It's wonky when it comes to lore, but it works in terms of character and general behaviour (you can go back and see that character being worried when Bruce discovered the conspiracy and being the only one that actually complained about having to kill the vampires) without being too obvious (and with some red herrings thrown in for good measure).

The book is flawed though. It juggles god-knows how many characters, each one with their own little interests and mini-narratives in different locations and struggles to give everyone or every moment their due, with the story feeling rushed in places. Wonder Woman's turning is probably its weakest moment with the plot pulling a "uno reverse card" to turn her in one page. It's not dramatic or well-thought at all, and it's not character-based, unlike some of the other reveals and switcheroos the story manages much more sucessfully.

Also, they really needed to explain their lore. Like I can get what the writers are going for most of the time, but with vampires and superheroes both having their own set of arbitrary rules that change from story to story, you should state what your rules are clearly, even if it's something as simple as saying "metahuman powers can potentially counter any vampire weakness, so you better watch out". They kind of infer that with Hal's ring blocking sunlight in the very beginning, but they do so in such an ambiguous way that it becomes obtuse, you shouldn't have to be deciphering how the world works while you're reading it.

Which is frustrating because the fact that the story works, structurally, in spite of this means (to me) that most of these flaws could have been easily corrected. I actually thought this story (and I say story because most of the narrative threads and emotional beats have been closed-off, what comes next will feel more like a sequel than a continuation) perhaps could have used another issue in the middle to overall explain things, set up others properly and in general give a bit more pages to the moments it rushed to balance the frantic feel those moments can give.

All in all, the positives outweight the negatives. I don't know if I'll be back for Part 2 (I'll probably wait and see, like I did in here) but I have liked this more than the other two Elseworld stories I was actually buying month-to-month, ironically enough. I also enjoyed this more than Dceased (which I think shares some of its flaws though, I thought the story here was overall stronger despite its shortcomings).

The set up was....well there was no set up. The whole Starfire bit would've been good to atleast be sprinkled in throughout these issues. Im pretty sure she hasnt even been mentioned until now?

Pretty much. The most you get is some ambiguous hints that the tests can be bypassed (like Bruce still not trusting his family with Luthor's blood after they passed them or Oliver think Bruce is smart enough to beat any test of his) but nothing solid. Sure, vampires getting amped from special blood is nothing new, but you need to put it in your story clearly, not just "maybe".

[Frontier]

I think it is actually the first time he turned evil.

Do we not count Nightwing: New Order? Although it was more about him coming back from that.

[Rac7d*]

Do we not count Nightwing: New Order? Although it was more about him coming back from that.

He wasn’t evil exactly and he reformed in the end. He didn’t have any kills.

This is different, Damian’s and Ollie want him dead, I wonder if Babs will try and find a cure for him?

[Restingvoice]

I think it is actually the first time he turned evil.

Earth-3 Talon Dick and Dark Multiverse Talon Dick were never evil?

[Johnny]

yeah people in here thought it would be the Joker or Darkseid.

It being Nightwing doesn't make sense honestly. But hey Nightwing feats I'll let it go

FWIW I still think Darkseid would end up being involved somehow. I mean who made Dick a vampire, let alone the vampire king?

[Restingvoice]

FWIW I still think Darkseid would end up being involved somehow. I mean who made Dick a vampire, let alone the vampire king?

Over at Nightwing thread some think Dala. I'm going higher and think it's Cain, since he needs to be strong enough to take on Mary and Bennett. Otherwise I don't have another candidate. Didn't even think about Darkseid. Why him and how?

[Johnny]

Over at Nightwing thread some think Dala. I'm going higher and think it's Cain, since he needs to be strong enough to take on Mary and Bennett. Otherwise I don't have another candidate. Didn't even think about Darkseid. Why him and how?

I just think if anyone is capable of turning the Earth heroes against each other to such apocalyptic levels(see what I did there), it would be him.

[Restingvoice]

I just think if anyone is capable of turning the Earth heroes against each other to such apocalyptic levels(see what I did there), it would be him.

Oh I was thinking why would Darkseid need to become a vampire, but if it's distant manipulation thing, I guess he can... details pending

[JThree]

If we're talking about which characters should be immune to being turned, has anyone remembered Red Tornado? The android with a sentient consciousness in him. Also was is Aquaman's status?

==jthree

[Captain Nostalgia]

My TL went ballistic posting spoilers for this so I caved in and grabbed the issues instead of getting the trade. All in all, given how vitrolic some reactions were, I have to say I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I read it all in one go so I can't speak for whoever followed this monthly, but I thought it has a decent mystery going for it as its central narrative, really liked the general tone of not knowing who's a friend and who's the enemy (though it seems that has ended now), the characters were fun to read in general and it balances some lighthearted affair, some very dark comedy and some actual bleakness pretty well, which is easier said than done.

Batman basically plays the Ned Stark role, in the sense that he's the character you think you'll follow along but every moment that passes you see he's unprepared to deal with the situation. I actually enjoyed Bruce in this, he seemed a bit more humane and fallible though of course, it only really works because the story actually makes him pay for his mistakes instead of letting him get away scott-free like almost always (in fact, I would argue the story wouldn't work if he didn't end how he ended). Green Arrow was pretty awesome and I really liked his scene with Hal in the end. The character's voices in general felt pretty spot on, which is always welcomed.

The highlight for me though, were the villains. I don't know if it's because I'm soured of alternate universes were every villanous version of a hero is angry all the time, but I actually enjoyed these vampire versions and I liked that they were allowed to be mostly themselves, only, you know, minus the murdering tendencies and being in general colossal dicks. It's little details like Hal having a sincere conversation with Barry or Diana actually trying to talk to the people she was to convince as a friend instead of, I don't know, just come in sword in hand and try to ram it through their chests like a barbarian that made them feel a bit more in character, which is necessary from a reconizability POV given how brutal they can get when they show their true faces.

Reading it in one go, the reveal worked for me. It's wonky when it comes to lore, but it works in terms of character and general behaviour (you can go back and see that character being worried when Bruce discovered the conspiracy and being the only one that actually complained about having to kill the vampires) without being too obvious (and with some red herrings thrown in for good measure).

The book is flawed though. It juggles god-knows how many characters, each one with their own little interests and mini-narratives in different locations and struggles to give everyone or every moment their due, with the story feeling rushed in places. Wonder Woman's turning is probably its weakest moment with the plot pulling a "uno reverse card" to turn her in one page. It's not dramatic or well-thought at all, and it's not character-based, unlike some of the other reveals and switcheroos the story manages much more sucessfully.

Also, they really needed to explain their lore. Like I can get what the writers are going for most of the time, but with vampires and superheroes both having their own set of arbitrary rules that change from story to story, you should state what your rules are clearly, even if it's something as simple as saying "metahuman powers can potentially counter any vampire weakness, so you better watch out". They kind of infer that with Hal's ring blocking sunlight in the very beginning, but they do so in such an ambiguous way that it becomes obtuse, you shouldn't have to be deciphering how the world works while you're reading it.

Which is frustrating because the fact that the story works, structurally, in spite of this means (to me) that most of these flaws could have been easily corrected. I actually thought this story (and I say story because most of the narrative threads and emotional beats have been closed-off, what comes next will feel more like a sequel than a continuation) perhaps could have used another issue in the middle to overall explain things, set up others properly and in general give a bit more pages to the moments it rushed to balance the frantic feel those moments can give.

All in all, the positives outweight the negatives. I don't know if I'll be back for Part 2 (I'll probably wait and see, like I did in here) but I have liked this more than the other two Elseworld stories I was actually buying month-to-month, ironically enough. I also enjoyed this more than Dceased (which I think shares some of its flaws though, I thought the story here was overall stronger despite its shortcomings).

It's got its pot holes for sure, but as I've stated before, it's a fun read. (Tynion's been getting a lot of stick as a result of his lackluster Batman run)

I love how the vampires are using stealth and secrecy, by slowing taking out the villains first because they usually hide underground, or in the shadows after committing a crime.
(It's how Vampires work, they're not going to start a full out blazing invasion like Darseid)

I also like how the Arrow family has figured out what's going on early on when the rest of the heroes are still pretty oblivious to what's happening, it's always cool to see Bruce & Ollie hooking up.

Finally, (and I say this as a big Hal Jordan fan) I think he's been hilarious as an evil vampire. "I don't mind a smoothie once in a while"

Tynion has Batman drop a possible hint, by stating the Vampires could infiltrate the JLA by getting to the younger heroes first, so I wonder if Jayna from the Wonder twins is the vampire that turned Hal, while the rest of the squad was off world?

[Rightoya]

If we're talking about which characters should be immune to being turned, has anyone remembered Red Tornado? The android with a sentient consciousness in him.

Should be probably immune, but is probably not because this entire event makes no sense.

Also was is Aquaman's status?

If not even Wonder Woman is immune, there is no chance that Aquaman is, but if this event would make sense Wonder Woman would be immune and there would be a case for Aquaman too.

[dietrich]

It really makes the Damian one-shot a lot more traumatic and emotional huh

Like the twist of nightwing as the big bad. That's a different take. Hope Damian isn't the one to kill him though. I've had enough of that rubbish.

[Captain Nostalgia]

Wow! That was so good. The last person I expected to be the Vampire King. (So I am left wondering how and why?)

All my favourite characters have been dropping like flies, still a few standing though, glad it is an elseworlds story otherwise I'd be enraged, but that's what makes them great, the writers can roll like George RR Martin.

[Aahz]

Earth-3 Talon Dick and Dark Multiverse Talon Dick were never evil?

Techniclly maybe, but I can't really remember one of them really being a major villain of a story.

Earth-3 Talon was iirc even in a relationship with Joker's Daughter.