The Vampire Verses #2

CFD Visual Anarchy's The Vampire Verses issue 2 came out way back in 1996.  Its creators are the ever controversial Joe Monks and Hart D. Fisher.  Helping out here was also artist Frank Forte, Mike Bliss and Bob Murdock.  As to be expected with anything associated with Monks and Fisher, there is blood ... and bare breasts ... and bodies torn in half.  Throw in lots of cursing, sacrificed babies and threats of rape, and you have a comic that earns its mature readers label.

But is it any good?

If black and white art is something you run from, you will hate this.  The cover is the only bit of color.  If vampires who look like those kids in Twilight are your thing, you'll also hate this.  There are no cute teens in the stories presented here.  Just vampires, thugs, demons and razor blades run down tongues.  Obviously, it's not for the weak-of-heart ... and nor is it for discerning tastes.

The art is appropriate for the types of stories presented here.  The stories, however, are full of usual genre trappings you've come to expect, as well as cookie-cutter dialogue and characters.  It often seems that the only thing original here is the gleeful love of violence that permeates nearly every single scene.  (That said, the baby sacrifice is not exactly shown.  It seems that even these creators have limits.)  Heck, the text piece has a character named Lucien.  Have you ever read a good story with a character named Lucien?  Doubtful.

When this was first published it had a $2.95 cover price.  The cover alone probably sold quite a few people on it.  Today I suspect it is in the dollar boxes at best (if retailers aren't too timid to carry it).

In 2001, Asylum Press was re-releasing the 12 issues of this maxi-series.  If you go to the website you will find some of the original issues still for sale, though this issue has sold out for some reason.  It should be noted, too, that as of this writing, eBay had several issues of the series up for grabs.  Whether or not there are any takers remained to be seen.

Vampires are hot right now.  In 1996 they weren't nearly as universal in their appeal.  It wasn't exactly a guaranteed sale to do this type of comic, so the creators deserve some credit.  Unfortunately, they took what could have been a stand-out series and made it almost a replica of all that has come before it ... only with more gore and boobs.  That may work as a distraction, but as a story device it falls awfully short.

Perhaps people should stick with Twilight.  At least that has werewolves.