Sorrentino’s artwork is so good on I, Vampire, it makes one want to like the comic more than one should.

Fialkov has a couple nice little details here–he introduces this teenage girl who hunts vampires and, while it’s not just derivative in essence of “Buffy” but also Kick-Ass a little, he does it well. Unfortunately, these two good moments come amidst some terrible writing.

This issue, Fialkov introduces the protagonist’s best friend. Only, the best friend is now the protagonist and Andrew Bennett (the “I” in I, Vampire) is now the subject. And the best friend’s narration is awful.

It’s awful enough to be funny and homoerotic enough to be interesting. Is DC quietly trying to launch a gay Twilight? Or did Fialkov just learn how to write male narration from Jeph Loeb.

Either way, Sorrentino gets to draw a variety of things. The art saves the comic.

CREDITS

Numb; writer, Joshua Hale Fialkov; artist, Andrea Sorrentino; colorist, Marcelo Maiolo; letterer, Pat Brosseau; editors, Wil Moss and Matt Idelson; publisher, DC Comics.

Well, this one is a disappointment.

Fialkov narrates the entire issue from Mary’s perspective. She’s the bad guy. But she’s also a vampire, so the I, Vampire title still works. Shame Fialkov felt the need to expand on the idea with a second narrator.

Anyway… this issue reveals the vampire holocaust we saw last issue isn’t really a holocaust. It’s a very bad localized incident. There’s no giant vampire army about to take over the world, it’s just a few.

It also means these first two issues are narratively pointless, at least when it comes to establishing the series. All Fialkov establishes is a protagonist and an antagonist and they alternate narrating. No idea about supporting cast, no idea about location.

Fialkov gets by because he’s got Sorrentino on the art. Sorrentino makes Vampire look great, even Mary’s unlikely jaw structure.

But if Fialkov keeps slipping, Sorrentino might not matter.

CREDITS

Girls Just Want to Have Fun; writer, Joshua Hale Fialkov; artist, Andrea Sorrentino; colorist, Marcelo Maiolo; letterer, Pat Brosseau; editors, Wil Moss and Matt Idelson; publisher, DC Comics.

Does Andrea Sorrentino know Jae Lee personally? Or will they meet sometime at a con and Sorrentino will have to explain he made a career of imitating Lee?

I, Vampire is not what I was expecting. Oh, there’s some really weak dialogue–but nowhere near as bad as I was expecting from Joshua Hale Fialkov–but it’s not a Twilight comic. It’s vampires out to take over the world, zombie-style. I can’t imagine how it fits into the DC universe. You’d think the JLA would notice a whole city of blood-drained corpses.

But DC being stupid about their new universe continuity, four weeks in, is nothing new.

Instead, I, Vampire pretty much works. It’s unpleasant, but because it’s about the end of the world, not because of Fialkov’s dialogue.

And Sorrentino packages a nice visual experience. It’s post-apocalyptic while still being pre-full apocalypse.

It’s nearly engaging.

CREDITS

Tainted Love; writer, Joshua Hale Fialkov; artist, Andrea Sorrentino; colorist, Marcelo Maiolo; letterer, Pat Brosseau; editors, Wil Moss and Matt Idelson; publisher, DC Comics.