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A review by aceinit
American Vampire, Vol. 2 by Scott Snyder
4.0
A bit of a disappointment compared to the first installment, but still far and away better than most of the stuff going to print these days.
Pearl and Skinner’s respective stories move forward a decade, to the 1930’s. Skinner’s set up shop in Vegas and is in the thick of the gambling and prostitution trade that’s thriving due to the construction of the Boulder Dam (known today as the Hoover Dam); while Pearl and Henry are trying to live a quiet life in California.
Some new faces are introduced, primarily in the form of Las Vegas chief of police Cash McCogan and a mysterious group known as the Council. Abilena Book and her now-grown daughter Felicia make welcome returns, as well as a prominent figure from Pearl’s past who was left for dead.
Snyder continues to weave an inventive and powerful tale, but this one leaves something to be desired compared to its predecessor. After growing used to the 50/50 split of Pearl and Skinner’s respective arcs, both in term of story and the year of their setting, it was a bit disorienting to see them both in the same era, even if their paths don’t cross. It also causes the fact that we’re reading two separate stories to seem more prominent, as sometimes there are large gaps between switching from Pearl’s story to Skinner’s and vice versa. Pearl, in my opinion, is given particularly little to do. Other than one big scene, she is mostly living the quiet life. And the quiet life, let’s face it, is boring.
There is also the fact that much of the Las Vegas arc is left unresolved. Someone is out to sabotage the building of the Boulder Dam. Though we find out who is responsible for the killings, we never find out *why.* No real hints are given, either, other than an odd parallel between the fact that someone is building a Really Big Dam and that a similar technique was attempted in the first arc to keep Skinner trapped in his coffin. There are hints of a conspiracy here, sure, but not enough to really satisfy. There’s not that “oh my god” moment that makes you HAVE to move on to the next vomlume.
But, as I said, American Vampire is still a fantastic series and a cut above most of the other monthly offerings in the comic industry today. It still tells a great story, still has perfect art, and is still very much worth a read.
Pearl and Skinner’s respective stories move forward a decade, to the 1930’s. Skinner’s set up shop in Vegas and is in the thick of the gambling and prostitution trade that’s thriving due to the construction of the Boulder Dam (known today as the Hoover Dam); while Pearl and Henry are trying to live a quiet life in California.
Some new faces are introduced, primarily in the form of Las Vegas chief of police Cash McCogan and a mysterious group known as the Council. Abilena Book and her now-grown daughter Felicia make welcome returns, as well as a prominent figure from Pearl’s past who was left for dead.
Snyder continues to weave an inventive and powerful tale, but this one leaves something to be desired compared to its predecessor. After growing used to the 50/50 split of Pearl and Skinner’s respective arcs, both in term of story and the year of their setting, it was a bit disorienting to see them both in the same era, even if their paths don’t cross. It also causes the fact that we’re reading two separate stories to seem more prominent, as sometimes there are large gaps between switching from Pearl’s story to Skinner’s and vice versa. Pearl, in my opinion, is given particularly little to do. Other than one big scene, she is mostly living the quiet life. And the quiet life, let’s face it, is boring.
There is also the fact that much of the Las Vegas arc is left unresolved. Someone is out to sabotage the building of the Boulder Dam. Though we find out who is responsible for the killings, we never find out *why.* No real hints are given, either, other than an odd parallel between the fact that someone is building a Really Big Dam and that a similar technique was attempted in the first arc to keep Skinner trapped in his coffin. There are hints of a conspiracy here, sure, but not enough to really satisfy. There’s not that “oh my god” moment that makes you HAVE to move on to the next vomlume.
But, as I said, American Vampire is still a fantastic series and a cut above most of the other monthly offerings in the comic industry today. It still tells a great story, still has perfect art, and is still very much worth a read.