The penultimate issue of this crossover event is here, so do we get something that lives up to the storied history of these two franchises?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

Under Bathory’s thrall, Vampirella and Barnabas are at each other’s throats! Can they come to their senses before killing each other or will the NYPD take them down first? And what horrors does Bathory have planned for Quentin, Pantha, and the captive girls?

Who knew a mini-series involving both Dark Shadows and Vampirella would honestly be this much fun?  With the inclusion of some side characters and a striking foe to take down this brief saga is quickly proving its reason for existence with each passing page.  The creative team simply works splendidly together as they chart their course toward whatever conclusion next month’s release will bring.

Marc Andreyko once again pens the script and the series writer delivers his most competent work to date.  The dialogue is sharp and to the point as the tale barrels through some set pieces all in an effort to prepare the audience for its final act.  The author honestly gets the core of each of these characters but he’s not above using their established tropes to poke fun at both of their properties.  The end result is an atmosphere that offers a fast paced romp that’s chock-full of fun.

Jose Malaga continues his work as the series artist, where he yields some truly brilliant pencil strokes that both inform and extend the impact of the script.  He nails the look and style normally associated with both Dark Shadows and Vampirella while finding enough common ground between the two to unite these divergent franchises to form a coherent piece.  There are some moments of deformity that can be somewhat distracting, but these are few and far between.

Dark Shadows / Vampirella #4 is by far the best release yet to surface from this zany and entertaining crossover.  Recommended.

4/5