There are no rules for talent, Steve Bryant has found something new and engaging in the Dracula universe. From the opening of issue 1 which starts off the story with delicious black humour, it moves into a happily, unexpected direction. Evie Van Helsing is the lead singer in a struggling rock band. She is also the lost of her vampire hunting family and is now a target. The story is unexpected and fun, it embraces the central idea to great effect and gives the reader all the expected and some unexpected thrills.
Steve Bryant takes Evie Van Helsing’s dual identity seriously. Being a musician is not just a cover that is dropped when she must step into her inheritance. It is who she is as well as being a natural born vampire hunter. The story delivers fully on both, each creating opportunities for the other.
Don Cardenas makes a very difficult task look easy, he moves from musicians playing to a crowd, to conversations to full force action scenes seamlessly. None feel lie an interruption, they are the life that Evie has now, like it or not. The cast are full of energy no matter what they are doing, they are expressive and move naturally within their context.
Jason Millet uses the colours to bring out all the aspects of the story and the art. There is nothing dark about the colours, the action is always clear and up front, the colours give it a terrific punch.
The letters by Steve Bryant are natural to read, never obscure the action and lead the reader without ever drawing attention to themselves.
Evie and the Helsings has found something new and is running with it with confidence and flair. I am really looking forward to seeing where this story is going to take me.
