The snowy Winter of 1476. Vlad Tepes was imprisoned. Throughout countless nights of incarceration, his only thought was of his beloved Nadia. And yet...when he finally found his freedom, she committed suicide rather than be with the one known as The Impaler. The story of Vlad and Nadia opens Vampirella #674. Writer Christopher Priest continues a disarmingly convoluted tale with the art team of Iván F Silva, Giovanni Timpano and colorist Flavio Dispenza. The story across time with multiple different views  of the same events from different angles that all seem to make some kind of sense...sort of. 

Vlad’s story is related by a man in sketchy black and white to an equally sketchy black and white Draculina. The sketchy black and white guy is playing a cello and calling Draculina “Katherine.” He’s telling her that he can give her humanity back...he can give her life back. She’s not going to trust him because of who he is. He’s a liar. And like all effective liars...some of what he says IS true. It’s going to be up to her to decide whether or not his offer lies in the realm of truth or perhaps somewhere else. 

Priest's story would be a lot more interesting if it were a lot less convoluted. However, it would lose a little bit of its impact. It's emotional impact if it weren't at least a little bit in unintelligible. There's something at the heart of it that seems to be driving everything in a way that almost seems to be kind of appealing and it own way. Everything seems to be moving in different directions with respect to the central conflict between Draculina and Vampirella and it could all actually amout to something, but it’s kind of difficult to get a feel for increasing tensions in the nebulosity.

There IS a moment in which Timpano and Dispenza are allowed to really make a notable impact on the page. Silva’s work manages quite a lot in the sketchy realm of black and white. It's a bit of a strange motion. It's a bit of a strange moment. I mean, there is a fusion between the color scenes and the black-and-white scenes. But at this stage, it's not quite as powerful with respect to this particular issue. That being said, all of the drama feels pretty well rendered for the page.

As the story progresses, it does feel as though there is going to be something that is going to lead to some sort of a showdown. Some sort of a climax. It's kind of hard to see it coming, though. And the murkiness of the convolutions of the plot, make it kind of difficult to really feel like there is the whole lot of gravity to the story. There is clearly a lot going on for the characters and it's really nice that they were able to get some form of resolution in one way or another over the course of this issue. They would just be nice to be able to feel a little bit more connected to it.

Grade: B