Let's cut all the babies in half!

American Vampire #15 *****
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Rafael Albuquerque
Cover Artist: Rafael Albuquerque
Publisher: Vertigo

Holy shit on a shish kebab. If you want lessons on how to create a brilliant book, you read this one. This arc has taken this series to a whole new level in so many ways. For the first part, this story has been absolutely fantastic. There's a new breed of vampire, or rather a very old breed that has gone unnoticed, and apparently they can wound Skinner. How sweet of a plot twist is that? (No pun intended) Pearl, sweet Pearl, is on her way to save her beloved Henry, but after that reveal I can only imagine she's being led into a trap. Speaking of Henry, he and his army pals have all been herded into some type of torture building. This whole story is so flipping amazing. And the art is absolutely gorgeous. Albuquerque has stepped it up a whole mess of notches for this arc and this issue. There are a whole mess of vampire stories out right now, across all mediums, but by far this story stands out as brilliant. Snyder and Albuquerque, issue after issue, redefine everything you know about vampires and not only that, but the vampires are then integrated into world history. Absolutely riveting stuff here.

Bring him home

Chew #27 ****
Writer: John Layman
Artist: Rob Guillory
Cover Artist: Rob Guillory
Publisher: Image

One of the best things about this series, in my opinion, is that even after two years the creative team has the ability to surprise use readers at every turn. With this issue we get a bit of a flash forward preview of what is in store for us and it is all exciting stuff. I think, if done properly, a flash forward is a great way of setting up the upcoming story lines. It gives readers an idea of what's to come, but it also builds up a whole bunch of tension and anticipation, all good things in my opinion. Issue after issue, this series kills it every single time, in both the writing and the art.

You have to find a way to get me to that island

American Vampire #14 *****
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Rafael Albuquerque
Cover Artist: Rafael Albuquerque
Publisher: Vertigo

I'm beginning to sound like a broken record whenever I talk about this series. Henry and his army pals do a little bonding, before trouble sneaks up on them. Never having seen Skinner before is a major setback for these guys and it's actually a fact that I had forgotten about. I am so damn excited for Pearl getting into the action. I am a sucker for a badass female and Pearl is one of them. Snyder has done an amazing job of getting the readers to be emotionally invested in these characters. his characterizations and personal touches make reading this book a fantastic experience. Rafael Albuquerque's art continues to get better and better with every issue. If you had asked me in the beginning if his art could have gotten better I would have been hard pressed to say yes. But this issue is proof that his work can and is constantly getting better.