Summary

• Fans can expect an explosive mix of action and surprising twists in
  DC vs. Vampires: World War V
  #1; a must have for DC fans.
• Damian Wayne becomes the vampire leader and allows his legion to kill humans; an unexpected twist.
• Author Rosenberg may have just killed off one of the MOST serious villains in his story, making it clear that no character is safe.

WARNING: Contains possible spoilers for DC Vs. Vampires: World War V #1!The bestseller Otherworlds Series, DC vs Vampiresis back with an epic sequel in which Barbara “Batgirl” Gordon as the new vampire queen Oliver “Green arrow” Queen leads the human resistance and vampire Damian “Robin” Wayne. The first issue is an explosive mix of wild action and breathtaking twists, making it an absolute must-have for every DC fan. If you’re looking for a comic that’s convincing on every level, this is the one for you.

Matthew Rosenberg, Otto Schmidt and Pierluigi Casolino have brilliantly increased the use in DC vs. Vampires: World War V #1, by turning the already intense conflict between vampires and humans into an exciting three-way battle between Earth’s remaining humans, Barbara’s vampire army, and Damian’s vampire guerrilla fighters. This issue is packed with nonstop action, and there are five moments that really blew me away. I’ve ranked these moments below in descending order from “Oh my god, that was crazy” to “WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!” If these moments don’t convince you to pick up the comic, then nothing will.

To read
DC vs Vampires
(2021-2022) and
DC vs. Vampires: Total War
(2022) to catch up on DC’s war against the undead!

5 Green Lanterns John Stewart and Kyle Rayner are slaughtered by Wonder Woman and her vampire friends

Stewart and Rayner make their last stand as Rhino and Rhino Knight

DC vs. Vampires: World War V #1 starts with a bang and brings the Green Lanterns John Stewart and Kyle Rayner into the vampire story. Their appearance is particularly exciting, as they have been away from the planet for nearly a year and are unaware of the vampire plague that has nearly wiped out the human population on Earth. However, it isn’t long before Rayner and Stewart catch up to events when they are ambushed by a group of heroes turned vampire lords, leaving the two Green Lanterns to fight for their lives.

This fight is particularly epic, with John wraps himself in a rhinoceros construction and Kyle mounts him as the Rhino Knight. Despite their valiant efforts, the heroes are soon overwhelmed when Wonder Woman enters the fray, impaling Kyle with her sword, and John is overrun by her undead minions. This moment shocked me because I wasn’t expecting major DC characters to make their debut and be killed off instantly. With this, Rosenberg has made it clear that no one is safe in DC vs Vampiresa lesson I should have learned back in issue #6 when Batman was killed.

4 Damian Wayne leads his own army of murderous vampires (and he lets them kill humans!?)

Vampire Queen Barbara Gordon is officially afraid of the former Robin

Since Damian became a vampire in DC vs Vampires #6, he was a main character in the series, much to my delight. What made me love his character even more was that unlike almost all other heroes in the DCU, Damian was not corrupted by his vampirism. However, Rosenberg just delivered a heartbreaking twist by revealing that Damian not only leads his own vampire legion, but also allows them to kill humans. While it’s incredibly badass to see Damian as a Vampire Lord, it breaks my heart that he may have turned to the dark side in his quest for revenge against Batgirl.

This problem also shows that Damian and his vampire faction are the only ones actively fighting against Batgirl’s rule.while the humans have made a truce with the Vampire Queen. What makes this even more convincing is that Damian is now seen as a major threat, a stark contrast to the nuisance he used to be in DC vs Vampires. His increased threat level is highlighted by Batgirl in her conversations with Aquaman and Gorilla Grodd, as well as by Green Arrow in his conversation with Black Canary. While I’m completely on the side of vampire leader Damian Wayne, I hope he doesn’t go completely villainous.

3 DC vs. Vampires: World War V #1 introduces the new Batman, but who is under the hood?

The mysterious Batman presents a tough new Batsuit

As already mentioned, Bruce Wayne died in DC vs Vampires #6, when Nightwing, who was secretly the Vampire King at the time, ripped out his father’s heart. After Bruce’s death, other members of the Bat Family gradually fell, including Tim Drake, Jason Todd and Duke Thomas, leaving all of Batman’s young adult sons practically dead. DC vs. Vampires: World War V #1 introduces a new Batmanwhich raises the pressing question of who is hiding under the hood, since all the obvious candidates are dead. I was convinced Batman wouldn’t return in this Elseworlds story, so I’m happy to be proven wrong.

Although the identity of the new Batman remains a complete mystery, fans know one thing for sure: the new Batsuit is a total stunner. The suit retains the classic design with the recognizable black and gray color scheme and bladed gloves, but it features a yellow bat symbol that is subtly different from the usual logo. The most noticeable changes are the full mask and the inclusion of a sword, both of which add to the intrigue and mystery surrounding this new Batman. Personally, I bet the new Batman is a vampirebecause he may be hiding fangs behind the covering of his mouth.

2 Who is the teleporting vampire with the baby on his chest???

Will a magical baby save the DC Universe from the vampire plague?

One of the biggest surprises in the story was Rosenberg’s introduction of a potentially magical baby. Halfway through, we meet a nameless vampire who appears to be able to teleport short distances while being pursued by other vampires. When they corner him, it turns out he has a baby strapped to his chest – something he is clearly desperate to protect. Despite the vampire’s teleportation abilities, the way the story unfolds suggests he doesn’t control when or how far he teleports. This makes me believe that the baby might actually be the one causing the teleportation.

When the pursuing vampires see the baby, one of them exclaims: “It’s him! The legend is true?!” This reaction reinforces the idea that The vampire baby duo is very special and will play an important role in the story. The vampires’ sudden desire to capture them, especially the baby, makes the intrigue even more exciting. Although Rosenberg has revealed almost nothing about the mysterious baby and the vampire, their enigmatic presence makes them one of the most compelling elements of the story. The confusion and suspense they create add a thrilling level of fun to the narrative.

1 Hush returns in the last expected way (and I think he just killed Batgirl)

Hush blows himself up on Damian Wayne’s orders to kill the vampire queen Barbara Gordon

Although the magical baby and the vampire were among the most surprising and fascinating elements of the issue, they were overshadowed by a Batgirl moment that literally made me spill my soup and scream, “What the hell just happened?!” Towards the end of the issue, the Vampire Queen makes her dramatic entrance, which is unforgettable. Standing on a balcony overlooking the city, she is approached by one of Damian’s vampires, whom she identifies as Batman villain Hush. However, since all of Damian’s fighters have bandages wrapped around their faces, it is unclear if it is really Hush or if Barbara has confused him.

Although Batgirl calls for her guards, she finds that Damian has launched a full-scale attack on her headquarters and the Queen is left to fend for herself. She attacks “Hush” only to find that that was exactly what he wanted. As he says: “Damian wanted me to tell you ‘sic semper tyrannis’”, he blows himself and Barbara up. Batgirl is shown burning alive before falling hundreds of stories. While it’s not yet confirmed if she actually died, Barbara’s chances of survival don’t seem to be in her favor, suggesting that the vampire queen was killed. Some may argue that a major character wouldn’t be killed off so early in a series, but Rosenberg has repeatedly shown that no one is safe in this vampire world. Otherworlds.

“Sic semper tyrannis” is a Latin phrase that generally means that tyrannical leaders will eventually be overthrown.

DC vs. Vampires: World War V #1 is now available from DC Comics!