Criminal riddles of bloodsuckers – review of the comic book “Vampire: The Masquerade – Winter’s teeth”, vol. 1

Vampire: Masquerade is a title known and liked by RPG fans. Meanwhile, we can also visit the World of Darkness thanks to the comic book. So let’s check what the first volume, Winter’s teeth, looks like.

The investigation begins

The comic book action takes place in Minneapolis. This is where the vampires, led by Prince Samantha, live. The main character, however, is Cecily Bain, an agent for special tasks, who often performs the so-called dirty work. One night she comes across a newly transformed vampire named Ali, whom she decides to take into her care, persuading others that she created her herself. Now she will not only have to introduce her to the world of conspiracies and parlor games, but also to solve the cases of bloody murders, the victims of which are even high-ranking undead.

A bloody detective story

Tim Seeley, a man associated primarily with the GI Joe series, is responsible for the main script of the comic . It gives us a very grim story, intended only for adults. There is no shortage of murder, torture and curses. But could anyone expect anything else from the Vampire: The Masquerade? The plot can also be described as heavy and convoluted. Please read it carefully so as not to accidentally overlook some facts. At the same time, it must be admitted that it is addictive. From the very beginning, we are thrown into a whirlwind of events, in which an intrigue is chasing a conspiracy, and the corpse is thick. Well, it’s Camarilla after all, so again we shouldn’t be surprised. The author manages to build tension and keep the viewer in suspense. Subsequent secrets are revealed slowly, and when one of the cases seems to be resolved, another one, related to the previous one, soon appears. The ending also does not give us all the explanations, so it is rather certain that we will reach for the next volume.

It is worth adding that apart from the main plot focusing primarily on Cecily and Ali, there is also a side one. Tini and Blake Howards are responsible for him, and he tells us about the Anarchists. There is also no shortage of bloodshed, although there is no intrigue the reader gets from Seeley. However, it is important because it is related to the story of Bain and ultimately combines into one coherent whole.

A treat for players

Vampire: The Masquerade – Winter’s teeth is the first comic book based on the role-playing game of the same title. It just so happened that not long ago I had the opportunity to enter the World of Darkness and become one of the players, and shortly afterwards I was happy to review the RPG manuals published in our country by Alis Games. It is thanks to this that I can easily find it in the reviewed album. It must be admitted that if someone has not dealt with the title, everything will not necessarily be clear to him. First of all, it is not explained here how the Camarilla rules work. Ba! Even this concept has not been fully explained. The heroes also often talk about who and what clan they belong to. Without knowing the source, it will be difficult to understand who the Brujah, the Bullfighters or even the Nosferats are. Also the word primogen probably not many have heard before. People who reached for the notebook without prior preparation will therefore have to either search for information or read without a thorough understanding of this world. This can, unfortunately, be discouraging for them. On the other hand, old folks will surely be delighted with how wonderfully all the nuances of the vampire world were depicted and the next heroes were presented in a proper way. Anyway, this is not the only nod to the players, but more about it later.

Black and red

Devmalya Pramanik and Nathan Gooden are responsible for the graphics of the notebook. They worked on the main plot and the Anarchist History, respectively. It is not difficult to guess that quite dark colors dominate here, because most of the events take place at night or possibly in dark places, and red, because there is no shortage of blood here. Illustrators in particular focus on the characters themselves and their facial expressions. Just looking at the characters can tell us what emotions are tormenting them, and thus it is easier to imagine their laughter or scream when we read subsequent texts in the clouds. RPG fans will also appreciate that attention has been paid to the appearance of individual clans. You can immediately see who is a Bullfighter and who is a Nosferat. In addition, we can often see rain or snow here, which look extremely realistic. At times it may seem to us that they do not stand still, but actually flow down the frames. It’s just a pity that many pictures lack background detail,

First and subsequent impressions

Vampire: The Masquerade – Winter’s teeth It found its way to our country very quickly, because the original comic had its premiere just over a year ago. We owe it to the Lost in Time publishing house, which introduced the title to the Polish market. The notebook immediately catches the eye, thanks to the hard cover and the atmospheric drawing on it. It’s no worse inside. I have already mentioned the plot and graphics, so I will not come back to that. I will only add that I did not find any typos in the text, and I am glad that no attempts were made to translate the names of clans or names of heroes in some strange way, which – as you know – sometimes happens. I also promised to come back to the topic of RPG and what can please the fans. Well, at the end of the album you will find a kind of addition to the game! There is a description of Minneapolis here, as well as the second city, St. Paul, presentation of the court of Prince Samantha, gossip, intrigue, Cecily and Colleen cards, blank character sheets, and even a place for notes. For some it may be an idea and an introduction to an adventure, for others it may be an opportunity to get to know the World of Darkness. In both cases, such an accessory certainly deserves a big plus!

Will you enter this world?

Vampire: The Masquerade – Winter’s teeth is a title that not everyone will like. It should boast an intriguing plot, a nice line, and the release. It is worth adding, however, that the dark and harsh climate requires a lot of concentration, because without it we will have to go back to the previous pages to fully understand what is happening in Minneapolis. In addition, the comic is based on a role-playing game and was prepared primarily for fans. Therefore, novices may not understand some concepts and not have a proper idea of ​​the individual clans and the entire structure of the Camarilla. This will severely spoil the reception and may even discourage further reading. However, if someone has already spent some time among the local vampires, he will certainly be delighted with the history and how the rules of bloodsuckers were caught and how well the plot is spun here.