Matthew Rosenberg: Darkness and Light #1

DC vs. Vampires: World War V Darkness and Light #1 delivers two engaging, interconnected stories that deepen the lore of the series while offering a mix of tragedy and hope. While the pacing is uneven at times, strong character work and striking visuals make this a worthy read for fans invested in the series. Gear up, readers, Alfred is beginning to become the star of the show. Read Full Review

DC vs. Vampires: World War V Darkness and Light #1 is a sobering and mildly humorous installment that furthers both Diana and Alfred's stories and is sure to play a major role in the later parts of the series Read Full Review

Before the main series resumes, we're getting this double-sized special telling stories from the fringes of the ongoing war. Themed to darkness and light, the first one absolutely lives up to its name, focusing on Harper Row as her failed attempts to protect her brother from the vampires results in her being turned and essentially becoming the pet of the most sadistic Vampire General Wonder Woman. Read Full Review

While this one-shot isn't necessarily bad, with some decent character moments and artwork to carry it, it's hard to recommend it. It doesn't help out with the plot of the overall narrative (good luck figuring out when this takes place) and can feel like a cheap move to milk out a little more cash out of anybody still reading this series. However, if you can look past that huge caveat, the contents of this one-shot aren't terrible. Read Full Review

RivrSng

Feb 12, 2025

I'm surprised about how much I've enjoyed this little special. I haven't read DCVV's sequel series but I loved the stories here, the first one specially. I think I may get back into the series overall.

JoaoSepe

Feb 14, 2025

I thought this was going to be filler stuff and it's one of the coolest thing this Elsewrold's has done.

KennyTroi

Feb 14, 2025

Love it. Love it. Love it.

Feraled

Feb 15, 2025

I wonder if, given the focus on Diana mentioning that she doesn't have "a conscience" her ironic fate will be to end up "cursed" with one, having to deal with the thigns she's done as a vampire and some sort of atonement.

Praura

Feb 17, 2025

I'm already a fan of this series but I have to say, I was very impressed with this one-shot. The first story is probably my favorite. There's one thing I found fascinating about the WW story with harper Row and it's that, if you remove the vampire element, it's a pretty normal story for Diana. Diana finds a defenseless girl in an apocalyptic wasteland. She saves her life and gives her the means to survive in this world. She teaches her about her superpowers, is patient and understanding and doesn't chastise her when she's not cut for the job. When others attack her, she protects her. She even risks her own life to save her when the girl hurts herself and helps her heal. At no point is Diana angry or judgamental. And when the girl does in fact die in this apocalyptic world, Diana's only thought is that she failed her. That is... Pretty normal for WW. For any superhero really. But the horror comes from the fact that this is a dark book with an horrifying context: Diana is a vampire and her helping involves teaching Harper how to eat people. It's dark and twisted, and doesn't pretend the vampire versions of these characters aren't villanous. But you can see a pretty clear sense of continuance from who they were before - In Diana's case, her loving nature and even her solidarity, only corrupted by,as she says, her lack of conscience and a world that's unforgiving, blinds this version of the character to the truth: that her new "nature" is damaging and that even when trying to "help" she'll end up hurting others. more

Minati

Feb 12, 2025

I find it interesting that in these specials (this one, the Hunters one with Damian) vampires are more "humanized"/three-dimensional than in the main series, where they're mostly the Terminator.

MyPosit

Feb 13, 2025

A story about an evil WW where the right actully gives two sh*ts about who she was and what she finds important? That's more fantatical than the vampire supers.

Jenny1010

Feb 13, 2025

I don't read this series normally but this one was awesome lol

Dex Rober

Feb 15, 2025

I am one who loved not wisely but too well The first part is about Vampire Wonder Woman turning Harper Row into a vampire and it reminded me of this quote from Othello. It felt like twisted version of her values and how even in unlife she carries the Amazon's ways, though of course very corrupted in this case. Her acting as a mentor figure and trying to show kinship and kindness to someone who would otherwise have been eaten like all the other humans was delightful to read, because while it goes a long way to humanize this Diana (and makes her feel more than another Evil Wonder Woman) it also shows how without conscience even things we generally consider positive can be damaging.

VEGES

Feb 15, 2025

SPOILERS I think this series works exceptionally well. We're already, what, 20-somthing issues in counting the one-shots, and still works well and helps to surprise. I'm loving it, I loved they slowed things down and gave us a look at the psyches of a couple of characters. Diana's twisted mentor relationship with Harper was kino and crazy trainer Guy becoming half-lantern construct is added to the list of bizarrely awesome things this series does with Lanterns.