DC vs. Vampires: World War V #1 Just Blew My Mind 5 Different Ways (Review) (2024)

WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers For DC Vs. Vampires: World War V #1!The best-selling Elseworlds series, DC vs. Vampires, is back with an epic sequel that stars Barbara "Batgirl" Gordon as the new vampire queen, Oliver "Green Arrow" Queen leading the Human Resistance, and vampire Damian "Robin" Wayne. The first issue is an explosive mix of wild action and mind-blowing twists, making it an absolute must-read for any DC fan. If you’re looking for a comic that delivers on every level, this is the one to pick up.

Matthew Rosenberg, Otto Schmidt, and Pierluigi Casolino have brilliantly upped the ante in DC vs. Vampires: World War V #1 by turning the already intense vampire vs. human conflict into a thrilling three-sided war between Earth's remaining humans, Barbara’s vampire army, and Damian’s vampire guerilla fighters. This issue is packed with nonstop action, and there are five moments that truly blew my mind. I’ve ranked these moments below in descending order from ‘Oh my gosh, that was crazy’ to ‘WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!’. If these moments don’t convince you to pick up the comic, nothing will.

5 Green Lanterns John Stewart & Kyle Rayner Get Slaughtered By Wonder Woman and Her Vampire Croonies

Stewart and Rayner Take Their Final Stand as the Rhino and Rhino Knight

DC vs. Vampires: World War V #1 kicks off with a bang, bringing Green Lanterns John Stewart and Kyle Rayner into the vampire narrative. Their introduction is particularly intriguing since they’ve been off-planet for nearly a year, completely unaware of the vampire plague that has nearly wiped out the human population on Earth. However, it doesn’t take long for Rayner and Stewart to catch up on the events that have transpired when they’re ambushed by a group of heroes turned vampire overlords, forcing the two Green Lanterns to fight for their lives.

This battle is particularly epic, with John encasing himself in a Rhino construct and Kyle mounting him as a Rhino Knight. Despite their valiant effort, the heroes are soon overwhelmed when Wonder Woman enters the fray, impaling Kyle with her sword and leaving John to be overrun by her undead minions. This moment shocked me because I didn’t expect major DC characters to make their debut, only to be killed off immediately. Thus, Rosenberg has made it clear that no one is safe in DC vs. Vampires, a lesson I should have learned back in issue #6 when Batman was killed.

4 Damian Wayne Is Leading His Own Army of Murderous Vampires (& He Lets The Kill Humans!?)

Vampire Queen Barbara Gordon Is Officially Afraid of the Former Robin

Ever since Damian became a vampire in DC vs. Vampires #6, he has been a major character in the series, much to my delight. What made me love his character even more was that, unlike nearly all the other heroes in the DCU. Damian wasn’t corrupted by his vampirism. However, Rosenberg has just delivered a gut-wrenching twist by revealing that Damian not only leads his own legion of vampires but is also allowing them to kill humans. While it’s incredibly badass to see Damian as a vampire overlord, I’m heartbroken that he may have crossed into the dark side in his quest for vengeance against Batgirl.

This issue also reveals that Damian and his faction of vampires are the only ones actively fighting against Batgirl’s rule, while humans have formed a truce with the vampire queen. What makes this even more compelling is that Damian is now recognized as a major threat, a stark contrast to the nuisance he was earlier in DC vs. Vampires. His increased threat level is highlighted by Batgirl in her discussions with Aquaman and Gorilla Grodd, as well as by Green Arrow in his conversation with Black Canary. While I’m fully on board with vampire leader Damian Wayne, I’m hoping he doesn’t fully descend into villainy.

3 DC vs. Vampires: World War V #1 Debuts New Batman, But Who Is Under the Cowl?

The Mystery Batman Debuts a Badass, New Batsuit

As mentioned earlier, Bruce Wayne died in DC vs. Vampires #6 when Nightwing, secretly the vampire King at the time, ripped his father’s heart out. Following Bruce’s death, other Bat-Family members fell one by one, including Tim Drake, Jason Todd, and Duke Thomas, leaving all of Batman’s young adult male children effectively deceased. Yet, DC vs. Vampires: World War V #1 introduces a new Batman, raising the pressing question of who is beneath the cowl, given that all obvious candidates are dead. I was convinced Batman wouldn’t return in this Elseworlds tale, so I'm thrilled to be proven wrong.

Despite the identity of the new Batman remaining a complete mystery, one thing fans know for certain is that the new Batsuit is absolute fire. The suit retains the classic design, with the recognizable black and grey color scheme and bladed gauntlets. However, it features a yellow bat symbol that’s subtly different from the usual logo. The most striking changes are the full-face cowl and the inclusion of a sword, both adding to the intrigue and mystery surrounding this new Batman. Personally, I’m betting that the new Batman is a vampire, as his effort to cover his mouth might be hiding fangs.

2 Who Is the Teleporting Vampire With a Baby Strapped to His Chest???

Will a Magic 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 an unnamed vampire who seems to teleport short distances while being pursued by other vampires. When they corner him, it’s revealed that a baby is strapped to his chest—something he is clearly trying hard 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 leads me to 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 and baby duo are extremely special and will play a major role in the narrative. The vampires' sudden urgency to capture them, especially the baby, adds to the intrigue. Although Rosenberg has revealed almost nothing about the mysterious baby and vampire, their enigmatic presence makes them one of the most compelling elements of the story. The confusion and suspense they create add an exciting layer of fun to the narrative.

1 Hush Returns In the Last Way Anyone Expected (& I Think He Just Killed Batgirl)

Hush Blows Himself Up on Behalf of Damian Wayne to Kill Vampire Queen Barbara Gordon

Despite the magic baby and vampire being among the most surprising and intriguing elements of the issue, they were overshadowed by a Batgirl moment that literally made me spill my soup and shout, "What the heck just happened?!" Toward the end of the issue, the vampire queen makes her dramatic entrance, and it’s unforgettable. Standing on a balcony overlooking the city, she is approached by one of Damian’s vampires, whom she identifies as the Batman villain Hush. However, since all of Damian’s fighters are wrapped in bandages around their faces, it's unclear if this is truly Hush or if Barbara has mistaken his identity.

Despite calling for her guards, Batgirl discovers that Damian has launched a widespread attack on her headquarters, leaving the queen to fend for herself. She tackles ‘Hush,’ only to realize that it 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 plummeting hundreds of stories to the ground. While it remains unconfirmed whether she actually died, the odds of survival don’t seem to favor Barbara, suggesting that the vampire queen might have been killed off. Some might 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 Elseworlds.

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

DC VS. VAMPIRES: WORLD WAR V #1 (2024)
	Writer: Matthew Rosenberg Artist: Otto Schmidt Colorist: Pierluigi Casolino Letterer: Tom Napolitano Cover Artist: Otto Schmidt