Vampirella: Why church people are not Christians

Vampirella (Vol. 5) #10
Writer: Christopher Priest
Artist: Ergün Gündüz
Cover: Lucio Parrillo
FC | 32 pages | Horror | $3.99 | Teen+

Did God also create vampires? This is just one of the thought-provoking ideas discussed in Dynamite Entertainment‘s Vampirella (Vol. 5) #10, which is one of the best comic books I have read in a while.

Christopher Priest’s magical prose and non-linear storytelling, combined with the gorgeous yet disturbing art of Ergün Gündüz, elevates this tale about the tragic plane crash that changed Vampirella’s life.

This vampire has hit rock bottom. Like a dark goddess, she has wrought terrible vengeance on her enemies. And yet here is a man quietly conversing with her, trying to convince her — and maybe himself — that somehow she is still one of God’s creations.

Spoilers ahead.

What church people worship

This issue starts with a man cleaning the toilet.

And the man starts talking about church people.

“The real problem is the Church is full of church people. Church people are not Christians. They think they are, but they’re not. Christians worship Christ. Church people worship the Church — the social organism. The institution. The rules. The hierarchy.”

The man is talking to a vampire.

“The gunfire has stopped. The sisters… are they all dead?

“All dead.”

Sisters of mercy

Are humans worse monsters than vampires? These days, that may actually be true.

She takes flight, Vampirella. But she cannot escape what has already happened.

She can only take lives, but not give them back.

The tragedy haunts her. Like the past.

The sisters try to kill her. But she is the better killer. One by one, the Marys fall.

“What if I don’t believe in God?

“Don’t have to. God believes in you. Just bear in mind — when you fight evil — evil tends to fight back.”

This issue ends with a vampire talking to a man.

And the man is a priest who believes in God.