"Demi vs the Monsters of the 3rd Reich" #1 is an unusual and unique comic, in several ways. First, it is a prequel, framed by a sequel, to a live-action porn movie, based on long-running comic-book characters. Demi the Demoness has appeared in perhaps two dozen comics and Vampirooni has been her companion for the last three or four. That's surely a first.
Equally curious is the relative lack of sexual content in the book. CARNAL COMICS is known for providing almost wall-to-wall sex in its publications. Certainly, there is sex—or at least, violation, by monsters—and it's quite graphic. Yet mostly we're treated to pages of storyline and well-researched historical data. At times the tale becomes poignant.
Students of history and the occult will enjoy seeing the rise of the psychopathic Nazi regime –and Vampirooni is there for the entire bloodthirsty ride. The ancient Egyptian vampiress becomes the lover of a Nazi architect, Baron von Crowley (kudos on that name) whose daughter and granddaughter he schools in occult lore. The Indiana Jonesian MacGuffin this time is an Atlantean relic called the Thule Gestaff, an item of powerful magic, charged by—what else—sexual energy.
For her part in the story, Demi finds herself captured by Mistress Helga, who is Lyssa's mom. Most of the sex in the book occurs here, naturally. It seems that Demi's adventure with Helga occurs on the same night Vampirooni returns to von Crowley's schloss, yet they never run into one another. That's OK, but it would have helped the reader make the connection in events by, perhaps, giving a name to the cultist who runs off with the Staff in Demi's story and then reference him by that name when Vampi drains him of blood in her story.
It is young Lyssa who grows up to become the foil of Demi and Vampi in the Demi the Demoness movie. Lyssa seems to be the dark-haired, evil version of my own character, Cassiopeia the Witch. At least they shop the same boutiques.
The art is not quite on the level of previous Demi the Demoness publications, but it's not bad. Both S.S. Crompton and Randy Vogel contributed to the art, but a couple of newcomers helped out. The Vampirooni story, with all its exposition, seems crowded on the page in places.
Still, it's not everyday one finds a comic with demons, vampires, werewolves, the Monster of Frankenstein, Adolf Hitler, and a shoggoth. This book is worth picking up just for that.
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