Writer: Angel L.G.
Artists: Virgo C and Basa Team
Despite Fortune #1, written by Angel L.G. with art by Virgo C and Basa Team, follows an immortal vampire roaming the neon streets of New Glam City. According to the publisher, he is trying to understand “moral luck”, not out of philosophical curiosity, but purely to ensure his own survival.
At just eight pages, Despite Fortune is a very brief debut, reminiscent of DC Comics’ eight page inserts of new title previews in the 1980s. But the page count is indicative of the weight. Instead of racing through plot points, the comic spends its time on an extended internal monologue, imbuing more density, or rather, gravity than comparable first issues that are three times its length.
There is an interesting contradiction at the heart of the premise, though. The publisher’s description insists the protagonist has no interest in “playing the philosopher,.” Yet philosophy is exactly what fills these pages. The vampire spends most of the issue reflecting on the fragility of human life and contrasting it with his own immortality. Existential crisis for vampires came into vogue with Anne Rice’s novel, Interview with a Vampire. The immortal have plenty of time for navel-gazing. This vampire’s investigation into moral luck feels like a genuine intellectual pursuit at first, only for him to conclude that he doesn’t actually need to solve the problem. His own luck, unlike his prey’s, will never run out. Whether this irony is intentional or not, it creates a cool tension between curiosity and self-assurance.
The writing is the comic’s biggest strength, notwithstanding the impressive art (which we talk about further, below). Angel L.G. commands the written form of language, delivering prose that stays clear and readable even when dealing with abstract concepts. There is almost no conventional dialogue here; the text relies almost entirely on narration. But the exposition never feels aimless, let alone lazy. It steadily guides you through the vampire’s worldview and builds toward a solid final observation, making the issue feel like a complete experience despite being so short.
Visually, the comic is just as impressive. Virgo C and Basa Team mix bold, high-contrast ink illustrations with digital textures that enhance the artwork rather than overwhelm it. Rain, halftones, and other digital effects lock in the nocturnal atmosphere without burying the sharp linework underneath. The restricted monochrome palette, punctuated by sharp flashes of red on the ankh and neon signs, gives the comic a distinct look that fits the vampire theme perfectly.
The only real weakness is a minor one, and it is the presentation of the text on the cover and intro pages. The stylized red lettering fits the vibe, but placing it over a heavily textured, rainy background is cluttered. When the digital comic is scaled down, the text blurs into the background, making the back-page synopsis a struggle to read. A cleaner font, a brighter shade of red, or just a solid black box behind the text would fix the legibility without ruining the aesthetic.
For an eight-page debut, Despite Fortune #1 gets a lot of good work done fast. It introduces a distinct main character, locks in a striking visual style, and tackles big ideas with confidence. The central premise runs the risk of undercutting itself and a few design choices hurt the readability, but the comic leaves a strong impression through great writing and exceptional art. Readers looking for nothing but bloody incisors might find it a bit too contemplative, but anyone interested in atmospheric horror, with thematic weight, will find plenty to like.