Rise of the Vampires is an I, Vampire and Justice League Dark storyline published as part of The New 52, detailing the death and revival of Andrew Bennett while the Justice League Dark fights the supernatural threats of Cain and the Queen of Blood. It follows the storylines In the Dark and Tainted Love. The League appear next in their storyline The Black Room.
Synopsis
Synopsis
Andrew Bennett has died at the hands of Tig Rafelson, and Cain the sire of all vampires has risen in his place.[1] Madame Xanadu rallies her Justice League Dark team to Gotham City, as this is the apocalypse they were assembled to fight. They briefly team up with Batgirl, but realize their magic isn't working properly due to Cain's influence. Xanadu retreats into her own mind to visit the astral zone of the Crystal One. Deadman and John Constantine are sent into the afterlife to bring back Andrew Bennett.[2] In Purgatory, Bennett listens to a voice tell him that his work isn't finished. Tig and John Troughton fight vampires on the rooftops alongside Batman. Mary, Queen of Blood rebels against Cain when he takes control of her vampire army and refuses to acknowledge her. It's explained that Cain is a dark primordial evil who became the first vampire and spread his cruelty until the Demon Knights imprisoned him inside Bennett. Cain uses the magic he's stolen to remove the vampires weaknesses, making them all supremely powerful.[3]
Deadman and John Constantine arrive in the afterlife to convince Bennett to return with them, but he is at peace and refuses. Xanadu balances the scales by diverting Cain's power into Bennet. Shade has a complete mental breakdown and loses control of the M-Vest, slipping into the Area of Madness where he can finally be happy with his girlfriend Kathy George. Mary teams up with the League and they attack Cain, but he is vastly more powerful than all of them combined. Bennett decides that he does want to live, and returns from the afterlife with incredible new powers.[4] His new powers allow him to turn the entire vampire army into dust with a thought. He announces that he is Cain's opposite, meant to build instead of destroy. Andrew and Mary reunite in an embrace, as he has decided to lead the vampires with her. The vampires are reformed again with a thought, and they swarm Cain while Andrew beheads the immortal evil. In his final act, Andrew undoes the slaughter and erases everyone's memories except those directly involved. Constantine warns Andrew that they might have to come for him, but Andrew volunteers for membership in their Justice League. Bennett and Mary walk away with their docile vampire army, leaving Tig and Troughton to wonder if he's finally turned evil.[5]
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