John Stagliano’s long-in-the-coming continuation of his epic and forward-thinking vampire porn series (released episodically online followed by a full-length packaging on DVD) finally arrives … at least in part. This debut volume of Season 2’s DVD rollout contains only the first three episodes of the new cycle, and it comes as a welcome and very shrewd move to break the full endeavor into more digestible installments like this, as opposed to the over six-hour box set of Season 1 in its entirety issued in 2012.

There is definitely plenty here to at once sate a wide spectrum of viewers and whet their appetites for what’s on the way next. And the star power harnessed within is damn near inconceivable: The presence of Stoya alone in her first non-Digital Playground appearance in six years (and in fact one of her few ever) makes this a release to generate many ripples of excitement, indeed. But then there’s Anikka Albrite, Skin Diamond, James Deen, Rocco Siffredi (albeit the latter only in a non-sex capacity for this volume); it is the very definition of a powerhouse cast.

Siffredi reprises his role from Season 1 as Budapest-based head vampire Vlad, whom Adrianna (Lea Lexis, not only likewise returning but given a producer credit this time around) believes she’s killed. Also back is European superstar Sandra Romain, who closes out this volume by first fucking then sucking the blood of cop Keni Styles in the woods—a brilliantly shot sequences illuminated only by the headlights of Styles’ police car.

Preceding this apparent flashback, we find Adrianna roaming the streets of San Francisco, where she’s been tracked by seeming vampire hunter Deen. Sniffing out Albrite as one of his prey, Deen follows her into an alley where the two engage in an absolutely wild squall of a fuck, after which he sedates her with some pre-bottled cum (evidently “a vampire thing,” as is mentioned later) that he’s got on him, then drives a stake through her heart. 

Later, Adrianna connects with Stoya, one of San Fran’s last vamps standing, and the fellow creatures of the night execute one of the most breathtaking, genuinely unforgettable girl/girl performances you will ever see. Without getting into too much detail, let’s just say it involves a lyra and silks, and at one point Adrianna (that is, Lexis) literally spins on Stoya’s finger while hanging in a full split above her.

For the more outré-inclined, along the way Adrianna and vampire-friendly Diamond have some twisted fun with slave boy Deviant Kade by torturing him with various fetish implements and plowing his ass with strap-ons.

The storyline here is admittedly thin and fragmented, but it plants the seeds of what promises to develop into a fantastically rich and engrossing narrative with the volumes ahead. What’s more important about this newest trip into the mind of John Stagliano is the incomparable atmosphere and dark evocativeness it conjures through his Svengali-like use of light and shadow, haunting choice of score and true yarn-spinner’s sensibility. A future classic in the making.