American Vampire Vol. 1

If you'll allow me to go off topic from this graphic novel for a bit, I need to tell you about my love affair with vampires. From the time that I was 10 years old, and saw Dracula (the 1931 version with Bela Lugosi of course!), I was absolutely enamored with vampires. I read the original Dracula book, I pawed my way through all the Anne Rice vampire novels (which I probably shouldn't have read at 11, but shrug), and my bookish world became centered around finding more vampire reads.

Then in 2005 Twilight came out and I was so excited. I bought the book, read it, and promptly threw it across the room. What had happened to my vampires? Where were the cunning and vicious predators that I loved? Keep in mind that I hadn't read much YA at this point. I all but skipped it, with the exception of Lurlene McDaniels books, since my mom essentially let me read whatever I wanted. So I wasn't used to paranormal romance on a YA level, and I was angry. I pushed my vampires away, and moved on to other topics. It wasn't until 2011, when I picked up Enter, Night by Michael Rowe on a whim, that I finally started to fall back in love. Still, to this day, I'm very wary about anything vampire related. I'm always afraid to be burned.

Which is why my comic book loving friend had a very tough time convincing me to read American Vampire. He pushed, he prodded, he used my love of Stephen King against me. Finally, I gave in.

I have to say that, while I wasn't totally in love with this first volume in terms of the story, I am definitely in love with the vampires here! Putting these characters into the late 1800's and the early 1900's was a brilliant choice. There's nothing more perfect than the vicious deeds of a the notorious Skinner Sweet, set against the backdrop of the Old West. When Pearl Jones, a 1920's silent film actor, was introduced? I was hooked. These two characters couldn't be more different, but the vampirism flowing through their blood ties them together in the best way possible.

If you'd allow me, I'd go on for ages about the clever ways that these two stories are tied together. How brilliant Stephen King's writing for Skinner Sweet's origin story is, and how much my heart was happy at the art here. The illustrations are gorgeous, plain and simple. They're gritty and violent. I'm tentatively in love. I'm looking forward to Volume 2, and having a more fleshed out view of these two characters as they move forward. I'm glad I gave in and finally read this, because my bad-ass vampires are back!