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30 DAYS OF NIGHT #2
Recommended (8/10)
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Idea + Design Works Publishing
Writer: Steve Niles
Artist: Ben Templesmith
Letters: Robbie Robbins
Editor: Kris Oprisko
Price: $3.99 US |
It's easy to see why Hollywood got so pumped up over this little horror comic book. Steve Niles has struck upon an incredibly simple but inspired vampire story premise. I expect it will make for riveting movie viewing, because it makes for an entertaining read. The other-media potential for this property is clear, as the unconventional artwork still boasts a cinematic style. Niles may have first attracted attention on Todd McFarlane's Spawn line, but it's on this book that he's really showing us what real horror writing is about.
A gang of vampires is running rampant in the town of Barrow, Alaska, which has just been immersed in its anunal month-long period without sunlight. The bloodsuckers have decimated the town's population, but a small group of survivors have managed to elude detection. Unfortunately, their hiding place isn't exactly overflowing with food and water. Meanwhile, a dark stranger (or is it strangers?) makes his toward Barrow, his purpose unclear.
Templesmith's art reminds one of what would result if one combined the talents of Charlie (Astronauts in Trouble) Adlard and Ashley (Automatic Kafka) Wood. His style is perfect for a horror book. Obviously, he captures the dark, feral and mysterious nature of the vampires quite well, but he also conveys a sense of isolation and cold with his inky backgrounds. The color of red seems to be literally splattered into the visuals as blood, reinforcing the sense of chaos and frenzy.
Niles's dialogue tells the story clearly, but he never wanders into a tone of obvious exposition. The emphasis is on emotion and atmosphere, and he definitely hits his mark. The deperation of the surviving townspeople is palpable, and the malignant nature of the parisitic antagonists practically drips off the page. Especially creepy is the vision of the vampiric little girl; the contrast of pure evil against her innocence is unsettling.
If this book has one flaw -- and we're not talking a big one here -- it's that there's a logic that takes away a small measure of the suspense. Though the core premise is novel and clever, it also makes a lot of sense. That logic in plot and premise makes it easier to see where the story is headed. Of course, that logical quality also makes the supernatural aspects of the story all the more believable at the same time.
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