EARTH PRIME TIME: BEST VAMPIRE COMICS

Boy, someone must have made me overnight, because with this October change in weather it feels like staying in bed in the daylight hours is the only thing that feels good any more. When you are literally drained by whatever work stuff, band stuff, or relationship stuff, you’ve just got to perk yourself up with a True Blood marathon or some classic vampire comic books.

Buffy, Angel, Faith and Spike … So I’ve got kind of a problem.

This ... is just part of my problem - Buffy and Spike by Phil Noto

While my friend was letting me crash on her couch a few years ago (a required growing pain in this town), she let made me watch my first episode of Joss Whedon’s Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Years before directing Marvel’s The Avengers, Joss established a world in Sunnydale, California where vampires, monsters, demons, and ghouls lived in the Hellmouth below Sunnydale High School. The show lasted seven seasons and spun off good guy vampire Angel (David Boreanaz of Bones) into a five-season run.

What’s the problem, you ask? I’m obsessed with The Hunger. I must have every Buffy comic book ever published. Dark Horse has a seven issue Buffy Omnibus that accompanies the series. From 2007—2011, Joss continued the TV show in an unprecedented “Season 8” run, followed by “Season 9” that debuted in August of 2011. Accompanying both of the expanded Buffyverse comics are an Angel & Faith book and a mini-series staring Spike in space fighting steampunk bugs, Spike: A Dark Place.

So, if you want to stream all of the TV shows and even the movie until your eyes fall out, better jam them back into your skull. There’s many comics to read.

Whedon writes some issues, along with Dollhouse writer Andrew Chambliss, but very much acts as what the Brits call a ‘show runner’. Even the Spike mini series says “Executive Producer: Joss Whedon“.

In 1954, a bunch of dicks changed the comic book industry by listening to the King of the Dicks, Frederic Wertham, who wrote a book condemning comics for being a cause of juvenile delinquency. The industry self-regulated by establishing the familiar emblem of good taste, the Comics Code Authority.

This shirt promotes censorship - but I still want it. Don't let me buy it!

Do you know who suffered the most from this? Hungry vampires and werewolves.

By 1971, the dicks at the CCA relaxed a bit and we can now look to classic Marvel versions of The Tomb of Dracula and the introduction of Blade in 1973. Artist Gene Colan passed away in 2011, but you can find cheap reprints of the Dracula and Blade stories at most comic stores. Colan was a master of linework, action, and classic comic book artwork. The man continued to draw until his very last days, including the beautiful 40-page Captain America #601.

You saw this comic on Comic Book Men S1E1 - Blade's First Appearance - Gene Colan

Those comics are the heavy hitters, but what of the deep cuts? What’s new and rare and strange in the vampyr comic mythos?

We interviewed Ben Templesmith here for his 44Flood project. He’s also the artist for Steve Nile’s 30 Days of Night series. The series was made into a movie in 2007 and a sequel in 2010.

The Vampires in 30 Days of Night are afflicted by a virus and head to an Alaskan town where the sun sets for 30 days at a time.

This makes for more feeding and bloodfeast without having to put on pesky sunglasses.

The Bloodening - 30 Days of Night - Ben Templesmith

Two more Anti-Twilight comics from recent days are The Strain and another television property, the aforementioned True Blood from IDW. The Strain is based on the novel series of the same name written originally by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan (The Town). The comic is written by David Lapham (Stray Bullets) and features creepy parasitic worms.

True Blood from IDW went ongoing in May after a March announcement. Written by Ann Nocenti (Daredevil) among others along with creator Alan Ball, the series acts as a great companion to the Sookie Stackhouse novels and the TV show.

Be sure to have a frightful time this Halloween and try not to walk alone in the French Quarter after dark. Unless of course you like that sort of thing!

BUT WAIT…THERE’S MORE! CHECK OUT LEAGUEPODCAST.COM — BOSTON’S COMIC BOOK AND POP CULTURE PODCAST — “Thinking about Comics since 2009″!

League of Ordinary Gentlemen Podcast Episode #130 — “Screw You, Read Dad. You’re Fired!”“
Clay and Dursin review their New York Comic Con 2012 experience, Batman #13, Uncanny Avengers #1 and The Boy Who Loved Batman.Direct Download / Mp3 Stream (opens in new window).

Don’t forget our costume party October 27th at McGreevys!

October 27 at McGreevys! Art by LeaguePodcast host Josh Lingel