Ooooh....must I get right back on the horse? I mean, I know I must have seemed courageous to you all. So brave in letting my first love go. We were the stuff of true romance, weren't we? And yet, like a Courtesan, I have others awaiting my attention, affection and charm. Like that darling American Vampire.
American Vampire # 3
Written by Scott Snyder & Stephen King
Art by Rafael Albuqeurque
Published by Vertigo/DC Comics
But it suddenly feels too rushed. Too soon. All things now suffer in comparison to The Sword. I have to wonder if this week's reading of American Vampire #3 is tainted with loss. Maybe I'm too desperate to fill the void of spectacular-ness that is in my life. What comic book could really win in this situation?
All of this overly-dramatic introductory stuff is my way of saying that I found this issue "all right." The second half, the Stephen King half, feels completely redundant. I don't feel like anything truly new is happening in it. It was the same story from the last issue. Skinner's been alive in a grave as a Vampire for years and then he eats his way back to town. And then he does it some more. No one believes he could be back, but then he is, and they're only surprised for a little bit, and then they go back to saying "eh, don't worry about him" immediately. Oh, and no one believes this is a true story, but it is. Got it. GOT IT. I had it last issue. Maybe I'm being unfair, but it just seems like a comic shouldn't start repeating itself until it's been running for a lot longer than three issues.
But the first part of this issue? I'm still diggin' it. I love this little joke about vampires being all over the film industry in Hollywood in 1925. I love the way the characters look, especially love how our girl, Pearl, can go from looking like a hot girl on a motorcycle, to a ferocious, cat-eyed, vampire. The way they draw her hands and her whole body when she leaps from her bike to the car to attack is fantastic! That whole sequence, the way she kills the jerks and spars with the girl is too good. There's something about these drawings that reminds me of....oh yeah, Saturday morning cartoons. (Except in this case it's Saturday morning cartoons gone awry.
And then, there's the introduction of a possible Love Story. Aaaawwww. Pearl's got a guy who doesn't believe a word of what she's telling him. (Not in a condescending way. In a, what-the-fuck-am-I-supposed-to-do-with-this-information way.) She disses him and takes his car, all in the name of revenge. Okay, maybe she's protecting him in the name of love, too. I'm good with either explanation.
Overall though, nothing quite compares to my baby. I'm sure I'll come around. I think I just need a little......time. And you know, time takes time. So in the meantime, I'll play the field and see what happens. I mean, I'm sure there's more than just one fish in the sea, right?
-Nina Stone, 2010
Maybe you could give Daytripper another shot? ;)
LOVE your column, btw.
Posted by: James Figueiredo | 2010.05.25 at 22:59
There's another one of these out already? Wow...looks like I have to catch up!
Posted by: Kenny Cather | 2010.05.26 at 17:55