American Vampire Volume 1 (SPOILER FREE) Review: Making Vampires Scary Again
- Eve Andrews
- Apr 4, 2022
- 3 min read
Up until DC’s closure of Vertigo Comics in 2020, the branch was responsible for some of the most intriguing experimental stories in the comic book world, among the most famous of which is undoubtedly American Vampire. In a double dose of writing royalty, American Vampire is an adult horror comic, co-written between Scott Snyder and Stephen King in 2010, topped off with the distinctive illustrations of Rafael Albuquerque.
American Vampire Volume 1 tells two separate stories side by side, which, over the course of the volume, cleverly interweave to the eventual point of overlap. We begin by introducing our protagonist, Pearl Preston, a struggling Hollywood actress in 1925 looking for her big break. In the following chapter, the comic takes us back in time to the old American West, where we delve into the origin story of the antagonist, Skinner Sweet, an outlaw, a thief, a killer and various other unsavoury things.
On the introductory page, Stephen King expresses his disdain for the overly glamorised image of the Hollywood vampire, vocalising his desire to “make vampires scary again.” He states that in Snyder’s project, he saw exciting potential for the two of them to do just that. So did they succeed?
In light of the whole ‘sweetie vamp’ craze, American Vampire was certainly refreshing, showing a far more visceral side of vampires that harked back to the horrifying legends of old. The idea of overthrowing this image is even weaved into the story itself, introducing an evolved version of the vampire so terrifying that it makes their vampiric comrades quake.
One of the most notable aspects of the story is the smooth unfolding of Snyder and King’s meticulously crafted script. From subtle to blatant, it’s packed with hints, references and riddles for the reader to figure out along the way, a style of writing that’s particularly present in King’s portion of the piece - great for readers who enjoy fine details! The way this technique was used was an excellent way of building tension right from the word go, particularly with its alternating story structure. King and Snyder’s clever interweaving of the two concurrent tales consistently posed new questions within each chapter while simultaneously addressing the burning questions from the chapter before, hence stringing the reader along in such a way as to keep them completely glued to the page from start to finish.
In terms of artwork, American Vampire has a very engaging style, compliments of artist Rafael Albuquerque. Reminiscent of the classic American comics of the 1960s, the muted palette and slightly stylised sketch work gives the comic an almost stifling tone - very fitting for the humid, sun-drenched planes of the American West! That said, there were moments in which the artwork sometimes felt a bit rough. While Albuquerque is indisputably an incredibly talented artist, it is evident in some places that certain panels were undoubtedly drawn to a deadline. However, this usually only appears in the smaller, less significant panels, with big, climactic moments having evidently been drawn with considerable care - the depictions of the vampires in full ‘beast’ mode being a real stand out example. Far from charming, Albuquerque’s vision of vampires really is something to fear!
Despite being part of a much bigger picture, with further volumes introducing new characters while also building on its pre-established cast, this first volume of American Vampire is completely self-contained and makes for a perfectly satisfying standalone.
All in all, American Vampire is an interesting blend of historical drama meets slasher, rejuvenating the exhausted vampire subgenre by restoring its former fear factor and placing it in the unlikely setting of the American West. While it's not overtly violent, it does have some graphic scenes. However, this is a case in which I think the ‘the less is more’ rule applies. Its careful peppering of graphic bloodshed keeps the violent moments from feeling gratuitous. Instead, it relies less on shock factor, and more on its compelling narrative and atmospheric art style. If you’re a fan of historical, Gothic, horror, or all of the above, American Vampire is definitely worth a look!
Have you read American Vampire? If so, what did you think? Did you feel compelled to continue the series after finishing the first volume? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section below!
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