Now, before you read this review, please note that the picture above was chosen as opposed to the book's cover, as the cover that was chosen is, to put it bluntly, awful, and completely unrepresentative of how brilliant this book really is.
Art-
This book has some of the earlier works from my favourite artist, Andrea Sorrentino, and his equally talented colourist friend, Marcelo Maiolo. Need I say any more? These two are the best in the industry. I say that as fact, because there is no other artistic pair in the world of comic books that surprise me in their work as much as Sorrentino and Maiolo. Sorrentino’s work here, while not as refined as his work in Green Arrow, is still absolutely mystifying, with his trademarked use of strong, heavy shadow in his inkwork, as well as the minimalistic feel of his character’s expressions, come together to create an atmosphere of mystery and horror. This is met perfectly by the dark greys and deep blood reds used by Maiolo on both his human and vampire characters, but still with enough contrast between the two to give each race a clear distinction, in particular with the menacing reds used on the bleak faces of the vampires. One thing to be noted alongside this is how well the pair manages to construct the settings for the book, from the rundown darkness of Gotham city, to the moonlit riverside where Andrew and Mary are first introduced. This particular scene captures Sorrentino’s ability to draw not only human characters, but the mystical ones as well, particularly the vampires in their other forms as wolves and giant winged beasts, with each act of transformation and transmutation shrouded in a stunning smoke effect that is used frequently.This blending of traditional horror mythology, and arcane visuals creates a very unique and compelling environment for the story to unfold in. In terms of character design, Sorrentino has managed to take Andrew Bennett’s old design and replace it with a far more modern and, in some respects, likeable design, whilst still retaining on of the character’s trademarks in the form of his grey hair streak. Sorrentino has also achieved a particularly commendable feat in designing a vampire that I believe could be one of the best there is. With the modern design of their clothing blending seamlessly alongside the traditional romanticism of vampires as a race, while still retaining their terrifying nature with a grotesque, yet surprisingly fitting set of facial features that appear during bloodlust such as an essential split across the face, revealing a sea of razor sharp teeth, and bloodshot eyes with dilated pupils. The art, in my eyes, could not have been more suited to this book.
Story-
The book follows Andrew Bennett, a vampire who has
lived for centuries, long enough to become near immortal, and his quest to
defend humanity from his captivatingly sadistic ex-girlfriend, Mary, Queen of
Blood. As ridiculous as that may sound, the book is in fact incredibly
interesting, and the story is genuinely compelling throughout. It explores a
number of themes in a beautifully reflective manner, with Andrew and Mary
taking centre stage throughout as the two main characters of the story.
Morality, love, regret and many other topics are discussed in a way that only
two age old vampires could discuss them. It’s romantic, it’s tragic, it’s
action filled and above all else, it makes you want to read more. I was lucky
enough to already have bought the second volume by the time I finished the
first one, so that I could dive straight in again, and there are not many books
out there that manage to strike such a powerful feeling of urgency into me that
forces me to find the next chapter as soon as possible. This story is one that
could have easily been badly handled and most likely ruined by any other
writer, but Fialkov managed to make the reader empathise and sympathise with
the characters in the book by exploring themes that any human can understand.
That is where the genius comes through. These human elements are being explored
and debated through the eyes of someone who by definition is non-human, and
this unique perspective, that of a man who has lived for hundreds of lifetimes,
allows for the reader to even more deeply understand the character’s emotions
and compulsions, despite his inhumanity.
Readability-
‘ I, Vampire’ Vol. 1 is, on the whole, a very well balanced read, with enough text to keep the story engaging and fulfilling, but not enough to make each page feel like a chore. Even the more text heavy pages are made far less arduous by the stunning artwork, making this a very easy and fun read.Verdict:
‘I, Vampire’ Volume 1 is a must for fans of horror comics,
action comics, romance comics or any comic. With hauntingly beautiful imagery
and a gripping, emotional, character driven story, you really could not ask for
more.
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