Vampires Everywhere (it seems)

Everything seems to be vampires these days, not that there is anything wrong with that. And here are some quick thoughts on three vampire type books I've read recently.

Pinnochio: Vampire Slayer
SLG Publishing

This book by Dusty Higgins and Van Jensen tells the story of Pinnochio after the original book by Carlo Collodi left off. Pinnochio is out for revenge on all undead creatures after a group of vampires kills Geppetto. Teaming up with Master Cherry and a grandmotherly Blue Fairy (characters from the original book), the three protect a their unconcerned town from slaughter.

This is a fun little book. There are puns that kept me smiling and the buildup in the suspense kept me interested. The black and white artwork is comical but dark. Often with dark, thick lines, the sequential art sets the tone for a humorous horror story.

Though not very deep, this book is a fun read and would be appropriate for teen sections in the library.

Daffodil #1
Marvel

Part of the Soliel line of European comics from marvel, the first issue of Daffodil relates the story of 3 female vampires who are Parliament Agents. Its kind of like if Charlie's Angels were vampires. There is Globuline the ditsy one, Achilles the aggressive one, and Daffodil the leader. The three are sent off to destroy a rogue vampire name Nosferatu. Much like Ponnochio, this series has its silly moments. The three of them inadvertently kidnap two brothers (one is still nursing), and though the boys think its a great adventure, Achilles considers them lunch.

The artwork is very cartoony. In a manga like style the eyes of the girls are very large and the expressions they make are exaggerated. However, they are very cute vampires. But like other comics in the Soliel line, the boxes on the page tend to be small. And for old eyes like mine sometimes the action in the smaller panels gets lost.

This first book of a three issue limited series and though comical does have some very violent images and nudity. However, I would still consider it for a public library collection, but I would be very hesitant to place it in the teen area.

FVZA #1 and #2
Radical Comics

The final book in my little vampire trilogy here is FVZA which is an acronym for the Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency. Its origin is from a web site (http://www.fvza.org/) which has created an alternate history where vampires and zombies do exist. The main characters are a brother and sister who are trained by their grandfather, a retired director of the FVZA, on combat techniques on how to eliminate vampires and zombies. And recently, vampires are using a virus to turn normal people into zombies as a terror weapon.

I think this book is pretty cool and definitely worth picking up. The pencil art by Roy Allan Martinez and the finished painting by Kinsuh Loh and Jerry Choo, this is a fantastic book to look at. And there are interesting side characters that make the story move along. And the background "history" of vampires and zombies in American history with an actual Federal Agency designed to eliminate this threat, it's an intriguing concept for a comic book to use.

Of all three books here, I would be most hesitant to add this one to a public library collection. Not that it is any more gory and violent the Daffodil, but the artwork is more realistic. There is also a sex scene in each issue which might raise some concerns among parents. But if I were to add this collection, it would definitely go into the adult non-fiction area.