The most recent graphic novel I’ve read was 30 Days of Night, mostly because Aaron at Atomic Comics told me I needed to read it. I’m not a comic geek for sure, but after talking to Aaron about writers, stories and art styles for like 30 minutes, I think my transformation has begun.
30 Days of Night was written by Steve Niles with the art by Ben Templesmith and Robbie Robbins. And I point out the people doing the art, lettering and design because it was amazing in this graphic novel.
You can see the style in the photo above and the one to the lower right.
The entire book has a gray, cloudy background with only a few colors showing through. Mostly this is in multiple shades of red to highlight the vampires killing regular humans. The book it set in northern Alaska where it’s snowing, so the gray themed panels perfectly capture the setting.
But even with that style, the actual drawings of the characters are so totally different from normal comics that I was completely enamored by the entire experience.
The story itself resolves around Barrow, Alaska, a town that is about to have 30 straight days without a sunrise, and thus be cast in total darkness. These vampires decide to have an event there, coming from around the world to enjoy a place filled with human blood to feast on without worry of daylight.
There are quite a few sequels to 30 Days of Night, which was nominated for a few Eisner Awards in 2005.
I highly recommend this one just for a change of pace from your normal looking comic book. The story is good and the art beautiful. It’s considered to be in the horror genre obviously, so it’s very different from what I’ve read so far.
Mike’s Rating: 9 out of 10
(Thanks to the Cap’n, I’m now reading Civil War: A Marvel Comics Event, which is frakking AWESOME so far)
…”I’m not a comic geek for sure, but I think my transformation has begun.” {Capn stands and applauds} Sweet, now theres two of us!! Who’s comin with us?!?! Who’s comin with us?!?! Dorothy Boyd in accounting, THANK YOU! … sorry, I get carried away sometimes.. you know, hero stuff and all.. it just had me at Hello..{sniff}…
ROTFL @ Dorthy Boyd!
I think I’ll wait for the movie…wait they already made it…and whadayaknow it’s in the queue.
Scotty Dub’s last blog post..Dress Code in Second Life?
Can I bring the fish?
Scotty, it’s also on DTV HD PPV right now…just an FYI.
Templesmith is an amazing artist. His work on Fell (along with Warren Ellis’ great scripts) turn 16 pages into self-contained masterpieces. In those books, he only rarely breaks out of the rigid panel structure, and when he does it always makes perfect sense. Given free reign…he’s quite good.
R.A. Porter’s last blog post..Test post from within Facebook
Well now I just looked up Fell and am going to have to get that somehow
I think you’ll enjoy it!
R.A. Porter’s last blog post..Disturbing. Disgusting. Dismal.
I just need to get through Civil War right now, which wont be a problem because I had to force myself to put it down last night.
I still need to finish the Y:The Last Man series, but who knows when that will happen.
I need to get back to Y as well. I also need to get more of Manhunter. It’s not at the same level, but it’s been pretty enjoyable through the first two volumes.
R.A. Porter’s last blog post..Disturbing. Disgusting. Dismal.
I have a bumper sticker of Civl War, it asks who’s side are you on… I have the I’m with Captain Amercia’s side one