American Vampire
{{short description|American comic book series}}
{{Italic title}}
{{For|1997 American film|American Vampire (film)}}
{{Refimprove|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox comic book title
|title =
|image = American Vampire Cover -1.jpg
|imagesize =
|caption = Cover of American Vampire #1
|schedule = Monthly
|ongoing = y
|Vampire = y
|genre = Gothic Western, Weird West
|publisher = Vertigo (DC Comics)
|startmo = March
|startyr = 2010
|endmo =
|endyr =
|issues = 34 (First Cycle)
11 (Second Cycle)
10 (1976)
Also 13 issues in mini-series, one-shots, and anthologies
|main_char_team = Pearl Jones
Skinner Sweet
|writers = Scott Snyder
Stephen King (#1–5)
|artists = Rafael Albuquerque
Mateus Santolouco
|pencillers =
|inkers =
|letterers =
|colorists = Dave McCaig
|editors =
|creative_team_month =
|creative_team_year =
|creators = Scott Snyder
Rafael Albuquerque
|TPB = Hardcover
|ISBN = 978-1-4012-2830-9
|TPB# =
|ISBN# =
|subcat = Vertigo
|altcat =
|sort = American Vampire
|addpubcat# =
}}
American Vampire is an American comic book series created by writer Scott Snyder{{cite web | first=Graeme | last=McMillan | url=http://io9.com/5401613/american-vampires-snyder-introduces-our-secret-toothy-cousins | title=American Vampire's Snyder Introduces Our Secret Toothy Cousins | publisher=io9 | date=November 10, 2009 | access-date=December 18, 2009 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091114045533/http://io9.com/5401613/american-vampires-snyder-introduces-our-secret-toothy-cousins | archive-date= 14 November 2009 | url-status= live}} and drawn by artist Rafael Albuquerque. It was published by DC Comics under its Vertigo imprint. American Vampire continued under the newly created DC Black Label imprint after Vertigo was closed in January 2020.{{cite tweet|first=Scott |last=Snyder|author-link=Scott Snyder|user=Ssnyder1835|number=1142112335466827777|title=I cannot express how proud I am to have been a tiny part of Vertigo. ...|date=June 21, 2019|access-date=June 22, 2019}} The series imagines vampires as a population made up of many different secret species, and charts moments of vampire evolution and inter-species conflict throughout history. The focus of the series is a new American bloodline of vampires, born in the American West in the late 19th century.
The first of this new species is a notorious outlaw named Skinner Sweet, who wakes from death, after being infected, to find he has become a new kind of vampire, something stronger and faster than what came before, impervious to sunlight, with a new set of strengths and weaknesses. The series goes on to track his movements through various decades of American history—along with the movements of his first and only known progeny: Pearl Jones, a young woman working as a struggling actress in the 1920s silent film industry when she is attacked by a coven of European vampires hiding in Hollywood. Sweet saves her (uncharacteristically) by giving her his blood, thereby turning her into an American vampire like him, at which point she seeks revenge on the classic vampires who attacked her in life. The complicated and charged relationship between Jones and Sweet is another focus of the series.
The first five issues featured two stories—one by Scott Snyder and the other by Stephen King, both drawn by Rafael Albuquerque.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/36416/american-vampire-trailer-king-and-snyder-talk-scary-not-sparkly-vamps|title=American Vampire Trailer; King and Snyder Talk Scary, Not Sparkly, Vamps|date=14 August 2012|publisher=Dread Central}}{{cite book|last1=Cowsill|first1= Alan|chapter= 2000s|title = DC Comics Year by Year: A Visual Chronicle|publisher=Dorling Kindersley |year=2010 |isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9 |page= 340 |quote = The first five double-sized issues consisted of two stories, illustrated by Rafael Albuquerque. Scott Snyder wrote each issue's lead feature, and Stephen King wrote the back-up tales.}} With the sixth issue, Scott Snyder took over as sole writer.{{cite web|url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/scott-snyder-american-vampire-100728.html|title=Scott Snyder Prepares to Go it Alone on American Vampire|author=Vaneta Rogers|date=29 June 2023 |publisher=Newsarama}} The original series ran from 2010–2013 and lasted 34 issues. A second series called American Vampire: Second Cycle ran from 2014–2015 and lasted 11 issues and the third and final series called American Vampire: 1976 ran from December 2020 – October 2021 and lasted 10 issues.
American Vampire spun off two mini-series. The first, "Survival of the Fittest", illustrated by Sean Murphy focuses on the cases files of the V.M.S., the vampire hunting organization of the series. The second, "Lord of Nightmares", illustrated by Dustin Nguyen further focuses on the mythology presented by "Survival of the Fittest". A one shot co-written by Snyder and Albuquerque (who also illustrates the 64-page issue), entitled "The Long Road to Hell", which features vampire hunter Travis Kidd, was released in June 2013. Two American Vampire anthologies have also been released, the first in 2013 and the second in 2016.
Plot
The series explores notions of vampire evolution and traces the bloodline of a new kind of vampire,{{cite news |first=John |last=Geddes |url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/comics/2009-10-28-american-vampire-snyder-st_N.htm |title=Stephen King and Scott Snyder give Vampire an evolutionary twist |work=USA Today |date=October 30, 2009 |access-date=December 18, 2009}} an American species, with new powers and characteristics, through various decades of American history.{{Cite web |url=http://thefastertimes.com/comics/2010/03/15/i-dont-fucking-sparkle-interview-with-scott-snyder-creator-of-american-vampire/ |title=Comics: I Don't Fucking Sparkle: Interview with Scott Snyder, Creator of American Vampire |access-date=2010-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009095439/http://www.thefastertimes.com/comics/2010/03/15/i-dont-fucking-sparkle-interview-with-scott-snyder-creator-of-american-vampire/ |archive-date=2012-10-09 |url-status=usurped}}
The first five issues feature two story arcs. The first takes place in 1925 from the point of view of an aspiring actress in L.A. who becomes the second American Vampire and works to get her revenge on those who turned her. The second is of a writer at a book conference due to the reediting of his book, Bad Blood. Here, the author claims that his work – which has been long considered a fictional western/terror story – is actually based on true events which he has either witnessed or has collected reliable information on.
Publication history
This series publication began on March 17, 2010,{{cite web | first=Kiel | last=Phegley | url=http://comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=23452 | title=Scott Snyder & Stephen King Launch American Vampire | publisher=Comic Book Resources | date=October 26, 2009 | access-date=December 18, 2009 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091203034337/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=23452 | archive-date= 3 December 2009 | url-status= live}}{{cite web | first=Vaneta | last=Rogers | url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/091026-american-vampire.html | title=Stephen King Brings an American Vampire Tale to Vertigo | publisher=Newsarama | date=October 26, 2009 | access-date=December 18, 2009 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100106133824/http://www.newsarama.com/comics/091026-american-vampire.html | archive-date= 6 January 2010 | url-status= live}} with the release of American Vampire #1. This is the first comic which features original Stephen King scripting who was contracted to the initial five issues.
= Issues =
== First Cycle ==
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
! Issue ! Date ! Arc ! Story ! Art ! Color ! Cover |
| rowspan="2" | #1
| rowspan="2" | March 17, 2010 | Big Break | rowspan="10" | Rafael Albuquerque | rowspan="10" | Dave McCaig | rowspan="2" | Rafael Albuquerque |
| Bad Blood |
| rowspan="2" | #2
| rowspan="2" | April 21, 2010 | Morning Star | Scott Snyder | rowspan="2" | Rafael Albuquerque |
| Deep Water
| Stephen King |
| rowspan="2" | #3
| rowspan="2" | May 19, 2010 | Rough Cut | Scott Snyder | rowspan="2" | Rafael Albuquerque |
| Blood Vengeance
| Stephen King |
| rowspan="2" | #4
| rowspan="2" | June 23, 2010 | Double Exposure | Scott Snyder | rowspan="2" | Rafael Albuquerque |
| One Drop of Blood
| Stephen King |
| rowspan="2" | #5
| rowspan="2" | July 28, 2010 | Curtain Call | Scott Snyder | rowspan="2" | Rafael Albuquerque |
| If Thy Right Hand Offend Thee, Cut It Off
| Stephen King |
| #6
| September 9, 2010 | rowspan="4" | The Devil in the Sand | rowspan="29" | Scott Snyder | rowspan="3" | Rafael Albuquerque | rowspan="4" | Dave McCaig | Rafael Albuquerque |
| #7
| October 6, 2010 | rowspan="3" | Rafael Albuquerque |
| #8
| November 10, 2010 |
| #9
| December 2, 2010 | Rafael Albuquerque |
| #10
| December 22, 2010 | rowspan="2" | The Way Out | rowspan="2" | Mateus Santolouco | rowspan="2" | Dave McCaig | rowspan="2" | Rafael Albuquerque |
| #11
| January 26, 2011 |
| #12
| February 23, 2011 | Strange Frontier | Dave McCaig | Rafael Albuquerque |
| #13
| March 30, 2011 | rowspan="6" | Ghost War | rowspan="6" | Rafael Albuquerque | rowspan="6" | Dave McCaig | Rafael Albuquerque |
| #14
| April 27, 2011 | rowspan="5" | Rafael Albuquerque |
| #15
| May 25, 2011 |
| #16
| June 29, 2011 |
| #17
| July 27, 2011 |
| #18
| August 24, 2011 |
| #19
| September 28, 2011 | rowspan="3" | The Beast in the Cave | rowspan="3" | Jordi Bernet | rowspan="3" | Dave McCaig | rowspan="3" | Rafael Albuquerque |
| #20
| November 2, 2011 |
| #21
| December 14, 2011 |
| #22
| December 28, 2011 | rowspan="4" | Death Race | rowspan="4" | Rafael Albuquerque | rowspan="4" | Dave McCaig | rowspan="4" | Rafael Albuquerque |
| #23
| January 25, 2012 |
| #24
| February 22, 2012 |
| #25
| March 28, 2012 |
| #26
| April 25, 2012 | rowspan="2" | The Nocturnes | Roger Cruz | rowspan="2" | Dave McCaig | rowspan="2" | Rafael Albuquerque |
| #27
| May 30, 2012 |
| #28
| June 27, 2012 | rowspan="6" | The Blacklist | rowspan="6" | Rafael Albuquerque | rowspan="6" | Dave McCaig | Rafael Albuquerque |
| #29
| July 25, 2012 | Rafael Albuquerque |
| #30
| August 29, 2012 | Rafael Albuquerque |
| #31
| September 26, 2012 | Rafael Albuquerque |
| #32
| October 31, 2012 | Rafael Albuquerque |
| #33
| November 28, 2012 | Rafael Albuquerque |
| #34
| January 2, 2013 | The Gray Trader | Rafael Albuquerque | Dave McCaig | Rafael Albuquerque |
== Second Cycle ==
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
!Issue !Date !Arc !Story !Art !Color !Cover |
| #1
|March 19, 2014 |rowspan="4"|— |rowspan="4"|Scott Snyder | rowspan="11" |Rafael Albuquerque | rowspan="11" |Dave McCaig |Rafael Albuquerque |
| #2
|April 16, 2014 |rowspan="3"|Rafael Albuquerque |
| #3
|May 21, 2014 |
| #4
|July 9, 2014 |
| #5
|October 1, 2014 |The Miner's Journal |Matias Bergara |Rafael Albuquerque |
| #6
|February 4, 2015 |rowspan="6"|Dark Moon |rowspan="6"|Scott Snyder |rowspan="6"|Rafael Albuquerque |
| #7
|April 15, 2015 |
| #8
|July 1, 2015 |
| #9
|August 5, 2015 |
| #10
|September 30, 2015 |
| #11
|November 25, 2015 |
=== 1976 ===
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Issue !Date !Arc !Story !Art !Color !Cover |
| #1
|October 6, 2020 |Don't Look Behind You! | rowspan="10" |Scott Snyder | rowspan="6" |Rafael Albuquerque | rowspan="6" |Dave McCaig |Rafael Albuquerque |
| #2
|November 10, 2020 |The Stuff of Legends |Rafael Albuquerque |
| #3
|December 8, 2020 |Beneath the Greenhouse... |Rafael Albuquerque |
| #4
|January 12, 2021 |Beneath the Greenhouse... |Rafael Albuquerque |
| #5
|February 9, 2021 |The Big Lie |Rafael Albuquerque |
| #6
|March 9, 2021 |Fire and Flame |Rafael Albuquerque |
| #7
|April 13, 2021 |Interlude "Family Trees" |Tula Lotay (Root) |Tula Lotay (Root) |Rafael Albuquerque |
| #8
|May 11, 2021 |Death Mask | rowspan="3" |Rafael Albuquerque | rowspan="3" |Dave McCaig |Rafael Albuquerque |
| #9
|June 8, 2021 | rowspan="2" |Farewell |Rafael Albuquerque |
| #10
|August 3, 2021 |Rafael Albuquerque |
== Others ==
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
!Title !Issue !Date !colspan="2"|Story !Art !Color !Cover |
| colspan="8" style=background:#4d4d4d| |
| rowspan="5"|American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest
|#1 |June 8, 2011 |rowspan="5" colspan="2"|Scott Snyder |rowspan="5"|Sean Murphy |rowspan="5"|Dave Stewart |Sean Murphy & Dave Stewart |
|---|
| #2
|July 13, 2011 |rowspan="4"|Sean Murphy & Dave Stewart |
| #3
|August 10, 2011 |
| #4
|September 14, 2011 |
| #5
|October 12, 2011 |
| colspan="8" style=background:#4d4d4d| |
| rowspan="5"|American Vampire: Lord of Nightmares
|#1 |June 13, 2012 |rowspan="5" colspan="2"|Scott Snyder |rowspan="5"|Dustin Nguyen |rowspan="5"|John Kalisz |rowspan="5"|Dustin Nguyen |
| #2
|July 11, 2012 |
| #3
|August 8, 2012 |
| #4
|September 12, 2012 |
| #5
|October 17, 2012 |
| colspan="8" style=background:#4d4d4d| |
| American Vampire: The Long Road to Hell
|#1 |June 12, 2013 |colspan="2"|Scott Snyder |Rafael Albuquerque |Dave McCaig |Rafael Albuquerque |
| colspan="8" style=background:#4d4d4d| |
| rowspan="21"|American Vampire Anthology
|rowspan="10"|#1 |rowspan="10"|August 28, 2013 |The Man Comes Around, Part 1 |Scott Snyder |Rafael Albuquerque |Dave McCaig |rowspan="10"|Rafael Albuquerque |
| Lost Colony |
| Bleeding Kansas
|Rafael Albuquerque |colspan="2"|Ivo Milazzo |
| Canadian Vampire
|colspan="2"|Ray Fawkes |
| Greed
|colspan="2"|Becky Cloonan |Jordie Bellaire |
| The Producers
|colspan="3"|Francesco Francavilla |
| Essence of Life
|colspan="2"|Tula Lotay |
| Last Night
|colspan="2"|Fábio Moon |rowspan="3"|Dave McCaig |
| Portland, 1940
|J.P. Leon |
| The Man Comes Around, Part 2
|Scott Snyder |Rafael Albuquerque |
| colspan="7" style=background:#4d4d4d| |
| rowspan="10"|#2
|rowspan="10"|September 7, 2016 |Opening Shot |Scott Snyder |Rafael Albuquerque |Dave McCaig |rowspan="10"|Rafael Albuquerque |
| Teahouse
|Cristopher Mitten |Quinton Winter |
| Bride
|Mirka Andolfo |Arif Prianto |
| The Bleeding Nun
|Clay McLeon Chapman |colspan="2"|Richard Isanove |
| The Cut
|Artyom Trakhanov |Veronica Gandini |
| Traveling Companion
|Elliot Kalan |Andrea Mutti |Giulia Brusco |
| When The Cold Wind Blows
|Shawn Aldridge |colspan="2"|Szymon Kudranski |
| England's Dreaming
|Leila del Duca |
| Devil's Own Luck
|Rafael Albuquerque |colspan="2"|Renato Guedes |
| Brother's Keeper
|Scott Snyder |Antonio Fabela |
| colspan="8" style=background:#4d4d4d| |
= Collected editions =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
!Volume !Collects !Pages !Format !Published ! style="width: 10em;" |ISBN |
| rowspan=2|1
|rowspan=2| American Vampire #1–5 |rowspan=2|200 |rowspan=1|HC |{{dts|29 September 2010}} |{{ISBNT|978-1401228309}} |
| rowspan=1|TPB
|{{dts|5 October 2011}} |{{ISBNT|978-1401229740}} |
| rowspan=2|2
|rowspan=2|American Vampire #6–11 |rowspan=2|160 |rowspan=1|HC |{{dts|25 May 2011}} |{{ISBNT|978-1401230692}} |
| rowspan=1|TPB
|{{dts|2 May 2012}} |{{ISBNT|978-1401230708}} |
| rowspan=2|3
|rowspan=2|
|rowspan=2|288 |rowspan=1|HC |{{dts|1 February 2012}} |{{ISBNT|978-1781160251}} |
| rowspan=1|TPB
|{{dts|26 September 2012}} |{{ISBNT|978-1401233341}} |
| rowspan=2|4
|rowspan=2|American Vampire #19–27 |rowspan=2|208 |rowspan=1|HC |26 September 2012 |{{ISBNT|978-1401237189}} |
| rowspan=1|TPB
|4 September 2013 |{{ISBNT|978-1401237196}} |
| rowspan=2|5
|rowspan=2|
|rowspan=2|280 |rowspan=1|HC |27 March 2013 |{{ISBNT|978-1401237707}} |
| rowspan=1|TPB
|26 March 2014 |{{ISBNT|978-1401237714}} |
| rowspan=2|6
|rowspan=2|
|rowspan=2|144 |rowspan=1|HC |26 March 2014 |{{ISBNT|978-1401247089}} |
| rowspan=1|TPB
|26 November 2014 |{{ISBNT|978-1401249298}} |
| rowspan=2|7
|rowspan=2|American Vampire – Second Cycle #1–5 |rowspan=2|144 |rowspan=1|HC |14 January 2015 |{{ISBNT|978-1401248826}} |
| rowspan=1|TPB
|11 November 2015 |{{ISBNT|978-1401254322}} |
| rowspan=2|8
|rowspan=2| American Vampire – Second Cycle #6–11 |rowspan=2|144 |rowspan=1|HC |17 February 2016 |{{ISBNT|978-1401254339}} |
| rowspan=1|TPB
|20 July 2016 |{{ISBNT|978-1401262587}} |
| rowspan=2|9
|rowspan=2|American Vampire: 1976 #1–10 |rowspan=2|256 |rowspan=1|HC |2 November 2021 |{{ISBNT|978-1779512673}} |
| rowspan=1|TPB
|25 October 2022 |{{ISBNT|978-1779517241}} |
= Omnibus editions =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
!Volume !Collects !Pages !Published !ISBN |
| 1
|
|984 | {{dts|31 October 2018}} | {{ISBNT|978-1401284831}} |
| 2
|
|928 | {{dts|11 October 2022}} | {{ISBNT|978-1779516886}} |
= [[DC Compact Comics]] =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
!Volume !Collects !Pages !Published !ISBN |
| 1
| American Vampire #1–11 |320 | {{dts|1 October 2024}} | {{ISBNT|978-1779527349}} |
Characters
- Skinner Sweet – an outlaw who lived in the Wild West, he was turned into a vampire when the blood from Percy, a vampire banker, fell into his eye during a fight while he was escaping from being hanged. After being trapped into a coffin sunken sixty-six feet under water, he escaped and hunted the vampires who tried to kill him. In 1936, Sweet has relocated to Las Vegas, where he opened a brothel, using the name Jim Smoke. Later Skinner finds himself swept up into WWII as he hunts down a threat with Pearl.
- Pearl Jones – an aspiring actress in the 1920s who was ambushed by a group of vampires led by a vampire director named B.D. Bloch during one of his parties. She was left for dead at a pit in the desert, but was saved by Sweet when he dropped his blood on her eye, turning her into a vampire. She has relocated to Arrowhead, California, using the surname of her husband, Henry Preston, while she is hiding from the other vampires.
- Hattie Hargrove – Hattie is Pearl's ambitious and slightly put upon roommate in Hollywood, sharing an apartment with the main character before Pearl is murdered by vampires and transformed by Skinner Sweet.
- Henry Preston – Pearl Jones' husband, a World War 1 veteran who works as a jazz musician who decided to help Pearl to enact her revenge against the vampires who almost killed her. Prior to arriving in Hollywood and working as a resident guitarist at a speak easy where Pearl worked, Henry was a journeymen Guitar player. He isn't intimidated by Pearl's vampirism, but sometimes he feels some sadness by the fact that while he's getting older, Pearl isn't. Henry later dies stopping Hattie.
- Mr. B.D. Bloch – a European vampire masquerading as a Hollywood Mogul.
- James "Jim" Book – a detective who worked for Pinkerton Agency, he hunted and arrested Skinner Sweet, who turned him into a vampire in retaliation. Before being consumed by his vampiric instincts, he extracts a promise from Abilena, she is to kill him in exchange for fathering her child that same night.
- Abilena Camillo/Book – daughter of Felix Camillo, her mother died at birth. She is James Book's god-daughter, though she professes an unrequited love for him once she grows up. After his death, she takes his surname and together with her daughter Felicia Book hunts Skinner Sweet for an organization called The Vassals of the Morning Star.
- Felix Camillo – father of Abilena Camillo/Book Deputy to James Book, and Grandfather of Felicia.
- Will Bunting – the writer of "Bad Blood" and witness to the birth of Skinner Sweet as the first documented American Vampire.
- Percy – leader of a cabal of vampires taking advantage of western expansion, and the maker of Skinner Sweet.
- Finch – human servant of Percy and the Vampire cabal and employer of James Book.
- Mimiteh – a young Shoshone woman who was the first actual American vampire though her exploits were lost to history.
- Felicia Book – fathered by James Book and his god-daughter Abilena on the night he dies. She is a member of The Vassals of the Morning Star, an organization which hunts vampires. She seems to have unique abilities due to her father's vampirism, though the extent of her abilities is yet to be seen.
- Jack Straw – another member of the Vassals of the Morning Star, Straw was partnered with Felicia Book while investigating vampire activity in Las Vegas.
- Cashel "Cash" McCogan – as Chief of the Las Vegas Police Department, Cash became involved with Jack Straw and Felicia Book while investigating the grisly murders of several persons responsible for the construction of the Hoover Dam (then called the Boulder Dam).
- Calvin Poole – a soldier in World War 2 who served with Henry Preston during the "Ghost War" story arc. He was accidentally turned into a vampire after a bottle of Pearl's Blood broke and infected him.
Notes
{{Reflist|30em}}
Further reading
- {{gcdb series|id=45315|title=American Vampire}}
External links
- {{comicbookdb|type=title|id=27257|title=American Vampire}}
{{Vertigo Comics Ongoing Series}}
{{Stephen King}}
Category:Comics by Stephen King