According to this story, Stephen King is going to try his hand at comic books. He’s contributed five issues to a new comic called American Vampire, which reimagines the vampire in an American setting. Here’s a brief blurb from the article on what they’re planning to do with the story:
“The series twists the well-trod vampire legend by allowing the creatures to evolve into a distinctly American creature and will follow the adventures of Skinner Sweet, a sociopathic outlaw in the Wild West who becomes the first American vampire. Unlike European vamps, Skinner is powered by the sun and, true to his native environment, has rattlesnake fangs. Each cycle, consisting of five individual comic issues, will take place in a different period of time in American history, tracing Skinner’s descendants, with Skinner himself as a recurring character.”
Thoughts?
Red Rocker on 
revgeorge on 
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PotterMom05 on 
Joivre on 
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Well, since nobody’s commented, I’ll comment just so this post doesn’t feel lonely.
I don’t really think an “americanized” vampire will work out too well. Not unless it taps into the paranormal romance stuff that seems to have become all the rage with vampires right now.
Revgeorge – I was thinking the same. However – I would never count anything out that Mr. King would be involved with. In fact, for the first time in my life, I might actually buy a comic if only because I’m a huge fan of Stephen King. Also – the artwork for Skinner looked neat. It sounds like Mr. King is having a rollicking good time with it – and that makes me happy. I think he’s been a bit uninspired lately and when he finds something to write about – hallelujah, I’ll read it!
True, Joivre, with King on board for five issues anything’s possible for this comic. If I understand it right, King did most of the work on Skinner’s character & background, too, so that might give the comic a good foundation for future issues.
Seems to me that we’ve already had several “Americanized” vampire sagas: both Anne Rice and Charlaine Harris set their stories in Louisiana (although Rice’s vampires do trot the globe). And Stephanie Meyer’s vampires are based in the North West (at least in the first book). And didn’t King himself set his vampire saga in New England?
Certainly “powered by the sun” and “rattlesnake” fangs sound very non-traditional. But I can think of many other variations which have been accepted: Lestat the rock star? Edward as a daddy? Bill Compton as a software developer?
Yes – King has done vampires before – Dark Tower V and VI, Night Flier, One for the Road and that little unknown Salem’s Lot
However, I think (and I certainly can’t speak for him) what Revgeorge was pointing to was the wild west influence. Sometimes cross-genres just don’t mix. Sometimes they do. Depends on taste. I mean, if I’m having beef bourguignon – I want a nice glass of chateauneuf-du-pape. Some people want milk. And that’s just fine too.
Not to bring up old, painful topics, but I’m kind of in agreement with all those who say that the “vampires” in Twilight diverge significantly enough from the vampire mythos as to not really qualify as vampires.
The vampires in Salem’s Lot were pretty old school, even though the setting was in New England.
And Harris’ & Rice’s vampires fall into the paranormal, erotic romance vampire category. At least, in my opinion.
Yeah, I thought he was talking about the wild west influence, and mixing up vampires with gunslingers.
King himself has explored that territory before, it seems to me. I think that the Dark Tower saga was quite a mixture of genres, including horror and fantasy, with a gun slinger as a hero. It didn’t work for me – so I’m with you there, revgeorge but I’m not sure whether it was the genre mix or the writing, which seemed kind of rambling, going on and on without ever getting to the actual point.
But I’m thinking that King is going back further and deeper. The brief description of Skinner, above, as a “sociopathic outlaw” reminds me of Randall Flagg, the “Walking Dude” of The Stand – ( who I understand also figured largely in The Dark Tower series.) I think that Flagg is King’s figure of the personification of evil. I’m thinking that these “American Vampires” are not going to be like Edward Cullen’s vegan-vampire clan, Anne Rice’s fascinatingly amoral vampires, or Harris’ quasi-human vampires. These are going to be some mean, throat ripping, connected to the dark side mothers.
Just saw your comment, revgeorge and wanted to respond.
I think that Harris herself has got a mixture of genres going on. Paranormal romance, yes, but also fantasy adventure – there are a lot of supernatural and magical races and political infighting and battles and massacres. Almost every book seems to end with a pitched battle featuring hand-to-hand combat and blood shed. There is even a taste of science fiction – what with the Britlingeners and the telepathy and the superhealing powers of vampire blood.
How does she carry off a series which never seems to end (although, alas, it will at #12), brings in new and more preposterous races every book and is regularly punctuated by the paranormal romance? I think it’s because the center holds – and the center is a very brave, very strong, very funny and very honest heroine.
See, what I’m wondering more about is whether or not the American Vampire is going to incorporate aspects of the paranormal romance genre that’s so big right now or eschew it. And if it eschews it, how successful might it be? I guess those are questions that can’t really be answered until the comic comes out.
For a totally irreverent, tongue in-the-cheek yet sweetly nostalgic look at mixed genres, take a look at the short story Dracula Night in Charlaine Harris’ recently released collection of Sookie Stackhouse shortstories. Would you believe Eric Northman, uber sex-god vampire, as Linus van Pelt? How about Vlad the Impaler as Jesus Quintana?
Red Rocker, I’ll go for my Nordic uberman as Linus but….
Vlad as Jesus?!?
“Eight year olds, dude.”
*caution*
http://video.aol.ca/video-detail/classic-scene-from-the-big-lebowski-jesus-quintana/4144403052/?icid=VIDURVMOV03
That’s my second favorite scene in the movie. My favorite is when the Dude finally tells Walter that he is not Jewish but a Polish Catholic from the Bronx.
I will bet money that Harris was thinking of Quintana and his purple body suit when she wrote of Vlad and his black, stretchy, glittery, jumpsuit.
Three thousand years of beautiful tradition, from Moses to Sandy Koufax–
I finally, finally got my True Blood set. Now because of the stretchy, glittery, jumpsuit (which is a thing a beauty in my mind’s eye) – I’m going to have to order the short stories. When will it end?!
“When will it end?!”
When your thirst is slaked. Heh.
Ha! Arabella – there you are. Haven’t seen you for awhile.
Joivre, thanks for the “welcome back.” I’ve been buried in writing and editing projects, and then a trip to Tucson visiting friends over the weekend. I’m not going to even try to catch up.
Joivre, when you read the books, you’ll notice one or two gaps in the chronology, where something has happened off camera. A whole backstory has developed around Sookie’s cousin. Claudine has acquired family. Those gaps are covered in the short stories. They are not crucial to your understanding. Think of them as delicious amuse-gueules in between the main courses. All except Dracula Night which I think warrants more serious attention.