graphic novels

With an idea as good as this book had, this graphic novel(not comic book people) should've been a lot better than it is. But as it is, its an enjoyable read nonetheless.

The story is simple: A group of vampires come to a small town in ALaska where it is night for thirty days. Mayhem ensues.

The plot is an interesting take on the vampire sage that these days has been riddled with triteness and cliches. But sadly, the book never is really able to get over those cliches itself.

My biggest problem with this book is the ending, which, lets all be honest, is the biggest cop-out in recent memory. THe first two issues are smart and suspenseful, but when it comes time for a conclusion, it seems as though the writer jsut said screw it, lets finish it up quickly now lads. I hope thats not the case, but thats how it feels.

All throughout the artwork, however, is great. It is a little murky, but thats point. This isn't a Marvel Comic, full of easy pictures, but rather a creative looking book.

"30 Days of Night" is a good read in the end, even it does dissapoint immensly in the end. Get it, but don't expect a whole lot out of it either.

It's such a great conceit you wonder why no one's thought of it before: What would vampires do if the sun didn't rise for a month? Have a big, bloody party, of course, which is exactly what they do in the remote town of Barrow, Alaska. 30 DAYS OF NIGHT is a compact, well-told story about a horrific vampire invasion. The local cops, a likeable husband and wife team, have to figure out a way to stem the slaughter during the looong Alaskan night. Writer Steve Niles and artist Ben Templesmith give us suffering, sacrifice and heroism within a classic vampire-story framework, inviting comparison to Stephen King's superb 'SALEM'S LOT. Templesmith's art is an acquired taste. It takes a while to parse his stylistic language, but once you "get" it, the story really comes alive (so to speak). Recommended.

Okay, this is my first book review and I'm only writing it to discourage people from paying $17+ dollars for this incredibly straightforward story. If you've read any of the other reviews or know anything about this book then you already know too much. The story never delves deeper than the basic premise- a group of fanatic vampires attack a small town in nowhere Alaska because it's night for 30 days... that's it. The Vampires remark to themselves "why didn't we think of this sooner", a fair sentiment and yet like the vampires, the author is so proud of his concept he forgets to do anything with the opportunity. Even though there's absolutely no character development or unexpected plot twists, the entire book could have been saved by outstanding artwork- unfortunately that falls well below my expectations (so much so it's nearly impossible to identify a main character by sight alone). Don't get me wrong, these are some blood-crazed soul suckers, but the art is so flat and muddled the only way you'd be scared is if you get the same reaction from a Pollock painting.

Now by no means do I qualify as a graphic novel connoisseur and I tend to follow hype. Fortunately hype has led me to a lot of great stories (Sandman, 100 Bullets, Hellboy, Preacher, Y Last Man, Wanted). Even with an intro by Clive Barker, who I whole- heartedly admire, I was more than sold. Sadly I can say no more than this book is lame. I read it in 10 minutes and felt completely ripped off. If this review was unhelpful or you're still not swayed after reading so many great things, I suggest you go to your local comic book store, read it there, and if it blows your mind buy a copy. But I'd wager if you have the slightest inkling of an imagination this book was 10x better in your head. And that's where I recommend you leave it.