30 Days of Night by Steve Niles

This week we got to read 30 Days of Night by Steve Niles. Which is about a town in Alaska that is overrun by a clutch or coven of vampires. It the spirit of honesty I must confess that this comic has been on my to-read list for a while. I cut my teeth on comics growing up (Mostly Marvel and mostly X-men though) so when I found out there was a horror comic I was like I'm in. I just never got around to reading it. I did, however, see the movie. I freaking love the movie. But I digress, I'm here to talk about the book, not the film. But if you haven't seen the film you should because it's awesome.

I actually really liked this comic. That said te drawings were really weird and unique from what I am used to. Like I said I read lots of Marvel growing up....and then The Crow comics later on. But none of that prepared me for the odd way the people and vampires are drawn. They are just off. I can't put my finger on, but even the humans are just drawn oddly. Which I know comes down to style. And I don't have a problem with that. I just thought it was worth remarking on. Becuase it's the drawing that makes this comic so unique.

This book has monstrous vampires! That's right, really, real monster vampires. Thank all gods in creation for monstrous vampires. I was never going to not like this. I made my dark little darlings evil again and after the damage done by...other book series/movies who will not be named, it was refreshing and awesome. It warms my blood to see a real blood drinking, flesh tearing, murdering vampires again. I think my black little heart skipped a beat the first time I saw a trailer for the film. I know therapy I'm aware. But I can't help it. I prefer my vampire to be...savage...and dangerous. Not saving damsels in perpetual distress. Thank you, Steve Niles. Thank you sooooooooooooooooo much.

Overall story moved really quickly I would have liked to have it noted a little better as time passes...but I guess that's not really a criticism because I got drawn in any way so I guess that doesn't really matter.

I also wanted to talk for a minute of the film (Also titled 30 Days of Night). And how amazingly they capture the characters. No seriously look.

From to comic.

From the film. 

It's kind fo crazy how well they captured the way they were drawn. In fact, I remember the first time I watched the film wondering why everyone looked so weird. And now I know why. 

Here's the movie trailer. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I prefer the movie. But I can pin down exactly why I prefer the movie. For one, I like that the vampires speak a foreign language. It makes them scarier when you don't know what they are saying (without the benefit of captioning). Second, I like that the second master vampire was omitted. And third, I'm never going to not enjoy the additional backstory we got on all the characters in the movie that we didn't get in the book. That said lack of those things didn't break the book for me. I just prefer the film, that's all. 

Plus you know...this. 

and this. 

It was a good comic though and it inspired a great film. What more could any writer ask for?

Works Cited. 

30 Days of Night. Dir. Ben Ketai. Perf. Josh Hartnett, & Danny Huston Melissa George. 2007. DVD.

Niles, Steve. 30 Days of Night. San Diego: Idea and Design Works, 2007. eComic.