Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer
Writer: Van Jensen; Art: Dusty Higgins
SLG Publishing (Slave Labor Graphics)
The main thrust of Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer is entirely summed up by its title as the wooden boy protects his small village by killing vampire invaders. And since lie-telling turns him into a mobile wooden stake factory, Pinocchio is quite the competent slayer of the undead. While fighting the evil that has infected his home of Nasolungo, he investigates origin of the vampires and what exactly is turning his world into a darker and more violent place.
I’m not sure how much I can add to the conversation about P:VS as the book has already been well covered by top review sites like Blog@Newsarama, Topless Robot, Bookgasm, Robot6, and Comics Should Be Good. Heck, the book even got an Adapt This treatment on MTV.com and made the ALA’s 2010 Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens. That’s some serious attention, and it’s all well deserved.
So, even though the book has already been well praised, I’ll just add my voice to the consensus. Van Jensen created a tightly told story of a darker Pinocchio with Higgins’ artwork reflecting that darkness without making it off-limits to younger readers. And lets be honest that the youngsters and teens are who this is really aimed at, not the middle-aged curmudgeons on the Web. It’s a smart move on Higgins’ and Van Jensen’s part, as it allows them to get the book into libraries and schools. If comics are going to thrive, it will depend on a younger generation of readers to continue breaking them out of the superhero tar pit. It’s good to know that something as fun and well told as Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer is part of that. Well done, fellows.
Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer for purchase at SLG Comics
Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer website
Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer preview