Fresh takes on vampires aren’t easy in this day and age. The last time the undead really took hold was when The Twilight Saga was all the rage, and while lots of people loved it, Edward and Bella were just a little too beautiful for my taste. Mind you, I do admit to a strange fascination with the first film in the series, but everything after that just wound up toO cute for me. That’s why reading a new and bloody vampire comic was a treat when it wound up in my inbox.
No Heroine #1
Writer: Frank Gogol
Artists: Criss Madd, Shawna Madd
Source Point Press
Here’s the log-line:
Drugs. Vampires. Punk rock. Clawing her way to her 90th day sober, Kayla sets out to find her missing friend, Sid – the one person she knows can keep her on the straight-andnarrow. The only problem? The gang of heroine-dealing vampires that have him. From the writer of 2019’s breakout indie hit Dead End Kids comes a story of a young woman’s recovery journey and one hard truth: not everyone is cut out to be a hero.
No Heroine has a solid Buffy The Vampire Slayer vibe to it, if Buffy was less Valley Girl and more Courtney Love. Our lead character Kayla Strong is a badass, fucked-up heroine trying to right some serious wrongs she’s made throughout her life. What they are, we have yet to discover, but Frank Gogol teases enough of her past to keep us interested. While the metaphor of vampirism as addiction isn’t new, Gogol’s writing is strong enough to make it feel fresh. There’s some great and entertaining kills in No Heroine, giving us a hero in Kayla who is not be messed with
The art of No Heroine, from Criss Madd and Shawna Madd is very punk rock, especially the characters and colours, with a nice use of purples throughout. As much fun as it was to read the book, it’s also a striking visual experience.
For vampire fans craving a fix, be on the lookout for No Heroine #1 when it arrives at your LCS and online June 24th.
