MADreads

Vegetarian, vampire?

June 6th, 2008 Barbara - Alicia Ashman

Life Sucks provides a  funny spin on the seemingly endless spate of vampire fiction.  At least, this was my first encounter with a vegan-wannabe vampire slacker — and I found it hilarious.

Dave is working a (literally) dead-end job as the night manager of The Last Stop convenience store.  The store is owned by money-obsessed Radu (aka Lord Arisztidescu), who bedevils Dave about sweeping the parking lot and rotating the hot dogs, while spouting ridiculous business jargon in a thick Romanian accent. Dave is part of Radu’s business plan.  Vampire-Master Radu turned the resentful Dave into a vampire because undead employees can’t be killed — and night clerking in an LA strip mall convenience store is pretty hazardous.

Dave dropped out of community college because he can no longer survive in sunlight.  And unwilling to kill, he survives on a diet of plasma and expired blood bank products, which leaves him weak and unable to optimize his vampire talents. He lives with his human best friend, Carl, and hangs out with a fellow indentured vampire wage-slave, Jerome.  The highlights of Dave’s sorry existence are watching endless Mexican soap operas and catching glimpses of Rosa, a beautiful Goth girl who regularly visits the juice bar next to The Last Stop.

Dave’s nemesis is Radu’s previous night clerk/vampire slave, a surfer named Wes, who proved to be hopelessly irresponsible at clerking.  Dave’s vampirization has allowed Wes to return to his beach lifestyle (although, being a vampire, he has to do his surfing at night).  Wes has money, good looks, girls, a car:  everything Dave longs for and lacks.   When Wes goes after Rosa, underachieving Dave finally starts to show some un-dead life…

Writers Jessica Abel and Gabe Soria have done a great job, with witty dialog and a quirky, fast-moving plot. Warren Pleece’s art is fantastic, filled with intricate detail and cinematic angles.  Pleece injects a lot into the story through his subtly-drawn characters’ expressions and gestures. Coloring is impressive too, with washed-out flat color for the fluorescent Last Stop and the many dark nighttime scenes creatively presented. 

If you are in the mood for a different kind of vampire tale, this is the book for you!

Entry Filed under: Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Romance, Young Adult