Writer: David Lapham
Artist: Mike Huddleston
Publisher: Dark Horse
This is how the series needs to be read.
The Strain Volume 1 is beautiful, larger than average issue, hardcover collection of issues 1-11. While I often have a hard time telling people to pick up a collection if they already own the issues, I have absolutely no qualms about telling people that this hardcover collection is worth a re-purchase. The series practically begs to be read all at once and the 270 some pages make it a great piece of reading when you actually want to sit and relax and really get into something. And E.M. Gist’s beautiful hyper-realistic covers are found, in the larger page size, between each issue which breaks up the scenes nicely and also allows you to appreciate them all over again. Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan, authors of the original book trilogy of which the comic is based on, have also included a really great intro that provides a better look at the franchise and how the comics came to be.
Now, if you’ve never read this series, I absolutely can’t recommend this collection enough. It’s such a great, refreshing take on the vampire genre that it instantly stands out among the dozens of other vampire stories that exist. The characters are all vibrant and fully realized which makes introductions and otherwise filler scenes actually interesting. Once the action gets going, it gets going in big ways and the series doesn’t skimp on blood or gore. The art sticks within grays, blues, and blacks to really nail the dark and gritty story line and this makes things like sunlight, fire, blood, and so on really stand out. My only major complaint with the series as a hole is that the comic tends to shift to flashbacks, memories, and/or side scenes while a character is either thinking about a major event or discussing it and it can turn a little confusing as it likes to jump back and forth between panels on occasion.
And again, with 11 issues being represented, it’s a perfect pick up to anyone wanting to get into the series who doesn’t want to search around for every single issue. The aforementioned hyper-realistic covers also provide a great breaking point if you don’t want to marathon it in one session.
I really can’t think of a reason to not pick this up, unless you already own the series and don’t feel like spending the money all over again. But anyone who hasn’t read the series or would just like the ease of having it all collected in one spot with a nice hardcover couldn’t find a better purchase.
