Jasper Fadden had it all: a sweet mullet, a good job at a record shop, and a Veggie Mart within biking distance. That is until he got bit by a vampire and lost everything. (Okay, he got to keep the sweet mullet.) His refusal to eat meat and animal byproducts will be tested like never before as he begins to crave human blood.
This Bites is silly and has a fairly straightforward first issue, but writer Jacques Nyemb does find a way to include a surprising amount of world building. Jasper does not inhabit a world where people think you’re nuts when you start talking about vampires; they’re fact and the world reflects that wonderfully. Jasper is fairly relatable as he starts to exercise his willpower against the vampiric urges, and based on what I’ve seen of Jasper’s confidant, his Nana, she’s going to be a wonderful character (Go, tall girls!); however, I use the word “silly” for a specific reason. Despite the humorous nature of the premise, this first issue didn’t deliver much in the way of humor, with the main cast mostly focusing on the angst of Jasper’s situation, which feels at odds with the premise and the art direction. I’d like to see later issues take a few more moments to enjoy the situation, even if it’s to Jasper’s further torment.
The art in This Bites is super simple featuring crooked lines, constantly changing size and shape of objects and body parts, and humans with really big heads. David DeGrand’s art is not my favorite, but it all works together and is silly in its unpredictability. I mean, it’s a comic about a vegan vampire, so it all works together and maintains that same tone. Also, Degrand does a nice job adding texture to objects, like a shirt or a sidewalk, and draws the most intense chins this side of Bruce Campbell.
One awesome thing the creators of This Bites are doing is promoting indie comic artists. “For any comic artist who is interested, we are giving away a FREE digital copy of the comic, when they submit their piece of fan art. We’ll share it on all of our social media feeds with their contact information and their projects, as well. It’s our tiny way of giving back.”
Three Bottles of Vamp Off out of Five
