Action Lab Entertainment 2016
Novel by Peter David
Adapted by Nicole D’Andria
Illustrated by Laura Neubert
Coloured by Laur Rea & Laura Neubert
Lettered by Justin Birch
Well this adaptation continues and it just keeps getting better. We open up meeting a certain Mr. Fang who’s a judge and sentences people, kids, for stealing and such. When a strange man comes into court and the two have an altercation. This is great because it adds another character and mythology to the series. I honestly hadn’t expected to see him here nor mention of his son but oh yeah let’s roll with it folks!
The story is great and the way it’s structured here is extremely well done. Nicole’s adaptation skills are pretty impressive to me. She’s really nailing those moments that will surprise, shock and excite readers and not letting up. The way the story weaves in and out with all that’s happening it’s proving to be one of those that kids will find fun but adults oh yeah they are gonna be all over the subtlety here.
So after the fun filled and shocking opening we get to the Artful Dodger. They finally hail a carriage to take them to their next destination when they see a young man in need of help. This introduces them to the fact that Vampires are real. This of course changes their plans and adds another member to their group. Abraham or as folks call him Bram and the plan is to find someplace safe so it’s off to an Abbey full of Nuns they go.
Not a bad idea really if you are running from vampires to go someplace so religious right? Well that’s where Dodger’s old pal comes into play. Can you figure out why if so you really do know your characters and why Fagin is a great choice for Mr. Fang to employ his skills in this particular instance! What it really does is show us how all these characters relate to one another and that this city with it’s supernatural beings all really do know one another.
I really am a fan of the interiors here. They bring the all-ages feel to the page and yet keep on that edge of scary that befits the subject matter. There’s a great sense of imagination and whimsy in the work that represents the time and place this story is set in. the us of page layouts utilising angles, perspective and backgrounds really help tell the story more fully with what we see. I think the muted colours here it keeps it kind of dark and dingy but still lets us see the fashions and their facial expressions.
I’m totally into this story. It makes me want to find Peter David’s story and read it and see how different it is from this. While the little ones might not fully grasp the vampire aspect I do think that this take on a classic story is one of those wildly fun and interesting takes that will surprise you at every turn.