Review - The Strain #1

When you read a book do you ever find yourself using the details to imagine how a certain part would look if was actual and not just on paper? I just love when a book gets turned into a movie, TV show, comic, etc. so long as it's done right. It allows what you imagined to be more fully realized.

Seeing that Dark Horse is doing a comic adaptation of the Chuck Hogan and Guillermo del Toro book The Strain, I knew they would do it justice and they didn’t disappoint. It was a great first issue that begins the fight by a select few against vampires that are trying to destroy the world as we know it. When I was reading this issue it was great seeing these characters come to life in a manner of speaking and put a face to the characters that I read about in the novel.

For those of you who haven’t had a chance to read The Strain or the second book The Fall let me catch you up a bit. Yes, it's a vampire story, but a lot more awesome one that goes back centuries with Old and New World Vampires who kept vampires in check throughout the world. For one New World Vampire the status quo doesn’t suit him anymore as he starts off his own plan to take over the planet.

Eph Goodweather was just spending another normal weekend with his son playing video games, until his job as head of a CDC team based in New York City is called to duty when one hell of a situation arise. A plane rolled into JFK airport and immediately cut off all communications and sealed itself from the inside.

The Strain is a big story that--for this first issue--they put in just enough to give you a small idea of what's in store for the reader. With an ending that will definitely have you anticipating the next issue to see just what is going to happen next.

Mike Huddleston's artwork is pretty good as it draws the eye and blends with the dialogue perfectly. Writer David Lapham's adaptation of the dialogue leads a number of bubbles throughout the comic. As it's adapted from the book, that is to be expected, but it doesn’t feel overwhelming at any point when reading. Lapham and Huddleston have done some great work and I'm looking forward to the rest of this series and some kickass vampire action.

The Strain #1 should be in stores December 14.