American Vampire Anthology #1

Written by Scott Snyder, Jason Aaron, Rafael Albuquerque, Jeff Lemire, Becky Cloonan, Francesco Francavilla, Gail Simone, Gabriel Bá, Fábio Moon, and Greg Rucka
Art by Rafael Albuquerque, Declan Shalvey, Ivo Milazzo, Ray Fawkes, Becky Cloonan, Francesco Francavilla, Tula Lotay, Gabriel Bá, Fábio Moon, and John Paul Leon

When American Vampire first started a few years ago, despite its coming out in the middle of the vampire-related glut of the post-Twilight world, it really stood out as a well-considered, and excellently-executed new approach to the genre.  I liked how Scott Snyder (and early collaborator, Stephen King) grounded the vampire, and other mythological creatures, in biology and history.  There was a strong emphasis on character, and under Rafael Albuquerque's pencil, the book looked terrific.

As the series continued, as new characters were added to the mix, and as spin-off mini-series became more exciting than the main title, I felt that things needed a bit of a shakeup to keep my interests.  I wasn't all that upset when I learned that the series was going on hiatus for a while, as I was considering dropping it.

Now, though Snyder and Albuquerque have headlined this anthology, which has gotten me excited about the property again.  First off, just look at the talent involved in this book, with names like Cloonan, Bá, Moon, Lemire, Francavilla, Rucka and Leon showing up on the cover.  In their numerous short stories, many of which were too short, they explored other aspects of this world, and I loved it.

Jeff Lemire and Ray Fawkes took us up to James Bay to see what the Canadian Vampire would look like, while Jason Aaron and Declan Shalvey revisited the early colonial days of the United States in a similar tale.  Regular series artist Albuquerque writes a story about a small town in Kansas, which is painted by the very interesting Ivo Milazzo.

Some of the stories feature characters we've met before, as in Gail Simone and Tula Lotay's 'Hattie' tale, and in Becky Cloonan's exploration of why Skinner Sweet came to Hollywood.  Skinner shows up in Greg Rucka and John Paul Leon's story too, which explains what happened to him after Las Vegas, back in the second or third arc of the series.

Francesco Francavilla looks at the vampires' influence in Hollywood, while Gabriel Bá and Fábio Moon take us into a seedy nightclub.

This is a very nice looking book, which has managed to whet my appetite some for the return of the series, which is what it's supposed to do I guess.

The Wake #1

Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Sean Murphy

I wasn't too sure how interested I was going to be in The Wake, a new Vertigo mini-series.  The comic's writer, Scott Snyder, has lost some of his appeal in my eyes recently, as his Batman series has not impressed me as much as it apparently has most of the DC fan base, and I found that, prior to its going on hiatus, his American Vampire was also becoming rather underwhelming and tired, which is a good way to describe Vertigo in general over the last couple of years.

The only reason why I preordered this book was because of Sean Murphy's art, especially coming off of his sublime Punk Rock Jesus (check out the nod to the Flak Jackets in this comic!).

Having read this, I'm very pleased that I did buy it.  This feels like the Snyder of early American Vampire, setting out an interesting and sweeping story, without getting too bogged down in details.  The story is book-ended by scenes set in distant times - the first few pages are set somewhere far into the future, at a time when cities are flooded by the oceans.  We meet a young woman and her dolphin or porpoise companion, and know they are looking for something, but we don't know what.  The book ends some hundred thousand years ago.

In between is the bulk of the comic, in a time that doesn't feel too far off from ours.  We are introduced to Lee Archer, a marine biologist who specializes in whale song.  We quickly learn that she is divorced, does not have custody of her son, and at some point got herself in trouble with the NOAA, a government agency.  A representative of the Department of Homeland Security shows up, and plays her a tape of a strange whale song, convincing her to accompany him to a remote part of Alaska.  When she gets there, she learns that she is expected to work with a team, and that nothing is what she expected.

There are high-tech sea-floor oil platforms, specialized subs, and a creature that is not a whale to contend with, as well as a former rival.  The set up runs very smoothly, and while this has elements of movies like The Abyss, and comics like The Vault, there is more than enough to keep my interest, especially given Murphy's wonderful artwork.

Finishing this comic, I felt that I'd been uncharitable in my assessment of its prospects, and I'm happy to have been wrong.  I desperately wish that Vertigo could regain its place as a viable and respectable imprint at DC, and books like this are a step in the right direction.

American Vampire #34

Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Rafael Albuquerque

When I heard that American Vampire was going to be going on hiatus following this issue, it didn't bother me one bit.  I'd really enjoyed the early days of this Vertigo series, but I'd felt that it was starting to lose its way a little bit, amid the spin-off mini-series, the arcs that introduced new characters who were never seen again, and the general decompression of the last story arc, which was wrapping up the arcs for many of the main characters.  I'd also felt that the book had kind of lost the edge that made it Vertigo in the first place.  I wasn't surprised by that - since this book debuted, writer Scott Snyder has become a bit of a golden boy at DC, and I wondered if among all his New 52 projects, he still had time for this title.

Then I read this issue, which I expected to be an epilogue, and now I really want more.  Where the last ten issues have felt a little bloated, this one is lean, mysterious, and dark, just like the early days of this series.  Gene Bunting, the new Bookkeeper for the Vassals of the Morning Star (the vampire- and monster-hunting organization that has featured prominently in this title) has travelled out to the middle of nowhere to find Abilena Book, the mother of Felicia Book, the new director of the VMS.  He believes that Abilena has some limited prophetic abilities, and he wants her to peer into the future to discover if the VMS needs to be concerned about someone called The Gray Trader.

It's been ages since we've seen Book in this series, and Bunting is a new character, but Snyder manages to develop them both very well in a short amount of space.  He also establishes this new threat very effectively, and reveals another secret about Book right at the very end that can be open to a few different interpretations.

Albuquerque has always done a wonderful job on this title, and this issue is no exception.  He also seems a little reinvigorated by the prospect of a new, darker storyline.  It's very nice to see that this book is getting back on track, and now I hope that the hiatus is not going to be a very long one.

American Vampire: Lord of Nightmares #3

Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Dustin Nguyen

We all knew that eventually Scott Snyder would have no choice but to get around to dealing with Dracula, and I like the way it's being handled.  The big D is the name commonly given to the 'Prime Carpathian', or the sire of an entire species of vampires, much like Skinner Sweet is to the American Vampire.  Dracula has been taken by the Soviets, and fed a little blood, which means he has the ability to influence any vampires in his line, and at times, even control humans.  This does not work out well for the Soviets.

At the same time, Dracula tries to use Gus, Cash McCogan's son, to kill Agent Hobbes, although unsuccessfully.  This leads Hobbes and Felicia Book to travel to Germany, to seek out The Firsts, a group of vampires from older lines who have been hiding throughout Europe. 

Even though we are half-way into the series, Snyder is still setting up a lot, as the conflict between the Firsts and the Carpathians is going to be the central focus of the book from this point on.  Book is a great character though, and the story flows really well.

Dustin Nguyen has been killing it on this book.  During an extended conversation between Hobbes and Book, Nguyen borrows a tool from Eduardo Risso's bag of tricks, and shows us a scene involving animals in the snow, which perfectly encapsulates the tone and feel of this series.  It's good stuff.

American Vampire #29

Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Rafael Albuquerque

It becomes very difficult, month after month, to find something new to say about a title that is consistently well-written and has great art.

In this issue of American Vampire, Pearl and Skinner Sweet, newly teamed-up and working for the Vassals of the Morning Star, begin investigating the Hollywood wealthy as potential harbourers of vampires.  Of course, they hit paydirt at their first mansion, although that leads to gunfights and attacks by jungle cats.  Pearl is looking to figure out just who it was that assaulted her husband Henry, but she can't quite figure out why Skinner is working for the VMSs. 

I like the way that Snyder has always had his stories reflect the various time periods they are set in, as we've moved forward through the 20th century.  Just as the VMS is looking for hidden vampires among the Hollywood elite, the HUAC is looking for communists or communist connections in the same moneyed corridors.

The relationship between Pearl and Skinner has always been difficult, and having them work together should lead to some good stories.

American Vampire: Lord of Nightmares #2

Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Dustin Nguyen

I don't understand why Dustin Nguyen does not get more recognition, or have a higher profile among comics artists.  This guy's work is amazing.  In this issue, he's called upon to show the history of the prime Carpathian vampire, Dracula, for all intents and purposes, and over a series of pages, Nguyen shows us watercolour paintings, imitation woodblock prints, engravings, and maps.  The collage effect works very well, and underscores how versatile he is as an artist.  Later, he cuts loose on a splash page that would have made an amazing cover image.

This issue is mostly spent exploring Dracula's history.  Agent Hobbes is filling in Felicia Book on the dangerous vampire's story, and lets her (and us) know about his ability to mentally control any other Carpathian vamp or their offspring (including, perhaps, an American vampire).  While this happens, the people who took Dracula arrive at a rendez-vous with some a pair of Soviets, although the American who confronted Hobbes in the first issue have other plans.

This is a successful mini-series, adding to the American Vampire story.  Scott Snyder and Nguyen work very well together, although I still find it difficult to accept that Gus, who looks and acts like a ten-year old, is supposed to be fifteen.

American Vampire #28

Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Rafael Albuquerque

It feels like American Vampire has returned to its core with the beginning of the new story arc, The Blacklist.  It's been a while since the three main characters of this series - Pearl, Henry, and Skinner Sweet - have been in the same issue (I think not since their little Pacific WWII adventure), and it's good to see them all back together again, even if Henry spends the whole issue in a coma.

A couple of issues ago we saw that Henry had been attacked.  This issue opens with Pearl dispatching his attacker, before she and family friend (and fellow American Vamp) Calvin are attacked at Henry's bedside.  This leads to a visit to the Vassals of the Morning Star (a vampire-hunting organization), and the knowledge that a group of vampires are being protected and hidden by the Hollywood elite.

This story is set against the Senate hearings into Communist sympathizers in Hollywood, and Scott Snyder uses that atmosphere of fear and paranoia to provide his antagonists shelter.  Pearl and Skinner are going to be hunting these vampires down, and as this arc is set to last six issues, we can guess that there are going to be lots of vampires to find.

Rafael Albuquerque returns to the art duties on this title with this issue, so everything looks spectacular.

American Vampire: Lord of Nightmares #1

Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Dustin Nguyen

It seems that the people at Vertigo are determined to turn American Vampire into the next Fables, spinning out into mini-series featuring peripheral characters a couple of times a year now.

This new series, Lord of Nightmares, is not exactly a sequel to the recent Survival of the Fittest, but it does (eventually) follow up on the character of Felicia Book.  This series opens in London in 1954 (the comic has been moving forward through the twentieth century since it began), and has Agent Hobbes, who we know as the head of the secret vampire hunting organization The Vassals of the Morning Star, meeting a strange American at an outdoor cafe.  Hobbes feels he has the upper hand in this conversation, until explosions make it clear that a recently purchased U-boat has attacked the Vassal's main London base, under the Tower of London.

Later, we see Hobbes in Paris, where he confronts Felica Book, who has been living under the radar for fifteen years with Gus, the vampire child she cured in the previous series.  Hobbes reveals that the attack involves Dracula, the King of the Carpathian vampires, and the series is underway.

I believe this is the first that Snyder has made reference to any fictional (and public domain) vampires before now, and I find it interesting that he decided to bring up Dracula in a spin-off setting.  When Hobbes first meets with the American guy at the cafe, he starts to call him Ren___ (it gets cut off), perhaps a reference to the character of Renfield from Stoker's classic.

Dustin Nguyen joins Snyder on art for this series, which is great news.  It's been a while since Nguyen has been on a project, which is strange, because he's a brilliant artist.  His work is great here, although his portrayal of Gus, who is supposed to be at least fifteen years old, makes him look way too young.  I wonder if there's a story-based reason for that.

American Vampire #27

Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Riccardo Burchielli

This is a strange issue of American Vampire.  Don't get me wrong - it's still very well-written, but I just found that the parts didn't add up the way they usually do.

To begin with, the cover does not, on any level, have anything to do with what happens in the comic.  This issue finishes off the two-part story featuring Calvin Hobbes, in conflict with a small group of werewolves in Alabama.  Pearl, the comic's usual main character only appears at the very end of the issue, and she's neither in the rain nor standing near someone with a gun.

Another thing that threw me is Riccardo Burchielli's artwork.  I've enjoyed his work on DMZ and Northlanders, but with this issue, his style has changed quite a bit, and I don't really like it.  It felt like he was trying to fit his approach with the usual look that Rafael Albuquerque has established for this series, and then mix it with the way that Roger Cruz drew the last issue.  It didn't really work.

The other thing that threw me is a rather random and unexplained flashback where Calvin discovers his wife (I assume) naked in his backyard hanging laundry and covered in vampire bites.  I vaguely remember that vamps had killed his family (I think his backstory was explained in the WWII arc where he debuted), but this scene is not given enough context for it to be very effective.

What I did like about this comic was the way in which Snyder examines other manifestations of 'vampires', which include the aforementioned werewolves and zombies.  Much like Chris Roberson has in his iZombie, Snyder attempts to work a more unified theory for monsters into his writing, and while it's still 'comic book science', I appreciate the consistency.

I am very much looking forward to the next issue, which promises the return of Pearl, Henry, and most importantly, Rafael Albuquerque.

American Vampire #26

Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Roger Cruz

Last month, Scott Snyder finished off his 50s rebel teenager storyline with a pretty big cliffhanger involving the main protagonists of this book, Pearl and Henry, who we hadn't seen for a few months (which means more than a decade in the comic's timeline).  I expected that to be picked up and continued with this issue, but instead, we are given the first of a two-part arc featuring Calvin Poole, who we last saw fighting with Henry in the Pacific during the Second World War.

Now, it's 1954, and Calvin, who is the third American Vampire in existence, has taken some time off from his job with the Vassals of the Morning Star to travel to Midway Alabama, where his brother is about to perform at a fair.  Now, this is Alabama in the 50s, and Calvin is black, so there are some pretty obvious challenges he has to face, which are of course made easier by his being a vampire.

Calvin can't actually contact his brother, but he soon learns that there is something odd going on in Midway, and he, the expert taxonomist, is soon facing something he's never seen or heard of before.  It's a good start to a short arc, and it's nice to see that Snyder is expanding his story and addressing new topics within the context of his vampire story.

The art on this issue is by Roger Cruz, which was a bit of a surprise to me.  I remember Cruz as a 90s Marvel artist (and so with little fondness), but in this issue he manages quite well, giving us work that evokes regular series artist Rafael Albuquerque.

American Vampire #25

Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Rafael Albuquerque

The 'Death Race' arc finishes off this issue with a few surprises.  For the last three issues, we've watched as Travis Kidd, a new character to the series, has been hunting the vampire who was responsible for the death of his family - our old friend Skinner Sweet.  Kidd's whole story, but for the fateful night when his family was killed, was shown to us in flashback while he and Sweet engaged in a lengthy race across the California desert in '50s cars.

In this issue, Travis and Skinner confront each other face to face, and we learn that Travis is much more resourceful than we were otherwise led to believe, finding new uses for the gold that is so poisonous to Sweet.  That's not the end of the surprises though, as Hobbes, the leader of the vampire-hunting organization shows up before the fight is over.  Also, at the end of the issue, we get to catch up a little with Henry and Pearl, who are more or less the main characters of this comic, even though we often go months without seeing them.

American Vampire is always a good read, and this issue is no exception.  Rafael Albuquerque's art continues to impress and surprise with each and every issue.

American Vampire #24

Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Rafael Albuquerque

The third, and penultimate chapter in the 'Death Race' arc is a pretty quick read, compared to other issues of American Vampire.  In some ways that makes sense - the entire issue is built around a car chase across the desert, but I think it needed a slightly more compressed story this month.

Travis Kidd, the teenage vampire slayer is continuing his pursuit of Skinner Sweet, the vampire who killed his parents.  As their chase, which involves jumping from one vehicle to another (which happens to be on fire), and taking flying leaps over rocks, unfolds, we get to see more of Travis's childhood in an insane asylum, where he has been subjected to electroshock therapy and lectures on the dangers of 'race music'.  When he escapes, with the help of a familiar face, he quickly turns the tables on his rescuer, in a way that helps Snyder establish just what Travis is about.

We still don't know the story of how Sweet killed his family, but I presume that is coming next month.  As always, Rafael Albuquerque does an excellent job on the art, as one of the best Vertigo series just keeps ticking along.

Severed #7

Written by Scott Snyder and Scott Tuft
Art by Attila Futaki

I feel like I was a little harsh when I wrote about the sixth issue of this mini-series last month, but I did feel that the writers had pushed the limits of credulity a little too far.  This final issue of the series is much better balanced though, and the story ended in a satisfying fashion.

Severed has been about Jack Brakeman, a young boy who set out across Depression-era America looking for his father, who had given him up for adoption as an infant.  Along the way, he came across a cannibal serial killer, posing a a record player salesman.  This guy got rid of Jack's traveling companion, a young girl dressing as a boy, and lured Jack into a particular home with the intent of eating him.

This issue begins with Jack in the guy's custody, and things look pretty bleak.  Help does arrive, in the form of someone I didn't expect to see in this comic again, but ultimately, it is the very quality in Jack that has made him such a tantalizing victim, his hope, that leads him to act on his own behalf.

Severed is a standard horror story in many ways, but it is nicely grounded in the era in which it is set.  Snyder and Tuft made Jack a very likeable character, and gave the reader many reasons to keep coming back, even when the conventions of the genre, and their reliance upon coincidence and the characters' naivety made things a little hard to swallow.  I will definitely be keeping my eye out for more work by the talented Attila Futaki, whose art really made this comic work.

American Vampire #23

Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Rafael Albuquerque

I hope that all the people who are going on and on about how Scott Snyder's Batman and Swamp Thing are two of the best books coming out of DC since their relaunch are checking out American Vampire, his first on-going series.  It is similar to those two other series in that Snyder is providing fast-moving, character-driven stories that keep the reader's attention riveted to the page.

This issue continues the Death Race arc, and continues the chase across the California desert in classic cars of a vampire (soon to be revealed to be an old friend) by Travis Kidd, the teenage vampire hunter we were introduced to last month.

As the chase continues, we are treated to a series of flashbacks which help further introduce and explain Travis.  His time in a sanatorium was commented on last issue, but now we get to see a little of his experiences there, brought on by his insistence that his parents were killed by vampires.

Travis is an interesting character.  He's definitely driven, forsaking the potential of teenage love for his revenge.  But then, when his girlfriend turns up in the trunk of the car he's pursuing, he does take a few extra risks to save her, which shows that he's not entirely thoughtless.

As always, Rafael Albuquerque's work on this title is phenomenal.  He handles the excitement of the desert chase particularly well.

Severed #6

Written by Scott Snyder and Scott Tuft
Art by Attila Futaki

I've been a supporter of this series from the beginning, despite the fact that it can, at times, strain credibility to the breaking point.  I've thought that writers Scott Snyder and Scott Tuft had a little more leeway in their depiction of a couple of kids in Depression-era America as being a little naive because, let's face it, they wouldn't have been raised on a steady diet of slasher films and/or overprotective parenting. 

This issue, which ends with a pretty big reveal, however, hinges on either a series of coincidences or a level of planning that would be almost impossible to have work in the way that it has.  And this has tainted my enjoyment of the book.

I love Image Comics because it gives creators a great deal of freedom to innovate, but sometimes the lack of a strong editor can be a bit of a problem.  Were this a Vertigo-edited book, the wrinkles would have been ironed out, making the comic much stronger.  Because the truth is, Snyder and Tuft have a good story to tell, and Futaki is an interesting artist.

Here's hoping that the ending can redeem things next month.

American Vampire #22

Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Rafael Albuquerque

It's great to see Rafael Albuquerque back on American Vampire.  I enjoyed Jordi Bernet's recent work on the title, but Albuquerque is the artist who caused this book to catch my eye in the first place, and things feel right when he's working on it.

With this new arc, 'Death Race', we move into the 1950s, and we meet Travis Kidd, a young and unaffiliated vampire hunter.  We don't learn a whole lot about him, except that he's hunting for the vampire who ruined his life (sounds like Mike Mignola's Baltimore), and takes out any other vampires he comes across in his search.  He has some sort of prior dealings with the Vassals, the vampire-hunting group who we often see in this title and its spin-off, and in this issue, Agent Hobbes (looking a lot like Agent Graves from 100 Bullets) tries to get him to join up with them again.

This issue starts off with an excellent sequence involving Travis's girlfriend and her parents, and it also embraces the teenage 50s, with leather jackets and drag racing in the desert.  Scott Snyder has done a wonderful job of capturing the anxieties and concerns of each era he's set his story in, and that continues to be the case here.

Albuquerque's work is, of course, wonderful.  I look forward to learning how this story ties in with Skinner Sweet's, or with Pearl and Henry's. 

Severed #5

Written by Scott Snyder and Scott Tuft
Art by Attila Futaki

Jack and the creepy imposter salesman cannibal guy are on the road together, with Jack thinking that his friend Sam has abandoned him and stolen his wallet.  This gives Mr. Fisher (not his real name) a number of opportunities to teach Jack about what life on the road is like, as he takes him with him, Jack thinks, to record his music and then help him find his father.  We readers are pretty sure Fisher plans to eat Jack, but we don't know when, so every creepy looking roadside house or dive bar looks like it's going to be the place.  This adds a lot of tension to the book.

And really, the book is tense enough.  Fisher expounds at length on how great life on the road is, but quickly we realise that this is the same road the traveling circus traveled in Carnivale.  To drive home that point, Snyder and Tuft give Attila Futaki the opportunity to show how twisted things are out there in a manner that reminds me of Eduardo Risso's penchant for including strange little silent stories on-panel in books like 100 Bullets.

As this issue opens, we see read Fisher's speech about how on the road, if you want something, you take it.  These words are shown over a sequence that has a man with a knife running across a field to where another man appears to be holding down a naked woman.  This looks like a violent rape scene, but what we find out on the next page is that it is instead a birthing.  It's a cool visual trick, which helps remind the reader that things aren't as they appear in this book, which is something Jack takes the entire issue to catch on to. 

I've been very impressed with this comic since it started.  At times, the characters behave in a very naive fashion, but when one remembers the time period, and its relative lack of sophistication around things like serial killers, it's a little easier to suspend disbelief.

With two issues remaining, I'm looking forward to seeing how Jack is going to get himself out of this situation.  I'm also hoping that we haven't seen the last of Sam, as she was a pretty cool character.

American Vampire #21

Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Jordi Bernet

Scott Snyder's decided to finish off his 'Beast in the Cave' arc by dodging something that I expected since the end of the first chapter.  All along, this story has been telling us about series baddie Skinner Sweet and his adoptive brother Jim Book's time in the US Army, between the two men became bitter enemies.  They, and their unit, have been following a group of Apache warriors into some mountains, looking to capture or kill them.  The leader of the Apache has led his remaining troops to a cave, where an ancient Native American vampire lives.

I thought for sure, as this issue progressed, that Skinner or Book would come face to face with the ancient vampire, or her spawn.  Instead, Snyder swerves in a different direction, and it's interesting.

Of course, the main point of this issue is that we see the start of the rift between Skinner and Book, as the one wants to go his own way, and the other wishes to adhere to the rules, even if that gets him put in front of a firing squad.  Book has been out of this series for a while now, so it's strange that Snyder takes so much time to build up his character, but I think part of that is to provide a contrast to Skinner's darkness.

These three issues with guest artist Jordi Bernet have been a nice treat.  The only person who draws a better Western is John Severin, but Bernet's cartoonish approach works very well here (except for his monstrous vampires - I thought they looked silly).  Still, I'm looking forward to seeing regular artist Rafael Albuquerque back next month, as I do the regular cast of this comic.

Severed #4

Written by Scott Snyder and Scott Tuft
Art by Attila Futaki

Severed continues to be an excellent Depression-era coming of age horror comic, with a strong focus on character.  This issue hinges on an event that I don't really understand though, and that caused me to be thrown out of the story completely.

To begin with the positive, I've really enjoyed reading about the friendship between Jack and Sam.  They've become a good team, looking out for one another on the road, and finding in the other a loyal companion.  They have a pretty big fight this issue, over the entrance of Alan Fisher, who claims to be a Victrola salesman, although we readers know he's a predatory cannibal.

This leads to my problems with this issue.  Previously, Sam had stolen Fisher's business card, which we saw him take from the real Alan Fisher a couple of issues back.  She calls the number, and speaks to someone at RCA Victor, who suggests he meet her at a diner in a remote setting.  In typical horror comic fashion, she agrees, and doesn't seem to find anything strange about a completely abandoned restaurant in the middle of nowhere, where she discovers that the RCA guy she spoke to is really.... (I'm sure you can guess).

This doesn't work.  If he altered the phone number so it would be his own, why bother using the card in the first place?  Also, it's the Depression and we've established that the guy is living in a rooming house.  He wouldn't have his own phone, so the fact that he answered when Sam called doesn't make sense.  I understand that something like this would need to happen to continue the plot, but it just doesn't work for me.

I'll look past this though, as the rest of the comic works very well.

American Vampire #20

Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Jordi Bernet

This current arc, The Beast in the Cave, explores the history of series villain Skinner Sweet before he became a vampire.  He and his adopted brother, Jim Book, were soldiers in the US army, chasing down some Apache in the West.  The last issue ended with Hole in the Sky, the leader of this small but determined band, climbing a mountain to speak to a spirit who lives in a cave there.

This issue opens with that character's story.  As it turns out, she is a vampire, perhaps one of the first of the American variety, and has been living in that cave cut off from the world by her own choice.  She is of Shoshone heritage, and was turned by a pair of explorers who had taken her from her husband (who was somewhat erroneously referred to as having been from 'the Canadas' at a time when no one would have said that).

Anyway, Spencer takes his time to establish her character despite the fact that we're probably not going to see much of her again after next issue.  It is that attention to detail that has made this comic so enjoyable.  I'm really enjoying this arc, which has guest art by Jordi Bernet, although I find I have to constantly remind myself that I'm not reading an issue of Jonah Hex.