Available at DriveThruComics.com

Originally published in 2009, Dusk is a graphic novel written by David Doub that follows the lives of Eve and Ash. Ash is a vampire, and Eve is a human who takes regular drinks of Ash’s blood that he provides to her. Ash seems a very thoughtful and considerate master, very much unlike many of the other vampires we encounter in these stories.

Ash’s blood gives Eve enhanced strength and speed after she consumes it. Eve needs the extra advantage Ash’s blood provides when going up against other vampires – she’s taken on the responsibility of being Ash’s right hand. Ash appears to be some sort of sheriff or enforcer, capturing misbehaving vampires and bringing them in for punishment; Eve handles her share of the workload with zeal and efficiency. Clearly the experience is exhilarating for Eve; so much so that she appears to be growing addicted to drinking Ash’s blood.

When a private detective starts to follow Eve, she sets a trap and corners the man on a dark street. Sent by an insurance company, the P.I. finds Eve, formerly Susan Douglas, is not quite so deceased as was once thought. Eve uses a bit of magic to ensure that the detective won’t rat her out – or that if he does, at least she’ll be able to find him easily, and we begin to wonder about the real nature of Susan’s/Eve’s life. She clearly wants her old life to stay dead, and we seem to know less about her than we first thought after page one.

Available both in printed graphic novel and in PDF formats, Dusk has a solid storyline, with a great deal of future potential. Will Eve take the plunge and ask Ash to turn her into a vampire? So far, Ash seems quite benevolent, even fond of Eve; one wonders how long he will remain so. One also begins to wonder how long Eve will remain sane; her morality shows signs of being a bit more fluid and situational than may be healthy for her.

Dusk features an illustration style that is simultaneously spare and lush; simple but lovingly rendered. While most scenes have a fairly dark background (vampires – remember?) they also feature a fair amount of detail touches – legible signs on walls, clearly identifiable jewelry, and so forth – that add to the impression of the art being more lavish than it actually is. A second volume of the Dusk story, presumably continuing where the first left off and also available in both print and download formats, came out last year.

Dusk is a good story and should be a must for fans of the vampire genre, particularly of more modern vampires like Sonja Blue or those from White Wolf Publishing’s World of Darkness. Even if you’re not a big fan of the toothy ones, Dusk is a fun read and easy on the eyes. I can’t wait to dig into volume 2…

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Review by Bill Bodden

Tags | comic books, drivethrucomics, Reviews, vampires