Review – Lost Boys #1 (of 6) (Vertigo Comics)

Publisher: Vertigo Comics
Writer: Tim Seeley
Artist: Scott Godlewski
Release Date: 12th October, 2016

Long before vampires became all sparkly and full of teenage angst due to a certain collection of novels, they were actually quite fearsome creatures of the night.

Ok, they weren’t too scary during the ‘Buffy’ era but even then they could still make you jump at times, and nobody could argue that Blade didn’t ooze the same kind of cool that was previously reserved for the likes of John Shaft. The pinnacle of this hybrid of cool/scary vampires, in my opinion, was story of the bloodsuckers from Santa Carla CA, The Lost Boys. Not to be confused with Peter Pan’s gang who never grew up, these ageless teens born into darkness brought a sense of what can be best described as “urban cool” to the legend of the vampire.

The first issue of this brand new Vertigo Comics miniseries picks up after the end of the film and reintroduces us to its main protagonists – Sam and his older brother Michael, who both still live in Santa Carla. Sam runs the comic shop that the now (in)famous “Frog Brothers” have left behind, not that they have gone anywhere particularly exciting, they are now living the lifestyle of vampire hunters… such as it is. Michael now works in a care home and is still together with Star. Pops even makes an appearance as well, and all seems happy in the idyllic murder capital of America. However, as sure as night follows day, with the setting of the sun comes an all too familiar storm.

Tim Seeley is no stranger to the horror genre with his exceptional work on Hack/Slash serving as a fitting example of his writing credentials in this particular genre. These characters are a far cry from Cassie Hack, and I hope the restrictions that come hand in hand with a movie tie-in to don’t hinder his storytelling in the remainder of this series, as it’s clear he has a strong affection for the subject matter.

Scott Godlewski‘s artwork helps to add a sinister atmosphere to the comic. He captures the feel of the classic movie perfectly with colours that reflect 80’s bright neon lights that while bathed in light hints to what is lurking in the darkness.

While this first issue doesn’t quite kick into high gear just yet, this series has the potential to be the movie sequel that fans of the film have been desperate to see for years. The artwork captures the likeness of the film perfectly and with an accomplished writer like Tim Seeley at the helm, I am optimistic that this one will appeal to Lost Boys fans both old and new.

Rating: 3/5.

PREVIEW ARTWORK
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