Slave Labor Graphics published my first graphic novel, Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer, in October 2009. The book is illustrated by Dusty Higgins, an amazing artist who also is making his debut.
The story picks up after the conclusion of Carlo Collodi’s fairy tale (though with Pinocchio still a puppet), and sees his town invaded by vampires. After the bloodsuckers murder Geppetto, Pinocchio launches a campaign of relentless vengeance upon the monsters with his never-ending supply of noses/stakes. It’s a mix of horror, humor and puppets you don’t want to miss.
It’s a 128-page black-and-white softcover for $10.95.
You can read the first several pages of Dusty’s incredible artwork at Slave Labor’s Web site.
Buy the book now at your local comic book shop. You also now can order it at Amazon.com!
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I’ve also self-published a mini-comic, Nebraska #1, the first in a planned series of minis telling true stories from my time growing up in the rural stretches of western Nebraska. It’s available at convention appearances.
Currently, I’m scripting Pinocchio, Vampire Slayer 2 and have a handful of other projects in development.
12 Comments
January 8, 2009 at 8:01 pm
Wow, this is awesome. Who would think Pinocchio could look like such a bad ass. Keep it up, the only thing I would worry about is the background story. If it is big enough, then you are fine. If it is to small, then people might grow tired of seeing him simply slaying monsters with his nose.
Although there are many ways for him to do that… like telling enough lies to frickin’ harpoon some bady in the chest. haha.
April 28, 2009 at 2:03 pm
[...] My Comics [...]
April 28, 2009 at 5:09 pm
[...] You can read a sequence from Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer here. [...]
April 28, 2009 at 9:30 pm
Although the art is very stylized, it works well in grayscale. Good job.
May 3, 2009 at 3:54 pm
[...] JIMINY! Here’s a preview of an upcoming graphic novel that only a madman could have come up with– Pinocchio: Vampire [...]
May 5, 2009 at 10:36 pm
[...] Eine eigentlich ziemlich naheliegende Idee, aber trotzdem scheint sie mir sehr innovativ. Der Comic Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer. [...]
May 8, 2009 at 11:13 pm
And I thought the Pinocchio in Fables was a bad a**. Thanks for sharing.
May 11, 2009 at 12:25 am
This is possibly the coolest thing I have ever seen.
May 13, 2009 at 6:12 am
Excellent stuff. The ‘boy of wood’ was due for a dark makeover. Great to see it being done with such style and imagination. Lovely work.
June 24, 2009 at 1:27 am
[...] out more information at: Slave Labor’s Official Site, Van Jensen’s Blog, and Dustin Higgin’s [...]
July 27, 2009 at 8:50 am
[...] is the artist’s blog with details all about the graphic [...]
October 25, 2009 at 1:46 pm
[...] to hold a Vampire Film Festival? The Big Easy is in the middle of just that, and comics scribe Van Jensen will be there today as part of a panel with vampire novelists to discuss his graphic novel [...]