Category: Graphic Novel
Publisher: Roaring Book Press
ISBN: 9781596431072
Pub. Date: April 2008
Date Read: January 2009
“Dave, Dave, Dave... Vhat am I to do viss you? I give you geeft of eternal life, I promote you to assistant manager, and zis iss how you repay? By not punching out on break?”
Dave unwillingly became a vampire when he walked into the Last Stop convenience story looking for a job. The owner, Lord Arisztidescu, or Radu, saw a young man with ambition and "hired" him by turning him into a vampire. Dave is practically a slave working for little pay and answering to Radu's constant demands.
Dave works the evening shift at the Last Stop but refuses to drink blood and spends most of his time bemoaning his undead existence. When he's not at work, he is sleeping in a darkened room an only wakes to watch a Spanish language soap opera with his roommate and best friend, Carl, until he has to go into to work.
Things might be looking up for Dave though when he meets Rosa, a gothic hottie who works a Diva's Dungeon. Of course, he hasn't told Rosa about being a vampire and even before he can really tell Rosa about his feelings for her another vampire, Wes, starts to make a move on Rosa.
Wes, the surfer-vamp, is only toying with Rosa but how can Dave stand up to the guy? Surely Rosa will see the real Wes, right?
It is hard to come up with some new elements in the classic vampire tale but the writers of this graphic novel do bring in humor and real life issues to the story and give it their own spin.
I really enjoyed Dave's character. He was so miserable until he met Rosa and one can understand why. My complaint really is with Rosa, whose actions I didn't quite understand. Still a good tale which certainly leaves room for a sequel or at least makes one wonder what would have happened next.