Graphic Novel Of The Month

Vampire Loves (First Second): Joann Sfar's latest offering deserves much more than I'll have time to give it here, but I didn't want to let the month pass without mentioning this great book as my pick of the month.

Like all of Sfar's works that I've had a chance to read, it's heavily layered. On the surface, it's an entertaining tale of a down on his luck vampire who just can't seem to meet the right girl. There's monsters and shootouts and cruises and creepy lairs and imaginative characters that in and of themselves are quite fun.

Beyond those elements lies an insightful look at inter-species dating (that works just fine in place of inter-racial dating), some wonderful distinctions between how men and women perceive the modern dating scene, thoughts on compromise in relationships, and some commentary about true friendship as well. All this with a heaping dose of Sfar's great eye for page layouts and keen ear for dialogue. While not quite as direct as The Rabbi's Cat, it deserves a look for anyone that's a fan of his work. Grade A-.