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stephen_arvidson's review against another edition
3.0
When an Alaskan plow driver stumbles across the grisly remains of a dozen truckers in the wintry barrens of Wainwright, Special Agents Mulder and Scully are summoned to the scene. Decapitated, drained of blood, and inexplicably bound together atop a 40-foot pole, these ravaged corpses are almost certainly not the work of a lone serial killer. Further investigation leads the agents to a derelict century-old freighter, a limbless man who speaks in riddles and claims to be more than 100-years old, an ancient artifact, and a young girl covered in third-degree burns (and then…not so much). Matters are further complicated when the FBI duo is forced to contend with a 24-hour darkness that leaves the town and its people essentially cut off from the rest of the world.
How fitting that these two worlds should collide, particularly when one considers how The X-Files frequently delves into harrowing monster stories (not unlike the kind featured in 30 Days of Night). This graphic title makes for an unexpectedly ideal crossover and a thrilling one at that. There’s a sense of dread permeating the early pages of this book, and readers will be riveted at seeing the agents pitted against a coven of feral vampires amidst the dark Alaskan tundra. On the other hand, there's something immanently crass and commercial about fictional crossovers. The stories rarely feel organic and something is invariably lost in translation—most often it’s the little nuances that make the characters feel true to form. Surprisingly, though, most of the pieces seem to jive here, including the Mulder and Scully's wry humor and intellectual banter. Conversely, I’m not sure why Mulder is reluctant to divulge his theory that vampires were responsible for these gruesome deaths. The Agent Mulder we all know and love is quick to show his hand and usually with a slideshow presentation to support his otherworldly conjectures. More to the point, the agents have encountered vampires on several occasions during the life of the TV series.
Although the likenesses of Mulder, Scully, and A.D. Skinner are not to my liking, the ferocious depictions of the vampires more than make up for it. Props go to Steve Niles, Adam Jones, and Tom Mandrake for their skillful capturing of the tone and spirit of both franchises, even if the character artwork isn’t top-notch. 30 Days of Night: The X-Files is a satisfactory hybrid comic for fans of either series.
How fitting that these two worlds should collide, particularly when one considers how The X-Files frequently delves into harrowing monster stories (not unlike the kind featured in 30 Days of Night). This graphic title makes for an unexpectedly ideal crossover and a thrilling one at that. There’s a sense of dread permeating the early pages of this book, and readers will be riveted at seeing the agents pitted against a coven of feral vampires amidst the dark Alaskan tundra. On the other hand, there's something immanently crass and commercial about fictional crossovers. The stories rarely feel organic and something is invariably lost in translation—most often it’s the little nuances that make the characters feel true to form. Surprisingly, though, most of the pieces seem to jive here, including the Mulder and Scully's wry humor and intellectual banter. Conversely, I’m not sure why Mulder is reluctant to divulge his theory that vampires were responsible for these gruesome deaths. The Agent Mulder we all know and love is quick to show his hand and usually with a slideshow presentation to support his otherworldly conjectures. More to the point, the agents have encountered vampires on several occasions during the life of the TV series.
Although the likenesses of Mulder, Scully, and A.D. Skinner are not to my liking, the ferocious depictions of the vampires more than make up for it. Props go to Steve Niles, Adam Jones, and Tom Mandrake for their skillful capturing of the tone and spirit of both franchises, even if the character artwork isn’t top-notch. 30 Days of Night: The X-Files is a satisfactory hybrid comic for fans of either series.
brendalovesbooks's review against another edition
1.0
This could have been a lot better than it was. There were some interesting concepts here. But it was just bad. I pretty much hated it. The writing wasn't good. I didn't care about the characters or what was happening or anything. And if the writing in a graphic novel isn't good, the artwork better at least make up for it. But in this case it didn't at all. It was horrible. I get that the artist was going for a certain mood, but you couldn't tell what was going on at all. Usually with a graphic novel the art helps the story become clearer and fills in the blanks when the limited writing (which is the nature of a graphic novel) doesn't tell the whole story. This book just failed on all counts. Would not recommend.
trevoryan's review
5.0
This series is great. The drawings by Ben Templesmith are beautifully grotesque. A fresh take on the vampire myth.
blondierocket's review
3.0
Not my favorite graphic novel to date, but still very interesting as I have already seen the movie while it was in theaters.
30 Days of Night (volume 1) is about Barrow, Alaska, a little town that for 30 days in the winter the sun does not rise, which catches the attention of a clan of vampires who decide to go on a feeding frenzy.
It was a very interesting story, and the fact that it continues will help motivate me to read some of the other volumes, and I imagine it only gets better. And who doesn’t love a vampire story now and again?
30 Days of Night (volume 1) is about Barrow, Alaska, a little town that for 30 days in the winter the sun does not rise, which catches the attention of a clan of vampires who decide to go on a feeding frenzy.
It was a very interesting story, and the fact that it continues will help motivate me to read some of the other volumes, and I imagine it only gets better. And who doesn’t love a vampire story now and again?
areynobodytoo's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
palmtreesparmar's review against another edition
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
coatpocketcreature's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Gore