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American Vampire #4
American Vampire, Vol. 4
American Vampire flashes back to two very distinct points in American history. The first tale comes from the early 1800's with the "The Beast in the Cave" featuring art by the legendary Jordi Bernet (Torpedo, Jonah Hex). Learn about the original American Vampire, Skinner Sweet, and his involvement in the brutal Indian Wars, and an ancient evil hidden in the heart of the Old West. Plus, more about the man Skinner used to call his best friend - James Book!
The second tale comes straight from 1950s America, where American Vampire is terrorizing the suburbs with hot rods, teenyboppers and fangs! "Death Race" focuses on ferocious new vampire hunter Travis Kidd - but what is his connection to Skinner Sweet? As the story comes to a violent end, a sworn enemy's identity is finally revealed, and lots of blood is spilled!
Writer Scott Snyder (Batman, Swamp Thing) and artist Rafael Albuquerque bring together even more threads to the complex tapestry that is the world of American Vampire.
Collecting: American Vampire 19-27
The second tale comes straight from 1950s America, where American Vampire is terrorizing the suburbs with hot rods, teenyboppers and fangs! "Death Race" focuses on ferocious new vampire hunter Travis Kidd - but what is his connection to Skinner Sweet? As the story comes to a violent end, a sworn enemy's identity is finally revealed, and lots of blood is spilled!
Writer Scott Snyder (Batman, Swamp Thing) and artist Rafael Albuquerque bring together even more threads to the complex tapestry that is the world of American Vampire.
Collecting: American Vampire 19-27
208 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2012
91 people are currently reading
1909 people want to read
About the author
Scott Snyder
1,780 books5,144 followersScott Snyder is the Eisner and Harvey Award winning writer on DC Comics Batman, Swamp Thing, and his original series for Vertigo, American Vampire. He is also the author of the short story collection, Voodoo Heart, published by the Dial Press in 2006. The paperback version was published in the summer of 2007.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 329 reviews
September 1, 2022
So, you have 3 stories in this one.
A 50's teenage vampire hunter goes up against a group of vampires and (eventually) Skinner Sweet, all while trying to deal with his conscience & a cute girl who happens to be a vampire servant.
Spoilery things happen.
Then you get a look at Skinner and Brook during the Indian Wars. Turns out they knew each other pretty well and you kind of look at the early stories about them in a whole new way after this.
There was also a short story about racism that starred the dude who got turned at the end of the last comic.
All in all another interesting volume of American Vampire. The only reason I'm slightly on the fence about continuing with this series is that people have mentioned the series sort of drops off the face of the earth after a cliffhanger.
Thoughts? Anyone?
A 50's teenage vampire hunter goes up against a group of vampires and (eventually) Skinner Sweet, all while trying to deal with his conscience & a cute girl who happens to be a vampire servant.
Spoilery things happen.
Then you get a look at Skinner and Brook during the Indian Wars. Turns out they knew each other pretty well and you kind of look at the early stories about them in a whole new way after this.
There was also a short story about racism that starred the dude who got turned at the end of the last comic.
All in all another interesting volume of American Vampire. The only reason I'm slightly on the fence about continuing with this series is that people have mentioned the series sort of drops off the face of the earth after a cliffhanger.
Thoughts? Anyone?
April 11, 2016
In order to fight the US soldiers encroaching on their territory, including Jim Book and Skinner Sweet, the Apaches awaken a legendary monster, the Mimteh. Greaser vampire hunter Travis Kidd is on the trail of a vampire that killed his family. Agent Poole is in the south and encounters both racism and another breed of vampire. All this and more in American Vampire Volume 4!
Here we are again, another entry in Scott Snyder's chronicles of vampires in America. At this point in the series, it's getting repetitive to say but Scott Snyder is my favorite active comic writer.
The three stories within this volume take place in different time periods but all serve the same purpose: to showcase the different species of vampires in America and expand the backstory of Skinner Sweet and the rest of the supporting cast.
I liked the pre-vampiric history of Skinner Sweet and Jim Book, and the Mimteh. She reminded me of the character Julie Newmar played in the Gregory Peck western, Mackenna's Gold, only with fangs. I'm hoping she makes further appearances in the series.
Travis Kidd, greaser vampire hunter, was another interesting addition to Snyder's vampire mythos. I love the idea of a kid being busted out of a nuthouse to be a vampire hunter, and he's one of the best. The wooden fangs he uses to bite vampires back was a nice touch, and he made a good point about Skinner Sweet near the end of his tale. I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of him.
Agent Poole's sojourn into the south met with expected results. The timeline sure jumped ahead quite a bit in this volume, all the way until the 1960's. How far is Snyder planning on taking us in the life of Skinner Sweet?
If I had to complain about something in this volume, it would be that we didn't get all that much Skinner Sweet as a vampire. Still, Snyder continues to keep me entertained with one of the most overused monsters, the vampire. Now I have to wait a few months until the next volume comes out.
Here we are again, another entry in Scott Snyder's chronicles of vampires in America. At this point in the series, it's getting repetitive to say but Scott Snyder is my favorite active comic writer.
The three stories within this volume take place in different time periods but all serve the same purpose: to showcase the different species of vampires in America and expand the backstory of Skinner Sweet and the rest of the supporting cast.
I liked the pre-vampiric history of Skinner Sweet and Jim Book, and the Mimteh. She reminded me of the character Julie Newmar played in the Gregory Peck western, Mackenna's Gold, only with fangs. I'm hoping she makes further appearances in the series.
Travis Kidd, greaser vampire hunter, was another interesting addition to Snyder's vampire mythos. I love the idea of a kid being busted out of a nuthouse to be a vampire hunter, and he's one of the best. The wooden fangs he uses to bite vampires back was a nice touch, and he made a good point about Skinner Sweet near the end of his tale. I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of him.
Agent Poole's sojourn into the south met with expected results. The timeline sure jumped ahead quite a bit in this volume, all the way until the 1960's. How far is Snyder planning on taking us in the life of Skinner Sweet?
If I had to complain about something in this volume, it would be that we didn't get all that much Skinner Sweet as a vampire. Still, Snyder continues to keep me entertained with one of the most overused monsters, the vampire. Now I have to wait a few months until the next volume comes out.
October 31, 2012
While some people waste their time writing Twilight fan-fiction and then convert it into best selling mommy porn, I prefer to concentrate on my own brand of fan-fic in which American vampire Skinner Sweet messily murders every character that Stephenie Meyer ever created. I’m hoping to get that book deal any day now.
There are several different stories contained in this collection. A flashback to Skinner’s pre-vampire days as a cavalry officer fighting Indians shows that he may once have been human, but he’s always been an asshole. This one also adds some surprising layers to his relationship to Jim Book.
In the 1950s, a young greaser named Travis Kidd is a rogue vampire hunter and mixes it up some suburban bloodsuckers while refusing to work for the Vassals of the Morning Star.
Calvin Poole is a black man traveling through the segregated south as the civil rights movement is heating up which is dangerous enough but being a vampire helps him deal with a pack of murderous racists.
This is a series that is getting more intriguing the deeper I get into it. There’s several shocking revelations in this one that build on what we've seen before while Scott Snyder patiently creates a mythology that is based on different vampire species at war with each other and humans through American history. I can’t wait to see what kind of blood soaked horror he comes up with for those damn dirty hippies in the '60s.
There are several different stories contained in this collection. A flashback to Skinner’s pre-vampire days as a cavalry officer fighting Indians shows that he may once have been human, but he’s always been an asshole. This one also adds some surprising layers to his relationship to Jim Book.
In the 1950s, a young greaser named Travis Kidd is a rogue vampire hunter and mixes it up some suburban bloodsuckers while refusing to work for the Vassals of the Morning Star.
Calvin Poole is a black man traveling through the segregated south as the civil rights movement is heating up which is dangerous enough but being a vampire helps him deal with a pack of murderous racists.
This is a series that is getting more intriguing the deeper I get into it. There’s several shocking revelations in this one that build on what we've seen before while Scott Snyder patiently creates a mythology that is based on different vampire species at war with each other and humans through American history. I can’t wait to see what kind of blood soaked horror he comes up with for those damn dirty hippies in the '60s.
October 13, 2013
3 1/2 stars.
I've been very vocal about my love for Scott Snyder and want to be clear that love remains unabated. Snyder's American Vampire series has returned vampires to their horror roots and is one of the best comics out there; Snyder's writing is smart and strictly adults only.
In this volume, we have three distinct periods in American history and, as usual, we have three distinct American vampires. The vampires in Snyder's world are not stagnant; they continue to change and evolve, creating intriguing subspecies that have strengths and weaknesses unlike those who came before or will come after them. This certainly makes life tough on the average vampire hunter, who must memorize the various vampiric types and their particular Achilles's heel.
In the first story, we have Skinner Sweet and Jim Book as best friends and Indian fighters in 1871. We learn that Skinner and Jim grew up as brothers when Jim's family took in the impetuous, orphaned Skinner. Knowing there is nothing they can do to stem the influx of white settlers, one Indian chief, Hole in the Sky, plans to wake a powerful goddess of death, Mimiteh, in the hope that she will ally herself with the Native Americans and give them the advantage. Naturally, things do not go according to plan and we learn that Skinner was not the first American Vampire.
The second story is my favorite and is set in the 1950's. Travis Kidd is a reckless youth who seems modeled after Marlon Brando's character in The Wild One: nothing but leather jacket, attitude, and a taste for speed. Travis, however, is definitely a rebel with a cause--hunting for the vampire that killed his family (the panel showing a young Travis hiding in a cupboard during the violence is particularly heart-wrenching), he's the best self-taught vampire slayer out there. And it's not long before the Vassals of the Morning Star start trying to recruit him.
The final story is set in 1950's Alabama and follows our first African-American vampire, Calvin Poole, into the heart of a segregated South. It turns out that racism is the least of Calvin's problems when he encounters a new breed of vampire that gives a unique twist on the intersection of werewolf and vampire mythology. Pearl and Henry from the previous volumes also make an unexpected appearance.
All of these stories are engrossing and continue the complex character building from the first two volumes. So why only 3 1/2 star? The first story, The Beast in the Cave, features art by Jordi Bernet, and his colorful, cartoonish style put me in mind of something akin to the old Li'l Abner comic strip. It's hard to take a death goddess seriously when she struts around with gravity defying T & A and nipples that look like index fingers. Bernet's art fails to set the right tone for the story. It certainly would have been better served by Albuquerque's uniquely dark, violent and often primitive style. Unfortunately, a story that should be anything but laughable comes dangerously close to being so.
Cross posted at This Insignificant Cinder
I've been very vocal about my love for Scott Snyder and want to be clear that love remains unabated. Snyder's American Vampire series has returned vampires to their horror roots and is one of the best comics out there; Snyder's writing is smart and strictly adults only.
In this volume, we have three distinct periods in American history and, as usual, we have three distinct American vampires. The vampires in Snyder's world are not stagnant; they continue to change and evolve, creating intriguing subspecies that have strengths and weaknesses unlike those who came before or will come after them. This certainly makes life tough on the average vampire hunter, who must memorize the various vampiric types and their particular Achilles's heel.
In the first story, we have Skinner Sweet and Jim Book as best friends and Indian fighters in 1871. We learn that Skinner and Jim grew up as brothers when Jim's family took in the impetuous, orphaned Skinner. Knowing there is nothing they can do to stem the influx of white settlers, one Indian chief, Hole in the Sky, plans to wake a powerful goddess of death, Mimiteh, in the hope that she will ally herself with the Native Americans and give them the advantage. Naturally, things do not go according to plan and we learn that Skinner was not the first American Vampire.
The second story is my favorite and is set in the 1950's. Travis Kidd is a reckless youth who seems modeled after Marlon Brando's character in The Wild One: nothing but leather jacket, attitude, and a taste for speed. Travis, however, is definitely a rebel with a cause--hunting for the vampire that killed his family (the panel showing a young Travis hiding in a cupboard during the violence is particularly heart-wrenching), he's the best self-taught vampire slayer out there. And it's not long before the Vassals of the Morning Star start trying to recruit him.
The final story is set in 1950's Alabama and follows our first African-American vampire, Calvin Poole, into the heart of a segregated South. It turns out that racism is the least of Calvin's problems when he encounters a new breed of vampire that gives a unique twist on the intersection of werewolf and vampire mythology. Pearl and Henry from the previous volumes also make an unexpected appearance.
All of these stories are engrossing and continue the complex character building from the first two volumes. So why only 3 1/2 star? The first story, The Beast in the Cave, features art by Jordi Bernet, and his colorful, cartoonish style put me in mind of something akin to the old Li'l Abner comic strip. It's hard to take a death goddess seriously when she struts around with gravity defying T & A and nipples that look like index fingers. Bernet's art fails to set the right tone for the story. It certainly would have been better served by Albuquerque's uniquely dark, violent and often primitive style. Unfortunately, a story that should be anything but laughable comes dangerously close to being so.
Cross posted at This Insignificant Cinder
June 17, 2019
This is probably the best volume so far.
The first story is mostly about Skinner before he became a vamp. Him and a group of men are trying to attack a troop of indians. Of course the indians go to summon something they can't control, a vampire with massive power, but mostly this is the story of Skinner being a complete piece of shit even before he became a vampire. Then the next story is all about Kidd. Who's that? He's a badass elvis looking dude who kills vampires for a living. It's really high end fun. The last story is a two parter of another person we know from the last book. Don't wait to spoil it but we seeing the last American Vampire and what they are up to.
Overall, fun. That's the word this volume would be. Skinner is a piece of shit and he's on full display here. We also get Kidd, who I hope returns, because he's the best character next to Pearl for me. I loved how the plot moved forward to despite these being so different from each other. The last story is the weakest part, while still good, isn't as interesting as the first two.
This is a nice 4.5 out of 5. Just a ton of fun. I can't wait to read more.
The first story is mostly about Skinner before he became a vamp. Him and a group of men are trying to attack a troop of indians. Of course the indians go to summon something they can't control, a vampire with massive power, but mostly this is the story of Skinner being a complete piece of shit even before he became a vampire. Then the next story is all about Kidd. Who's that? He's a badass elvis looking dude who kills vampires for a living. It's really high end fun. The last story is a two parter of another person we know from the last book. Don't wait to spoil it but we seeing the last American Vampire and what they are up to.
Overall, fun. That's the word this volume would be. Skinner is a piece of shit and he's on full display here. We also get Kidd, who I hope returns, because he's the best character next to Pearl for me. I loved how the plot moved forward to despite these being so different from each other. The last story is the weakest part, while still good, isn't as interesting as the first two.
This is a nice 4.5 out of 5. Just a ton of fun. I can't wait to read more.
November 6, 2022
Continuing along in my American Vampire re-read. First up is a great story about Skinner Sweet and Jim Book growing up. Sweet's family was murdered during the Civil War and the two wind up growing up and joining the cavalry together where their paths eventually diverge. It's really good with art by the classic Jordi Bernet.
Then we head to the 50's for a new vampire hunter, the greaser kid, Travis Kidd. He's a real badass. Loved the story. Lastly is the return of the third American Vampire, Calvin Hobbes as he deals with racism in the South.
Then we head to the 50's for a new vampire hunter, the greaser kid, Travis Kidd. He's a real badass. Loved the story. Lastly is the return of the third American Vampire, Calvin Hobbes as he deals with racism in the South.
October 31, 2022
"American Vampire" continues to be a fun reading experience. The 50s set story was probably my favourite, especially since some aspects of Sweet were entirely unexpected.
Getting more background information on Sweet and Book was good too and altered my perspective towards their dynamic.
Getting more background information on Sweet and Book was good too and altered my perspective towards their dynamic.
April 25, 2017
There were three stories in this volume and I enjoyed them all!
Pre-vampire Skinner Sweet and his childhood friend Jim Book, , 50's greaser vampire-hunter Travis Kidd and his badass hot rod, and lastly Calvin Poole living life as a black vampire in the 60's.
We were all over the place, time-wise, in this one, but that was cool because the times were interesting. Also, Skinner Sweet wasn't in this one all that much, which I thought was a good thing.
I do wish we got to see more of Pearl and Henry, but what we did see has me stoked for the next volume, which luckily is sitting there waiting for me on my reading table at home. Onward!
These may not be the best graphic novels ever, but I sure am enjoying the hell out of them just the same.
Pre-vampire Skinner Sweet and his childhood friend Jim Book, , 50's greaser vampire-hunter Travis Kidd and his badass hot rod, and lastly Calvin Poole living life as a black vampire in the 60's.
We were all over the place, time-wise, in this one, but that was cool because the times were interesting. Also, Skinner Sweet wasn't in this one all that much, which I thought was a good thing.
I do wish we got to see more of Pearl and Henry, but what we did see has me stoked for the next volume, which luckily is sitting there waiting for me on my reading table at home. Onward!
These may not be the best graphic novels ever, but I sure am enjoying the hell out of them just the same.
July 17, 2020
The Beast in the Cave, is an out of left field 3-parter backstory featuring Book... and Skinner! The 4 part "Death race" delivers the wonderful Travis Kidd, cool as chips, and a renegade vamp-killer. The final story sees Vassal agent Calvin come into his own in Deep South tale with a few twists. And during these tales, loss comes to Pearl's life. Interesting! 7 out of 12. Collecting #19 to #27.
August 9, 2022
(Buddy read with the Alexander Vampiremans!)
This vol was both good and bad. It featured 2 of the best stories in the comic so far: The Beast in the Cave and Death Race. But it was tainted by some problematic aspects too.
In terms of writing, this was Snyder at his best. The Beast in the Cave had a fantastic plot in the sense that it added more depth to already established characters in a way I didn't expect it to. It acted like a prequel story and intensified the relationship between Skinner Sweet and Jim Book. Though, I would note that the conclusion to that storyline was a little rushed, as is usually the case when it comes to Snyder's American Vampire stories.
The Death Race story did a great job at introducing a brand new character and fully-fleshed him out whilst doing so. The links to the wider storyline in this story was much appreciated by me and made the story all the more enticing to read. The ending thankfully wasn't rushed and was well-concluded. This story was almost, if not better, than The Beast in the Cave story.
The final story, The Nocturnes, was rushed and simplistic. It felt like a filler story whose main purpose was to unload a bunch of information onto the reader about vampires which was previously unknown. I thought this story could've been left out of the vol entirely and no one would've missed it.
As for the problematic moments in this vol, there were several. Firstly, the repeated use of the n-word in The Nocturnes story. Given the time and place the story was set and that it was centred around themes of racism I did understand it’s inclusion, but that that didn’t make me feel any more comfortable having to read it quite a few times.
Secondly, the repeated use of completely naked women for exactly no reason at all. Putting clothes on these women would’ve made no difference to the plot in the slightest. Snyder used their naked bodies as a cheap trick to reel in ogling males and it sullied this vol. It was completely galling and entirely unsavoury, especially because the stories were interesting enough that they didn’t even need the extra "boost" that a naked women supposedly supplies.
And that brought me to the even deeper problem in this vol: a complete lack of compelling female characters. The first female character was dishonoured by being rendered nude for no reason, the second female character spent the entire story pining for a guy that didn’t want her and was only included to be kidnapped as bait for him, the third female character that made an appearance was Pearl, but she only appeared for two pages to cry over a man and that’s it. The final female character wasn’t even real! She was part of a dream, completely naked for seemingly no reason, as she did her domestic chore of hanging up the laundry (of course!), covered in blood, and managed to say about 10 words before she died dramatically in a strong man’s arms. This volume would not pass the Bechdel test! The more I thought about it the more atrocious it became. Snyder had always been a writer I have respected and admired, but this vol with its cheap tricks and lack of female representation irked me to no end. That was the very reason why I couldn’t give this vol more than 3 stars despite featuring the strongest stories this comic has had so far.
This vol was both good and bad. It featured 2 of the best stories in the comic so far: The Beast in the Cave and Death Race. But it was tainted by some problematic aspects too.
In terms of writing, this was Snyder at his best. The Beast in the Cave had a fantastic plot in the sense that it added more depth to already established characters in a way I didn't expect it to. It acted like a prequel story and intensified the relationship between Skinner Sweet and Jim Book. Though, I would note that the conclusion to that storyline was a little rushed, as is usually the case when it comes to Snyder's American Vampire stories.
The Death Race story did a great job at introducing a brand new character and fully-fleshed him out whilst doing so. The links to the wider storyline in this story was much appreciated by me and made the story all the more enticing to read. The ending thankfully wasn't rushed and was well-concluded. This story was almost, if not better, than The Beast in the Cave story.
The final story, The Nocturnes, was rushed and simplistic. It felt like a filler story whose main purpose was to unload a bunch of information onto the reader about vampires which was previously unknown. I thought this story could've been left out of the vol entirely and no one would've missed it.
As for the problematic moments in this vol, there were several. Firstly, the repeated use of the n-word in The Nocturnes story. Given the time and place the story was set and that it was centred around themes of racism I did understand it’s inclusion, but that that didn’t make me feel any more comfortable having to read it quite a few times.
Secondly, the repeated use of completely naked women for exactly no reason at all. Putting clothes on these women would’ve made no difference to the plot in the slightest. Snyder used their naked bodies as a cheap trick to reel in ogling males and it sullied this vol. It was completely galling and entirely unsavoury, especially because the stories were interesting enough that they didn’t even need the extra "boost" that a naked women supposedly supplies.
And that brought me to the even deeper problem in this vol: a complete lack of compelling female characters. The first female character was dishonoured by being rendered nude for no reason, the second female character spent the entire story pining for a guy that didn’t want her and was only included to be kidnapped as bait for him, the third female character that made an appearance was Pearl, but she only appeared for two pages to cry over a man and that’s it. The final female character wasn’t even real! She was part of a dream, completely naked for seemingly no reason, as she did her domestic chore of hanging up the laundry (of course!), covered in blood, and managed to say about 10 words before she died dramatically in a strong man’s arms. This volume would not pass the Bechdel test! The more I thought about it the more atrocious it became. Snyder had always been a writer I have respected and admired, but this vol with its cheap tricks and lack of female representation irked me to no end. That was the very reason why I couldn’t give this vol more than 3 stars despite featuring the strongest stories this comic has had so far.
December 22, 2020
Spoiler free review of volumes 1-6, for spoilers visit: https://amanjareads.com/2020/12/16/am...
American Vampire is a graphic novel series that claims to bring horror back to the vampire genre. In my opinion, it failed. It's not scary and worst of all it's not that interesting.
I'm not a huge vampire fan to begin with. I think the whole genre is completely exhausted. There are a few notable exceptions like my favorite classic Buffy, and modern takes like the incredibly disturbing movie The Transfiguration. But traditional vampires are boring anymore. There's nothing left to discuss.
Seriously, how many ways can you spice up this old trope?! Let's move on!
American Vampire works off the premise that there are several species of vamps and the American ones are the newest and most dangerous. They threaten the way of life for the old school vamps who prey on young women and can't come out in the daylight. American vampires are bigger, faster, stronger, smarter, and blend into society better.
The whole series reads more like an anthology than one coherent story. It hops around through key points in American history but forgot to make me care about any of it. I didn't care about the main characters at all. They were underwritten and lacked a focused conflict.
The art is good and has some really fun monster designes but that's not enough to make it a desireable read. Overall, it commits the greatest sin of being boring. It's a very meh book.
Meh books are the worst to write reviews for. If I love something I can praise it for pages. If I hate something I enjoy laying out my argument for why it's bad. But for a graphic novel like American Vampire all there really is to say is meh.
If you really love vampires. Like love anything and everything vampy, this might be more fun for you. But for most of us I think it has done little to reinvent the genre or stand out amongst the dozens and dozens of simiar stories already out there.
American Vampire is a graphic novel series that claims to bring horror back to the vampire genre. In my opinion, it failed. It's not scary and worst of all it's not that interesting.
I'm not a huge vampire fan to begin with. I think the whole genre is completely exhausted. There are a few notable exceptions like my favorite classic Buffy, and modern takes like the incredibly disturbing movie The Transfiguration. But traditional vampires are boring anymore. There's nothing left to discuss.
Seriously, how many ways can you spice up this old trope?! Let's move on!
American Vampire works off the premise that there are several species of vamps and the American ones are the newest and most dangerous. They threaten the way of life for the old school vamps who prey on young women and can't come out in the daylight. American vampires are bigger, faster, stronger, smarter, and blend into society better.
The whole series reads more like an anthology than one coherent story. It hops around through key points in American history but forgot to make me care about any of it. I didn't care about the main characters at all. They were underwritten and lacked a focused conflict.
The art is good and has some really fun monster designes but that's not enough to make it a desireable read. Overall, it commits the greatest sin of being boring. It's a very meh book.
Meh books are the worst to write reviews for. If I love something I can praise it for pages. If I hate something I enjoy laying out my argument for why it's bad. But for a graphic novel like American Vampire all there really is to say is meh.
If you really love vampires. Like love anything and everything vampy, this might be more fun for you. But for most of us I think it has done little to reinvent the genre or stand out amongst the dozens and dozens of simiar stories already out there.
April 8, 2014
Three different stories set in different eras. The first shows the childhoods of Skinner Sweet and James Book as they grew up together, then follows them into the Indian Wars and (nearly) an encounter with a very familiar monster. It turns out that Sweet is not the first American Vampire after all! The story shows just how early Sweet's psychopathic nature manifested itself, and how deep the connection with Book actually ran.
The second story is set in the 1950s and introduces us to a new character called Travis Kidd. He is a self-taught vampire hunter who is set for revenge against the vampires who killed his parents when he was a child. Here, he encounters none only than Skinner Sweet, and pair engage in a fight to see is the most bad-ass of the two. Travis is an interesting character, seemingly the epitome of the rebellious American teenager, and we are certain to be seeing him again as he is now on the radar of the Vassals of the Morning Star. It also seems that the Vassals now have Sweet under some kind of control, which doesn't make him any less dangerous.
The final story follows our latest American Vampire Calvin Poole, as he investigates a possible new breed of vampire and encounters racism in 1950s deep south America. Calvin is another good addition to the growing cast of characters.
Finally, he have an all too brief (and devastating) glimpse of what has happened to Henry and Pearl.
Good stories, good artwork (with one caveat - Agent Hobbes never seems to look any older despite showing up for 30 years. Maybe he's a vampire too, or is it just the limitations of the artwork?)
4 stars
The second story is set in the 1950s and introduces us to a new character called Travis Kidd. He is a self-taught vampire hunter who is set for revenge against the vampires who killed his parents when he was a child. Here, he encounters none only than Skinner Sweet, and pair engage in a fight to see is the most bad-ass of the two. Travis is an interesting character, seemingly the epitome of the rebellious American teenager, and we are certain to be seeing him again as he is now on the radar of the Vassals of the Morning Star. It also seems that the Vassals now have Sweet under some kind of control, which doesn't make him any less dangerous.
The final story follows our latest American Vampire Calvin Poole, as he investigates a possible new breed of vampire and encounters racism in 1950s deep south America. Calvin is another good addition to the growing cast of characters.
Finally, he have an all too brief (and devastating) glimpse of what has happened to Henry and Pearl.
Good stories, good artwork (with one caveat - Agent Hobbes never seems to look any older despite showing up for 30 years. Maybe he's a vampire too, or is it just the limitations of the artwork?)
4 stars
December 30, 2012
5.5 stars!
Brief Introduction:
Wow! I had never seen a comic book series get better and better over time since Neil Gaiman’s “Sandman” series and Joss Whedon’s run on “Astonishing X-Men!” Scott Snyder continues to amaze me with his stellar storytelling in the “American Vampire” series and the fourth volume is definitely one of the best volumes I had read so far in this series! With brilliant writing from Scott Snyder along with fantastic artwork from Rafael Albuquerque, Jordi Bernet, Roger Cruz and Riccardo Burchielli, “American Vampire: Volume Four” is definitely one volume that will not disappoint you!
What is the story?
In this volume, there are a total of three stories that each details all the characters’ progression into the 1950s:
The Beast in the Cave: This story is about how Skinner Sweet and Jim Book were once as close as brothers, but when the Indian Wars broke out and a new threat is unleashed, Jim and Skinner’s relationship with each other might never be the same again.
Death Race: Meet Travis Kidd, a nineteen year old teenage boy who not only sports a Greaser look and lives in the 1950s, but he also happens to be one of the best vampire hunters ever around and he has a vengeance with one vampire in particular.
The Nocturnes: Meet Calvin Poole, an African-American man who has a tough life in the 1950s as blacks were frowned upon in society and he is constantly harassed by the citizens because of the color of his skin. However, what the citizens do not know about Calvin is that he is apart of a secret organization that hunts vampires, while also harboring a dark secret about himself.
What I loved about this comic:
Scott Snyder’s writing: Man, Scott Snyder just continues to amaze me with his stellar writing! Scott Snyder has cleverly weaved a fictional tale with historical elements that affects the characters’ situations. I really enjoyed the fact that we are learning more about Skinner Sweet’s past as he was involved in the Indian Wars and his relationship with Jim Book, which we learned about in the previous volumes. Scott Snyder has done a fantastic job at providing a broad back story about Skinner Sweet and as I start learning more about Skinner Sweet’s back story, I start to understand more about where his vicious nature was coming from and how he affected history in many different ways. Probably my most favorite story in this entire volume was the one regarding Travis Kidd, as his story was the highlight of this volume (his picture is even on the front of the cover)! I loved the way that Scott Snyder developed Travis Kidd’s character as he is not shown as a stereotypical “greaser” boy, but hearing his tragic back story regarding his parents really made me feel so much sympathy for his character and I also loved the fact that Travis Kidd is able to take down any vampire he comes across! I also enjoyed the way that Scott Snyder told Calvin Poole’s story and I felt sympathy for him as he had to suffer through racism in the 1950s and I also loved his dark past storyline as it really made him stand out as a character. I still enjoy the way that Scott Snyder weaves fictional characters into historical elements like the Indian Wars and the racism and prejudice that dominated society around the 1950s and is still able to focus on the characters trying to fight off vampires without using real life historical figures in the story.
Rafael Albuquerque, Jordi Bernet, Roger Cruz and Riccardo Burchielli’s artwork: The artwork in this volume was amazing as each artist contributed greatly to the stories in this volume. Jordi Bernet’s artwork in “The Beast in the Cave” was quite different then from what I usually see from the “American Vampire” series as the artwork is shown in much brighter colors and the characters look a bit generic. I loved the way that Jordi Bernet gave shadowing to the character’s faces which brought out a dramatic effect to them. Rafael Albuquerque once again brings true creativity to the “American Vampire” series by doing the artwork in “Death Race” and I loved the dark and gritty feel of the artwork as it greatly complements with the horror story. Roger Cruz and Riccardo Burchielli’s artwork in “The Nocturnes” were truly well done as Roger Cruz’s artwork makes the characters look truly realistic while Riccardo Burchielli’s artwork is a bit more simplistic, but still has enough dramatic effect to the story.
What made me feel uncomfortable about this book:
For anyone that does not like strong violence, this volume has many gory scenes of characters being bitten by vampires and blood squirting everywhere, so it might be hard to get through those scenes. Also, this volume has strong language which includes the “s” word and the “f” word, so readers who are offended by coarse language might want to skim over those words.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, “American Vampire: Volume Four” is just full of shocking surprises that really has me geared up for the fifth volume and now that this volume introduces new characters Travis Kidd and Calvin Poole, I cannot wait to see where their stories are going to go in the next volume!
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
December 26, 2018
Snyder moves out back into time to origins of American Vampire as well as forward into the early 1950s: we are given Skinner Sweet's backstory and remains as obnoxious and cliche an anti-hero as there has ever been. The Books interplay with Sweet became apparent as learn more about Jim Book, and the backstory of curse and Mimteh is fascinating. Travis Kidd, the vampire hunter and greaser, is an interesting diversion and given a complete one-off tragedy plotline involving two young vampires in love. Yet, aside from the Mimteh plotline which was truly somewhat original, this is serving up trope after trope, and the characters that I like (Pearl and Felecia) are under-utilized in this volume.
January 24, 2019
Well, that was an abrupt end to Henry.
Other storylines include:
JLo Native American Vampire with a monstrous appetite for men.
Skinner Sweet and Jim Book when they were besties.
Calvin Poole, who became the first African American Vampire by accident in Taipei, finding unexpected friends and unexpected werewolves.
Travis Kidd, randomly added teen greaser/vampire hunter. This plot line felt as solid as air.
And, as always, another dangling thread of Skinner Sweet. Brace yourselves,
Apparently not.
What I really wanted was to revisit Felicia and Gus.
Just scrapping three stars here.
March 16, 2018
I'm still not sure about the whole "American Vampire" as a different breed of vamp, but as far as the stories go I am really enjoying them. I like how the stories take place in different historial periods.
In this volume we have a western tale where a sexy Native American vampire has become a legend and gets involved in the struggle between Native Americans and white soldiers. Then we have a story out of the 50s complete with rumbles and races before we wind up in the 1930s juke joints of Alabama straight out of Robert Johnson's songs, although this time there are vampires and werewolves.
Overall a strong volume and while I'm still adjusting to the idea, I have to applaud the creators for trying to do something new with the vampire genre that has been milked to death over the years. It's fresh enough to be interesting, but not so radically different traditional vampire fans would be turned off.
In this volume we have a western tale where a sexy Native American vampire has become a legend and gets involved in the struggle between Native Americans and white soldiers. Then we have a story out of the 50s complete with rumbles and races before we wind up in the 1930s juke joints of Alabama straight out of Robert Johnson's songs, although this time there are vampires and werewolves.
Overall a strong volume and while I'm still adjusting to the idea, I have to applaud the creators for trying to do something new with the vampire genre that has been milked to death over the years. It's fresh enough to be interesting, but not so radically different traditional vampire fans would be turned off.
January 25, 2019
AMVAMP is here with the fourth book, again going ahead in time, but this time also going back and way back. There is a new character, which we must follow for while until we get his origin (and this is classic storytelling thing), and also we get back to the origins of Skinner Sweet's person and we get to know an old-new character, whose origin we witnessed first hand in the previous book. We realize there is a vast network of different vampires. Well, not really network, more like single enclaves connected like a tree, but all the connections are old and forgotten. So there is always a chance to vampires be surprised by other vampires and this paradigma - struggle not only between humans and vampires but also amongst them (besides the American vampire versus all) is very promising and helps the world keep some variations. I like AMVAMP series, I have some struggle with it that, but I actually enjoy the reading and following the stories of the main protagonists.
January 8, 2020
"Relax, Travis. You just killed two vampires. Let's get a milkshake."
I'd say killing two vampires calls for something a little stronger, but, hell . . . a milkshake might taste pretty good after all.
I'd say killing two vampires calls for something a little stronger, but, hell . . . a milkshake might taste pretty good after all.
May 17, 2016
Okay, that took me all of an hour and a half. THIS WAS AWESOME. I'm glad they strayed a little from the central plot because these short interrelated stories were really fun.
March 19, 2022
This series continues to be thunderingly meh.
June 21, 2018
This volume is has two pretty wildly different parts, both are great. This opens with Skinner Sweet and James Book's involvement in the Indian Wars of the early 1800's. It feels like a Jonah Hex story and artist Jordi Bernet of Jonah Hex fame did the art for this story arc. It's pitch-perfect for the story.
Fast forward to the 2nd half of this book and we're in the 1950's with a greaser named Travis Kidd who lives fast and dangerously. It could feel a little over the top, but with this title it's tough for things not to feel over the top from the get-go.
Finally, we get a story line catching up with Calvin Hobbes (and here I was worried it would be a while till we heard from him) and how he's handling himself. It's a interesting story if for no other reason than it continues to expand on what we know about the Vassals and their library of abominations.
The ending of this volume too... well...
Fast forward to the 2nd half of this book and we're in the 1950's with a greaser named Travis Kidd who lives fast and dangerously. It could feel a little over the top, but with this title it's tough for things not to feel over the top from the get-go.
Finally, we get a story line catching up with Calvin Hobbes (and here I was worried it would be a while till we heard from him) and how he's handling himself. It's a interesting story if for no other reason than it continues to expand on what we know about the Vassals and their library of abominations.
The ending of this volume too... well...
November 3, 2012
Well, for a vampire who's been shut up in a cave & not allowed to eat for decades, that Mimteh sure has retained her bosom, hasn't she? This is a pretty fair fourth installment of this series, although I found the Mimteh storyline & the lady bubble-bottom contained within to be kind of unintentionally hilarious. Even when I slow down & read carefully, there are still some panel inconsistencies in Albuquereque's artwork that bug me, but maybe that's more Snyder's fault than his? I absolutely love Travis the teenage vampire killer. The artwork that accompanies the story of his formative years, especially the big-eyed baby boy hiding under the cabinet while his parents are being murdered - good grief, but that bit got to me. I'm a pretty big fan of Calvin Poole, too, especially that scene in the hotel pool. I will now just patiently wait on the fifth book since there's not nearly enough Pearl here to keep me satisfied.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2013
Another solid volume of American Vampire. This one has three entirely separate story lines. The first features a pre-vampire Skinner Sweet and is set during the Indian Wars. I think this was the longest storyline, and although there was an interesting story in there, I did feel like it got a touch repetitive. The second story provides the cover image: yes, it's a 50s greaser vampire hunter. Wildly entertaining stuff here, and I could do with seeing more of our vampire hunter. The last is set in the 60s and is a sort of KKK-as-vampires story. A good story, but most notable for the small scene with Henry and Pearl. The single most powerful scene in the entire volume, maybe in the entire run of American Vampire to this point, and it left me more eager to get into the next volume than I think I've ever been.
March 9, 2014
Much like Mick Farren Scott Snyder likes to remind us that vampires are predators, if not monsters. They don't sparkle and they aren't cuddly. This installment in his American Vampire series jumps from the post-Civil War American West to the 1950s USA. Unlike the earlier volumes Skinner is a supporting rather than the main character here. This volume centers more of the Vassals of the Morning Star, and one of the hunters whom they try to recruit.
Travis may look like a 1950s greaser, but he a vampire hunter. A hunter who just might be every bit the monster that those he is hunting are.
Travis may look like a 1950s greaser, but he a vampire hunter. A hunter who just might be every bit the monster that those he is hunting are.
November 7, 2016
What a disappointment.
February 20, 2018
Well, be-bop-a-lula this book sucks,
The vampires look like rabid woodchucks,
Be-bop-a-lula I hate to say,
Travis is a greaser but he's no Link Wray,
Be-bop-a-lula, stop this stupid series now (stop it now, stop it now, stop it now.) (SCREAM!)
Oh, I could do another twenty verses Gene Vincent style, but is it worth it? This American Vampire series, it seems they never get tired of breaking my heart. I really enjoyed the first story, "The Thing IN The Cave." The artwork was pretty good for a change, apparently they brought in a ringer. It was fascinating to see Skinner Sweet and Jim Book as young cavalrymen in the Indian wars. If only the Native Americans weren't such an insulting collection of silly stereotypes! A bimbo goddess with big boobs, a dumb, power-mad chieftain . . . clearly Sherman Alexie didn't write this stuff.
Now the "Death Race" series, I really wanted to like it. Nobody loves the Fifties more than I do. A teenage hood who fights vampires and drag races them too? I mean, how can you mess this up? How? Well, all it takes is a really bad artist to crap up a sure-fire premise. You see, when you draw a teenage hood, who says he's a teenager, who in fact never shuts up about "the teenage brain," you don't want him drawn to look like a fifty-something Elvis imitator. This guy Travis, he's supposed to be a tough, sexy young hood. But he's so pale, skinny, and bloodless he looks creepier than the vampires he's supposed to be fighting! On top of that, he has a cute Sandra Dee type girlfriend named Piper, who IS well drawn, at least by the standards of this crap fest. Does Piper get any good lines? Does she show any charm, a sense of humor? Does she have any sex scenes? No, no, no, no.
The last story was not so bad, it was a Civil Rights story about Alabama in the Fifties. There were some good surprises about the redneck punks who try to mess with Calvin, the black vampire. The only problem was that the punks all had Kid Rock, Duane Allman type hair, what you might see around 1974. And this story is set in 1954. It was the era of the crew cut. But nobody bothered to do five minutes of research on how young white men wore their hair. And do you know why, Daddy-O? These hep cats just don't give a f**k.
See you later alligator!
The vampires look like rabid woodchucks,
Be-bop-a-lula I hate to say,
Travis is a greaser but he's no Link Wray,
Be-bop-a-lula, stop this stupid series now (stop it now, stop it now, stop it now.) (SCREAM!)
Oh, I could do another twenty verses Gene Vincent style, but is it worth it? This American Vampire series, it seems they never get tired of breaking my heart. I really enjoyed the first story, "The Thing IN The Cave." The artwork was pretty good for a change, apparently they brought in a ringer. It was fascinating to see Skinner Sweet and Jim Book as young cavalrymen in the Indian wars. If only the Native Americans weren't such an insulting collection of silly stereotypes! A bimbo goddess with big boobs, a dumb, power-mad chieftain . . . clearly Sherman Alexie didn't write this stuff.
Now the "Death Race" series, I really wanted to like it. Nobody loves the Fifties more than I do. A teenage hood who fights vampires and drag races them too? I mean, how can you mess this up? How? Well, all it takes is a really bad artist to crap up a sure-fire premise. You see, when you draw a teenage hood, who says he's a teenager, who in fact never shuts up about "the teenage brain," you don't want him drawn to look like a fifty-something Elvis imitator. This guy Travis, he's supposed to be a tough, sexy young hood. But he's so pale, skinny, and bloodless he looks creepier than the vampires he's supposed to be fighting! On top of that, he has a cute Sandra Dee type girlfriend named Piper, who IS well drawn, at least by the standards of this crap fest. Does Piper get any good lines? Does she show any charm, a sense of humor? Does she have any sex scenes? No, no, no, no.
The last story was not so bad, it was a Civil Rights story about Alabama in the Fifties. There were some good surprises about the redneck punks who try to mess with Calvin, the black vampire. The only problem was that the punks all had Kid Rock, Duane Allman type hair, what you might see around 1974. And this story is set in 1954. It was the era of the crew cut. But nobody bothered to do five minutes of research on how young white men wore their hair. And do you know why, Daddy-O? These hep cats just don't give a f**k.
See you later alligator!
May 19, 2021
It’s the start of the 1950s in Volume 4 of Scott Snyder’s American Vampire graphic novel series, which means greasers, drag races, and switchblades are all the rage, daddy-o. So is rock-and-roll, civil rights, and white flight. And plenty of blood-suckers.
But before all that is a special three-issue series “The Beast in the Cave”, drawn by legendary comic book artist Jordi Bernet. This one goes way back to the Civil War, when young Skinner Sweet and James Book were kids, playing cowboys and Indians. Years later, the two men are playing it for real, as soldiers out west, rounding up Indians for the western migration. The two men find themselves on opposite sides of how to deal with the Indian population: Book has a more compassionate “live and let live” attitude while Sweet just wants to kill ‘em all. When Indian scouts uncover a female vampire living in a cave, they think she’s an ancient Apache legend called Mimiteh. They think they can control her and use her as a weapon against the white man army, but, boy, do they think wrong…
In the four-issue “Death Race”, we are introduced to greaser Travis Kidd, who drives around in his hot rod on a mission. To kill vampires, of course. They’ve infiltrated white suburbia like a plague. Kidd’s also after a specific vampire to kill, one whom he holds personally responsible for the death of is parents: a vampire named Sweet…
In the two-part “The Nocturnes”, we are introduced to a black man named Calvin, visiting Alabama in 1954. He expects to find rampant racism, which he does, but he also finds vampires. Of course, he’s a vampire, too…
This excellent series continues to get better and better. Who knew American history could be so fun?
But before all that is a special three-issue series “The Beast in the Cave”, drawn by legendary comic book artist Jordi Bernet. This one goes way back to the Civil War, when young Skinner Sweet and James Book were kids, playing cowboys and Indians. Years later, the two men are playing it for real, as soldiers out west, rounding up Indians for the western migration. The two men find themselves on opposite sides of how to deal with the Indian population: Book has a more compassionate “live and let live” attitude while Sweet just wants to kill ‘em all. When Indian scouts uncover a female vampire living in a cave, they think she’s an ancient Apache legend called Mimiteh. They think they can control her and use her as a weapon against the white man army, but, boy, do they think wrong…
In the four-issue “Death Race”, we are introduced to greaser Travis Kidd, who drives around in his hot rod on a mission. To kill vampires, of course. They’ve infiltrated white suburbia like a plague. Kidd’s also after a specific vampire to kill, one whom he holds personally responsible for the death of is parents: a vampire named Sweet…
In the two-part “The Nocturnes”, we are introduced to a black man named Calvin, visiting Alabama in 1954. He expects to find rampant racism, which he does, but he also finds vampires. Of course, he’s a vampire, too…
This excellent series continues to get better and better. Who knew American history could be so fun?
February 5, 2016
American Vampire Vol 4. Is an interesting volume with two different stories. The first one takes place in the Wild West in the late 1800's and shows us more of the relationship between Skinner Sweet and the Lawman Book. This tale takes place before Skinner Sweet was a vampire, and shows us the time he spent in the Army with Book. A squadron of US Cavalry soldiers is out hunting Apache. The Apache leader goes to enlist the help of an ancient demon-goddess (yeah she is what you think) and the resulting story is great-plus you begin to see the person Skinner Sweet will become when he does turn outlaw and you get glimpses into the motivation of his "brother" who will become the Lawman Book. Superb tale.
The second tale takes place in the early 1950's. A teenage rebel, a'la James Dean, hunts for the vampire that is responsible for the death of his whole family. That vampire happens to be-Skinner Sweet. I had thought Mr. Sweet dead at the end of Vol 3, but it seems that he is not. Though all is not as it seems with Mr. Sweet and perhaps he has new allegiances. More would be a spoiler. But a very good tale nonetheless.
I have grown accustomed to the artwork and it doesn't grate on me as it once did. Good tales, and good for the Skinner Sweet fans to see he isn't done. Also wraps up the story of Preston and Pearl. No American Vampire fan can go wrong with this one.
The second tale takes place in the early 1950's. A teenage rebel, a'la James Dean, hunts for the vampire that is responsible for the death of his whole family. That vampire happens to be-Skinner Sweet. I had thought Mr. Sweet dead at the end of Vol 3, but it seems that he is not. Though all is not as it seems with Mr. Sweet and perhaps he has new allegiances. More would be a spoiler. But a very good tale nonetheless.
I have grown accustomed to the artwork and it doesn't grate on me as it once did. Good tales, and good for the Skinner Sweet fans to see he isn't done. Also wraps up the story of Preston and Pearl. No American Vampire fan can go wrong with this one.
July 23, 2022
Scott Snyder seems insistent on not producing a clear narrative arc with these American Vampire volumes. Here, we get three mini-series featuring a wide variety of characters new and old.
First, Skinner Sweet and Sheriff Book (from the first volume) are revealed to have been childhood friends and then soldiers in the Indian wars. Huh! Felt like some retrofitting to me. In any case, the pair do battle with a band of Native Americans who might have the help of an ancient vampire. There's not much to this mini-series: light story, bland characterizations, and mediocre artwork.
Next, we meet a teenager vampire hunter who's on the hunt for the vamp who killed his family (one guess as to who that mysterious vampire is). This series is pacier and slightly more interesting, but it essentially amounts to a long chase scene (though well illustrated by Rafael Albuquerque). I suppose we'll be seeing Travis Kidd again, which is fine by me.
Finally, we return to Calvin, who was dosed with vampirism at the end of the third volume. He's hunting vamps in the American south and finds an unexpected coven. It's not a shocking mini-series, but I'm glad to see Calvin again. So many new breeds of vampire, though. It's exhausting and there are so many volumes to go...
First, Skinner Sweet and Sheriff Book (from the first volume) are revealed to have been childhood friends and then soldiers in the Indian wars. Huh! Felt like some retrofitting to me. In any case, the pair do battle with a band of Native Americans who might have the help of an ancient vampire. There's not much to this mini-series: light story, bland characterizations, and mediocre artwork.
Next, we meet a teenager vampire hunter who's on the hunt for the vamp who killed his family (one guess as to who that mysterious vampire is). This series is pacier and slightly more interesting, but it essentially amounts to a long chase scene (though well illustrated by Rafael Albuquerque). I suppose we'll be seeing Travis Kidd again, which is fine by me.
Finally, we return to Calvin, who was dosed with vampirism at the end of the third volume. He's hunting vamps in the American south and finds an unexpected coven. It's not a shocking mini-series, but I'm glad to see Calvin again. So many new breeds of vampire, though. It's exhausting and there are so many volumes to go...
October 14, 2012
A varied but consistently excellent collection of tales that all contribute to the ever growing American Vampire universe. All three stories take place across different times, with different characters, yet all feel like important and unique adventures that will build to something even bigger and more connected soon. Excellent art as always, and I like how Snyder's dialogue and narration alters to suit each new time period.
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