Strain : The Fall #1

The horror continues in a terrifying new chapter of The Strain! The streets of New York are rampant with the Strigoi (vampires) and Eph, his son and the crew of human survivors have barricaded themselves in an abandoned block from the horrors that lurk in the shadows. Plus : What secrets does the book called the Occido Lumen hold?
 

The Team

Adapted & scripted by David Lapham (Stray Bullets, Silverfish, Dan The Unharmable Vol. 1) from the novel of the same name written by Guillermo Del Toro (director of Pan’s Labyrinth & Pacific Rim) & Chuck Hogan (The Fall). Illustrated by Mike Huddleston (Mnemovore, The Coffin, Deep Sleeper) & coloured by Dan Jackson. Cover by E.M. Gist. Published by Dark Horse Comics.
 

The Pros & Cons

I’ve been anticipating the return of this wildly imaginative story and it’s finally here. The shit’s really hit the fan, as there are vampires just loose on the streets causing havoc wherever they go. This really adds a lot of tension to an already tense series. The main characters become a more tight knit group and professor Setrakian tells a fascinating tale of an ancient book called the Occido Lumen, I’ll bet Indiana Jones would love to get his hands on that ancient artefact. What the book’s true purpose remains to be seen, but the Strigoi seem to want it and fear it at the same time. The head Strigoi running the show is the one called “The Master” and he’s one sadistic bastard, feeding on humans in a dark pit like a badly lit buffet line gave me the heebie jeebies. This is one character I can’t wait to see in the flesh in the upcoming The Strain TV show.
 
What’s good about this new series is that the entire crew from the last series are back on board for more blood & guts and I couldn’t be happier. Lapham’s script is sharp as a tack and Huddleston’s illustrations display a true sense of horror.
 

The Outcome

The next time somebody sceptically tells you that the vampire genre has finally run out of gas, set ‘em straight and point them to your LCS.