Holy Ned Stark.
I'm as in love with the work of George R.R Martin as anyone. The man is hugely popular at the moment. Therefore, on a recent trip to Mega City Comics in Camden, I picked up the first three issues of "Fevre Dream": a series of comics based on the George R.R Martin novel. Through reading George R.R Martin's short story anthology entitled "DreamSongs" you learn how vastly interested and devoted he is in the world of comics and has been since his childhood. I bought the first three issues of "Fevre Dream" having not read the novel (though I've now just ordered it on Amazon) and had absolutely no expectations... which is a good thing because holy crap, these comics feature vampires.
As anyone who knows me will have noticed, I'm a little obsessed with vampire media. No, not Twilight (though, out of fairness, I did read the books and watch most of the films to come to the unadulterated and fair conclusion that they are shit). Heck, I even wrote my university dissertation on the psychological aspects of homosexuality in "Dracula" by Bram Stoker and "Interview with the Vampire" by Anne Rice just so I could discuss vampires and gayness ad nauseum. So I started reading the comics with absolutely no prior knowledge and as soon as there was even the suggestion of vampy fun I was ecstatic. I've read the first three issues of the comic and, before the end of the month, I will read the novel and all the comics together and let you know my thoughts. Until then here are my thoughts on issues #1, #2 and #3 of Fevre Dream.
So the comics start with Captain Abner Marsh and his new business partner, Joshua York, discussing a new business venture. York seems rather mysterious. He's too quick to invest in the Fevre Dream packet that Abner Marsh is the captain of. All he asks is that his business is his own and that Marsh and the crew do not question him and that they respect his privacy. Though cautious at first, Captain Marsh accepts. Soon he starts to notice that York's habits are causing the river folk to tell stories about his eating habits, the hours he keeps and the correlation between York and a string of murders along the river.
The art work is beautifully done and simply coloured. In true George R.R Martin fashion there is sexuality, nudity and death aplenty. I'm really excited to see what the novel holds and I'll continue reading both the novel and the comics and give you my full thoughts on all of it.
Having read George R.R Martin's autobiographical short story 'Four Color Fanboy' in his anthology of short stories entitled "DreamSongs" I have a greater appreciation for all the enthusiasm this man has for writing and particularly the world of comic books. George R.R Martin has been an avid comic fan, writing them and creating comic characters from youth onwards, and so this seems like such a natural project for him: to write a novel and then see the project inked into comic form.
So buy these comics.
Or the novel.
Buy it because of vampires and steam boats and racism and stuff.
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