Variant Cover Revealed for Vertigo’s American Vampire #1

Steve Barton |

Feb 23, 2010

The March 17th release date for Issue #1 of American Vampire from writers Scott Snyder and Stephen King and artist Rafael Albuquerque is quickly approaching, and to help whet fans’ appetites, Vertigo Comics has released its variant cover from Jim Lee. Best of all, it’s just the first we’ll be seeing as the next four issues will also have variant covers by some of the top names in the industry.

The goods came from the Vertigo blog on DCComics.com, where Lee discusses working on the cover of this new series:

“One of the unique challenges of contributing a cover to a brand spanking new series with original, never seen before characters is obviously not knowing who the characters are: how they act, the way they hold themselves, the forces that shaped their personal histories. Luckily for me, American Vampire’s artist – Rafael Albuquerque – made it a non-issue. From just a single illustration, I could see the world he was creating, and it made drawing Pearl and Skinner for this alternate cover both a breeze and a hella lot of fun. The drawings are that good.

The fact there are words to accompany the pictures is pure gravy. Speaking as a fan, I can’t wait to read what Scott Snyder and Stephen King have come up with. They have a lot to live up to!”

Lee must have done something right, considering what King himself had to say about the cover, “That’s one of the best comic mag covers I’ve seen since the days of my misspent youth, when I haunted the newsstands in Brunswick, Maine each month for the new Creepy or Eerie. Kudos to Mr. Lee.”

As a reminder, here’s what American Vampire is all about: American Vampire will introduce readers to a new breed of vampire – a more muscular and vicious species of vampire with distinctly American characteristics. The series’ first story arc, to be told over the course of five issues, will feature two different stories, one written by Snyder, the other by King.

Snyder’s storyline is one of decadence and deception and Jazz Age glamour. Pearl is an ambitious modern woman with starlet dreams. She frequents Hollywood’s speakeasies and dance-halls searching for her first big break, only to find something far more sinister waiting for her. King’s story provides the origin of the very first American vampire: Skinner Sweet, a bank robbing, murdering cowboy of the 1880s. Skinner is stronger and faster than previous vampires; he has rattlesnake fangs and is powered by … the sun? Following the conclusion of the first story arc, Snyder and Albuquerque will trace Skinner’s bloodline through various decades of American history.

Dig on both covers below (Lee’s variant is on the right — click each to see them bigger), and be sure to pre-order Issue #1 and Issue #2 (which is coming April 21st) from TFAW by clicking the highlighted links. Issue #2’s artwork is also below; check back soon for a look at its variant cover as well.