46: American Vampire (Volume 1), by Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerque, and Stephen King (2010 hardcover trade, issues 1-5)

I like Stephen King, and I like vampires, so when I heard this comic was coming out, I eagerly awaited the release of the first trade. In this first story arc, readers are introduced to a particular species of vampire--the American Vampire--through the eyes of a young actress in 1925 Hollywood.  Young, beautiful, and naive, she is the perfect vampire target, so I needn't tell you that it doesn't end well for her.  Of course, I suppose that depends on how you feel about vampires...or becoming one.

In each comic, Snyder and King tell one half of the story, so in this collection of issues it reads as alternating chapters.  While King has had a few of his books made into comics, he's never written a story specifically for the format. Because of this, I'd have to say that Snyder's chapters are better written, but Albuquerque's artwork ties everything together vividly, and the combination of vampire lore and American expansionism is compelling.  King is a gifted storyteller, and I'm sure that more practice will lead him to excellence in the comic format as well. In fact, the second trade was just released, so I'll soon be able to report on his progress.