COUNT ORLOKS SKETCH CARD GIVEAWAY!

For anyone interested we have several original art sketch cards from Justin Wayne artist on Nosferatu GN. Only 1 sketch card per winner, and cards will be given at random.  Now for the cards, all you have to do is the following:

1.) Follow Viper’s Twitter feed. You must be following @vipercomics to win.
2.) Visit www.CountOrlok.com and look for the RED WORD (Located at the top of the site).
3.) Use that RED WORD from www.CountOrlok.com as a tag (sample #redword) in a tweet directed @vipercomics. Your tweet must contain #RED WORD and @vipercomics.
4.) Good luck!

HERE ARE THE SKETCH CARDS BEING GIVEN AWAY!

ORIGINAL ARTICLE CLICK HERE

REVIEW: NosferatuPosted on February 2, 2011 by John Lees

The subject of today’s review is an interesting comic curio: a modern-day retelling of F.W. Murnau’s classic 1922 silent horror film Nosferatu, by writer Christopher Howard Wolf and artist Justin Wayne.  The graphic novel from Viper Comics, now available to buy on Amazon, is unusual in that it’s essentially a reimagining of a reimagining.

The original film Nosferatu was a thinly-veiled adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, with the German filmmakers unable to acquire the rights to the novel.  And so Count Dracula became Count Orlok – the hideous, bald creature brought to life in iconic fashion by Max Schreck – and various other key characters were renamed and slightly altered.  So when the Nosferatu graphic novel in turn renames and slightly alters the key characters from the F.W. Murnau film, we have a case of the Dracula cast filtered by three degrees of seperation.

Intriguingly, this version of Nosferatu draws inspiration from both the film its based on and the Bram Stoker source material that may be called its “grandfather”.  The general plot of the comic is structured in a way that far more closely resembles Nosferatu than Dracula (though given that many subsequent filmic incarnations of Dracula would draw heavy influence from Nosferatu, that might be unclear to those unfamiliar with the original novel – for example, Nosferatu, not Dracula, introduced the idea of the vampire being killed by sunlight, with Bram Stoker’s Dracula able to happily walk about during the daytime), with a surprising amount of the key story beats kept intact even with the surface details radically altered.  Justin Wayne also manages to carry over much of the iconic imagery from the film, such as Max Schreck’s unnerving appearance as Count Orlok, and the famous “shadow against the stairway” moment.

But Christopher Wolf cleverly works in the “diary extract” narrative device of the novel, using extracts from an autobiography and e-mail exchanges as captions to frame much of the action.  And while the character of Bullner might share a name with his Nosferatu counterpart, putting him in the position of a federal agent obsessed with hunting down Orlok and giving him a more active role in the story’s climax makes him seem a lot less like the passive professor who played a mere bit-part role in the F.W. Murnau film, and a lot more like vampire hunter Abraham van Helsing, Dracula’s nemesis in the Bram Stoker novel.

The most obvious shift in dynamic for this modern-day version of the story is that married couple Thomas and Ellen Hutter turn into goth-chick lesbian couple Tommy and Elle.  Tommy is an up-and-coming photographer, with Elle her model muse.  One of the biggest strengths of the graphic novel is the believable relationship between these two characters, and their respective nuanced characterisations, aided by Wolf’s ear for snappy, naturalistic dialogue.  Even amongst established comic book A-listers such dialogue isn’t always easy to find, so it’s always a treat when coming across a comic writer who has such a knack for it.

Another one of the highlights of the graphic novel is the portrayal of Orlok’s crazed lackey, Nox.  While in terms of the broad strokes, he follows the same trajectory of the Knock character from the original film, Wolf takes relish in fleshing him out, giving him more acts of bloody depravity to engage in, and giving him a killer wit and a fair share of mean-spirited monlogues.

With all this talk of snappy wit and quick-fire dialogue, I think it’s clear this graphic novel is not intending to be a straight horror.  As Wolf himself states in his introduction, the story is very much a tongue-in-cheek take on how a classic horror might be giving the Hollywood remake treatment.  And he is ably assisted in this goal by the art of Justin Wayne.  Falling just on the right side of cartoony, with a real knack for expressive faces, Wayne is crucial in establishing the mood of the comic.  He’s helped in this regard by the crisp and vibrant colors of Sal N., aka The Darkcloak.

With every medium of entertainment seemingly in vampire overload, and with the glut of remakes and retellings removing any sense of dread or mystery from the Dracula tale, you might think that the last thing you want to read is a Nosferatu graphic novel.  Fair enough.  But if you can overcome any such hesitation and give this a try, I believe you’ll find an enjoyable story with more than enough charm and originality to make it stand out from its well-worn source material(s) and the countless other adaptations.

 LINK TO ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE

Full Review:

So…..even though it is the day after comic book day AND this graphic novel has been out since November, Nosferatu, published by Viper Comics, is worth taking a look back at. Written by game designer Chris Wolf and newcomer Justin Wayne, this comic is more of a retelling of the classic 1922 silent film by F.W. Murnau than Bram Stoker’s original novel. Wolf took the same creative license that Murnau did and changed the names of our characters.

On page 1 we are immediately introduced to our Jonathan Harker character, remaned Tommy Hutter. Page 2 we have the realization that a lot more than the name is changed. Our hero is a snarky and busty goth girl who has one hot model for a girlfriend. It has dawned on me at this point that I might be this graphic novel’s target market. I was immediately pleased with the smart dialogue. What is obviously going to deteriorate into a fantastical story, has right off the bat introduced us to grounded, relate-able characters (even if you aren’t a punky lesbian).

Being very familiar with the original Nosferatu, the juxtaposition of modern characters to the old was very entertaining, as opposed to the tiresome rut remakes are always in danger of falling into. Not to mention, the modern approach to “vampirism” through science really updates on an idea that though it remains appealing to horror fans, requires quite a suspension of disbelief in a less religious or superstitious time.

The graphic novel is $9.95 at Amazon and clocking in a 112 pages, is worth every penny.

A Rocky Point game designer and comics buff has given the old Dracula legend a makeover.

Click to enlarge

Wolf also hopes “Nosferatu” can help turn vampire stories away from the wave of dreamy, sensitive, pretty bloodsuckers that infest the “Twilight” books and movies and TV shows like “Angel” or “TrueBlood.” The creative team’s website – www.BookOfVampires.com – carries the motto, “Stop the New Wave of Sentimental Vampires.”

“We like to say, ‘There is no ‘heart’ in vampires,’” Wolf said, chuckling.

A home-schooled college dropout, Wolf moved to the area with his parents, Dennis and Mary Lou Wolf, when he was 14.

When he was little, he said, his mother regularly took him to the Museum of Modern Art and other galleries to get him excited about art.

He started haunting comic shops early, and “Hellboy” creator Mike Mignola and Michael Allred of “Madman” were early heroes.

By the late ’90s, Wolf was selling his own photocopied comics through local shops. He gained earlier notice, though, as an independent game designer, creating the community-driven multi-player game “DragonSpires” and the browser-based role-playing fantasy game “Scroll Wars.” He became well-known enough to have his own biographical entry in Wikipedia.

Wolf met up with his collaborators through deviantArt.com, an online community where artists and others interested in comics, manga and graphics share their work. The three have never actually met in the flesh, only online.

“Justin lives off in Nevada,” Wolf said. “And Sal, well, we’re never quite sure where he is.”

The idea for “Nosferatu” came from a 2008 meeting with Jessie Garza of Viper Comics, Wolf said. What followed, he added, is “a long, spooky road” with “blood, sweat, tears and more blood.”

Wolf, who recently joined the Viper Comics staff, said his next big project is an all-ages graphic novel about the Boogeyman.

“I’d like to keep on making books and making games,” he said. “And, dare I say, maybe an independent film.”

An Interview With a Vampire… or at least a creative team behind a Vampire!

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Earlier this month I review Viper’s iconic update Nosferatu (HERE) – I was so impressed with what I read that I sought an interview with the creative team behind this modern retelling, and the folks at Viper were nice enough to talk with me – here ya go!

Q&A with Chris Wolf, Justin Wayne, and Sal Nieto

Eric:  I really enjoyed Nosferatu.  Previous to this, I hadn’t read any of your books – can you tell us about your background?

Chris: Well, most of my background is in personal projects here and there. I’ve worked on a few independent online games, done as much as I can in terms of creative endeavors. I guess I sort of started “publishing” comics back in 1999 when I started putting my own photocopied books in the local comic shop. From there it’s been a long, slow, but very educational climb to this point.

Justin: My background consists of supplying some gray tones to a few of Voltaire’s Deady books and illustrating a children’s book entitled The Littlest Zombie, which has nothing to do with the Antarctic Press book of the same name. I’ve done a few short stories here and there for indie companies like Super Real Graphics, and lately I’ve been doing a lot of sketch cards for the nice guys at 5finity.

Sal: My background is mostly in Illustration & concept art – but I also get into & work on all sorts of multimedia projects, from video or animation, to stage, even music and sound design. I’ve worked on quite a few independent projects, both personal and as freelance, but during the day I sling creative for whatever needs doing within my role in the advertising industry. And I love drawing creepy things and monsters, of course!

much more of the interview below!

Eric:  Have you always been a comic fan?  What do you read monthly?

Chris: I’ve been a comic fan since the days when “that’s a cool costume!” was my sole reason for picking up a book… and yes, that was many, many years ago. I’ve reached the point now that I hoped I never would – where I haven’t found time to follow my favorite titles… Before that happened, however, my favorites were anything from Mike Mignola or Michael Allred… and the dusty, weird books I exhumed from dollar boxes.

Justin: I’ve been a comic fan since the day in 8^th grade a classmate brought a Wizard magazine to art class and I saw one of Michael Turner’s renditions of Sara Pezzini. I go to the local comic shop on a weekly basis, but these days I rarely have the time to read any of the books I buy. Mostly it’s become a reason to absorb various art styles and an appreciation of visual storytelling. Books I pick up monthly are Haunt, American Vampire, and Joe the Barbarian. There’s a bunch more, but my mind is going blank.

Sal: I remember the first comic I ever got my hands on, it was a Spiderman & Wolverine team up of some kind, and I remember the Lizard showing up at some point, thinking to myself ‘wow, this is awesome!’. Of course, I also used to watch the Incredible Hulk (the Bill Bixby one) & all the other superhero TV shows when I was really little. I was always a sucker for obscure titles like “Samurai Penguin” or “Cold Blooded Chameleon Commandos” etc, and of course, Batman! But, similar to Chris, I don’t find much time these days to follow specific titles, but I do love locking down with graphic novels as often as I can.

Eric: Have you always been a horror fan?

Chris: That depends on the definition of “fan”. Way back when it started out as morbid curiosity, but has officially bloomed into fandom.

Justin: Well… to be completely honest, no. I never minded horror movies, but it wasn’t something I had an active interest in until the end of high school when I was all about the doom and gloom. But as Chris said, it has officially bloomed into fandom. All I needed was a little heart break to push me into that realm of escapism that is horror. I’ve felt very comfortable there ever since.

Sal: Yeah, I think so. I can never forget the morbid fascination and ‘cool!’ factor when perusing the local video store (VHS?!?!) with my dad. I guess it helps that my dad also really liked Horror & Action movies, so I grew up with lots of that stuff. I suppose you could say they made a big impression as well as inspired me to create the things I do in many big ways.

Eric: So, out of quite a few classic horror movies, why Nosferatu?

Chris: I’ve always liked underrated and obscure characters. Plenty of people know Count Orlok, of course, but needless to say he’s no Dracula in terms of popularity. I’ve seen projects dealing with the Nosferatu story before, but nothing updating the original film with a modern setting and cast. It seemed like a nice challenge, and a way to perhaps bring the good Count a little closer to the spotlight… which would fry him, I suppose.

Eric: In your update, I think the creative team did an incredible job of creating modern parallels with the original details – not only with the story but also with the art.  Can you tell us about the art team behind Nosferatu?

Chris: Time for me to step out of the way!

Justin: Chris is a very easy guy to work with, particularly when it comes to character design. He gives me a few ideas about a character’s design or personality and lets me do almost whatever I want as long as I keep those details in mind. We’ve done a few projects together and have plans on doing more in the future, and character design is always, ALWAYS the best part about the project. Not that I don’t like doing the panel to panel work. It’s just that first time exploring a character and really feeling like your creating something from scratch is really rewarding. Plus, Chris knows I absolutely love drawing alt girls. Drawing Tommy and Elle was always a pleasure.

Sal: No pressure or anything! Well, I did the color and paintwork on the book – as well as the occasional background when needed – with my main goal being to make Justin’s work shine as much as possible, whilst still adding my own flair to each page. As mentioned above, I grew up with Horror movies, and I also wanted to bring a little bit of that into the colors. From the classic black & white films, to the colorful aesthetic of the Hammer horror films, and even a dash of schlocky 80’s horror, but without compromising the original F.W. Murnau Nosferatu film too much. And I have to say, it was fantastic to be able to bring that to the panels where Justin did his take on some of the more memorable shots from the classic 1922 film.

Eric: From first thought to finalized publications, how long did this project take?

Chris: The first thought occurred some time in early 2008. From there it was a matter of gathering the dream team, etc. There was tragedy, triumph, and everything in between. So all told I guess it took about two years from idea to finished product.

Eric: Any other horror icons you would like to update into the 21^st century?

Chris: I think we all have a lot of our own ideas we’d like to get out there… but that said, I’ve been toying with updating Poe’s “Masque of the Red Death”… and then there’s a little something special tentatively titled “Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Zombies”.

Justin: What Chris has been plotting for “Masque” is really interesting and I’d love to be a part of that if time was more on my side. Other than that, I wouldn’t be too opposed to defiling The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.

Sal: That’s a tough one! It’s tough to think of some that aren’t or haven’t been swept up in the slew of remakes lately! Well, I’m a sucker for creature features, so something like  “The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms” or “Creature from the Black Lagoon” would be right up my alley. Heck, if handled right, even something like ‘The Killer Shrews’ could be interesting. Although, Chris mentioned ‘Masque of the Red Death’, and I think that would really be something, too, though! Course, that also makes me think of Vincent Price, to which I say, bring on Dr. Phibes!!!

Eric: Viper Comics is not just known for horror comics, they have a pretty well-rounded catalog.  Chris, you are both a writer and the marketing director at Viper Comics, can you tell us about them?

Chris: Well, Viper has been around since 2001, and has published everything from Dead@17 to Villains to the upcoming Hero Petz. I think that no matter what your personal taste in comics – or your age – you can find something over at Viper that will satisfy your comic bug. They’ve even launched a line of all-ages titles under the “Blinko Books” banner. The official site is http://ViperComics.com in case you were wondering. Muahaha!

Eric: What New projects are coming down the pike from Viper?

Chris: Well, some really great stuff just came out, actually. Again, there’s quite a wide variety… All-Ages stuff like “Odd Rods” and “Stu Bear in the 25^th Century”… all the way to darker books like the biblically horrific “Hell House” and the drunken super-human tale, “Blue Agave & Worm”. In December Viper rounds out 2010 with “Orpheus”, the story of an escape artist which has to be seen to be believed.

Eric: Any of yours specifically?

Chris: Not yet! Heh.

Eric: Shameless plug time – anything I forgot?

Chris: Well, more information on Nosferatu can be found at http://BookOfVampires.com where people can follow us on Facebook, purchase the book, and probably do other things with the word ‘book’.

Justin: You can catch more of my scribblings at http://mydyingrose.deviantart.com and also pick up your copy of the Littlest Zombie at http://www.spookyco.com/books.htm because once those copies are sold, there will be no more made. It’s a perfect Halloween/Christmas present for all ages.

Sal: Well, Chris has the Nosferatu info covered, so other than that, folks can find my work at www.thedarkcloak.com . Thanks for having us!

Thanks for talking with me, I can’t wait to check out some of your upcoming books!

Link to full article click here

Viper Comics’ Nosferatu – Classic tale reinvented perfectly!

By admin ⋅ October 22, 2010 ⋅ Email This Post ⋅ Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

Written by: Chris Wolf
Art By: Justin Wayne
Colors by: Sal Nieto

Retail $9.95 / 112 pages / arrives in stores November 2010
DIAMOND ORDER CODE: SEP101161
ISBN: 978-0-9827117-7-4

BOOK REVIEWS:

“… a retelling of a classic story that retains the original’s
essence, especially when it comes to the horrific and the grotesque.”
- Rue Morgue Magazine

“… it’s a relevant, fun, and well crafted story with a stellar art
team.” - Zedura Magazine

“A great adventure for the high school reader and older that does both
the orignal film and independent comic industry proud!” -- ThePullbox.com

“This comic is a damn good update to an old classic for this
generation to enjoy. A great piece of work by independent comic
creators.” - HalfChannel.com

“There’s tons of originality here and it’s very fun and it’s an
original take on the vampire mythos.” -- GraphicPolicy.com

“Nosferatu is a very impressive book that manages to re-imagine a
classic story for a modern audience without cheapening the
experience.” -- Troy Mayes, ImpulseGamer.com

“Funny, creepy, sassy and horrifying, Nosferatu’s contemporary spice adds some bite to a classic vintage.” - Christian Kerr, The Crack Magazine.com

ORDER YOUR COPY HERE

CHECK OUT THE TRAILER

“Horror reborn. Fear rediscovered. The Nosferatu Unearthed. The
graphic novel 88 years in the making now has a website for news,
updates, and previews. Stalk over to BookOfVampries.com to keep tabs
on this 2010 reimagining of the classic 1922 film.”

CHECK OUT: HTTP://BOOKOFVAMPIRES.COM

Well today I did a really cool POD cast interview with Hatch Tarr, it had been a little while since my last interview and man I could so feel the excitement building within me as I spoke about all the cool things we have coming up.  When the Pod Cast goes live I’ll place a link so you can check out.  You will here some things here not mentioned anywhere else.

Well another peak at behind the scenes for anyone interested in upcoming things…this is to be out later this year and its moving along at a great pace… Chris Wolf, Justin Wayne, and Sal Nieto bring you and we Present….. NOSFERATU…