**Vault Reviews were posted previously on the main MonsterLibrarian website and are transferred here in an effort to preserve our history. Efforts have been made to ensure the books are still available, but formats, covers, and other details may have changed.**
First Second, 2006 (English translation)
ISBN: 978-1-59643-093-8
Available: Paperback
Vampire Loves is a collection of charming, philosophical, comic books featuring Ferdinand, the Vampire. Ferdinand looks like Nosferatu, but attracts women like Casanova. He pursues all sorts of paranormal females–specters, ghouls, Japanese tourists- but sadly, he always misses the mark. Ferdinand’s true love is Lani, a plant-girl, but they can’t seem to get along. In the meantime, there are plenty of lovely necks to bite.
Ferdinand, accompanied by his bizarre Siamese cat Imhotep, meets up with lots of creepy buddies, goes to goth clubs, and travels around Europe. Joann Sfar’s imagination is strikingly original. He creates hundreds of creatures to populate his world and interact with his main characters. Ferdinand’s friends include the Tree Man, who can’t score with Lani, a wailer named Alas, who spreads sadness for a living and dates the Invisible Man, a Lady Wolf–a werewolf who changes instantly on contact with chicks, and won’t turn back until he’s kissed, and Aspirine, a young red-headed vampire with a gorgeous older sister who’s a witch-in-training. All are developed realistically to represent the monstrous world of multi-species dating.
Vampire Loves is quirky and touching, drawn simply and stylistically, and filled with macabre details, reminiscent of the work of Charles Addams. Though the dialogue is simplistic, the cartoonist’s asides are funny and the plots are brisk, complex and tie up nicely. A particularly lovely scene plays out in Mortal Maidens on My Mind, where a dejected Ferdinand goes to visit his friend Eliahu, seeking advice and comfort from the Babylonian Talmud. Eliahu has created a brainless-but-sweet golem to take the place of his dead wife and daughter. As the vampire sleeps, his friend rejoices that “misfortune makes us all unique.”
Sfar is a French author who has published over 100 books since 1990, including a series for younger readers, The Little Vampire. His work runs from horror to science fiction and fantasy; all are creative and enchanting. Vampire Loves contains no gore or nudity, but does have some mild profanity, alcohol use, drug references, and French kissing. Highly recommended.
Reviewed by: Sheila Shedd