Review brought to you by OBS staff member Annabell
Synopsis:
Pinocchio is back, continuing his quest to rid the world of vampires. Still haunted by Geppetto’s death and in an uneasy alliance with an undead friend, Pinocchio is in danger of letting his anger consume him.
Fortunately, the actors of the Great Puppet Theater arrive on the scene to aid their brother-in-wood. Soon, they’re journeying across Italy to the sea in a high-stakes pursuit of the source of the vampire scourge.
I am not really a graphic novel type of girl. Truthfully, I never actually read a graphic novel. Pinocchio Vampire Slayer and the Great Puppet Theater was my first real introduction into the world of graphic novels, and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed myself!
The cover alone is AWESOME and draws your attention instantly. Pinocchio graces the cover holding a skull with smoke emanating from the top in his hand, skulls laid at his feet, and the Great Puppet Theater behind him. Pinocchio is painted in black and white, looking like evil’s worse nightmare, while his wooden brothers and sisters are painted in a sinister red looking just as threatening as Pinocchio.
Pinocchio is a thug! He’s double-oh-seven in wood style. He chases after vampires to rid the world of their cursed kind. The only way the vampires can die is with the wood Pinocchio and his brothers and sisters from the Puppet Theater are made from. Pinocchio doesn’t miss a beat. He kicks butt! Harlequin, Columbina, Isabella, Flavio, and Il Capitano make up the Great Puppet Theater. They are loyal, funny, and are ready to defend each other till death. Il Capitano and Flavio cracked me up with their constant bickering to win Isabella’s heart. Pinocchio sarcasm was PERFECT! I kept wanting to high five him. Carlotta, the Fairy, Cricket, and Master Cherry (who is a vampire himself) round up the crazy, wonderfully entertaining cast in Pinocchio Vampire Slayer and the Great Puppet Theater.
Not only are vampires evil, human eating monsters (the way they are supposed to be portrayed!) but there are also a band of amusing and battle ready pirates who agree to help Pinocchio in his quest. A love story is thrown in between Pinocchio and Carlotta which is subtle enough to show how the two feel for each other but not distract from the main purpose of the story.
The story is told through black and white drawings. The sketches seem simple but are intricate. The images are created in a wood cut style mixed with human touches.
Higgins and Jensen work wonderfully together. The story is told as if only one mind had created the story instead of two. Jensen’s dialogue and storytelling through the characters was great, he hit the sarcastic notes in just the right moment. Higgins depictions are awesome, they just draw (no-pun intended) you in and make you want to know what the hell is going on.
The only bad thing is the story ends on a cliff hanger when you really want to know what’s going to happen next! I look EXCITEDLY forward to reading the next installment and can’t wait to see what Jensen and Higgins come up with next! High five guys! (P.S. Can you guys add more color in the next one!)
