Luna the Vampire by Yasmin Sheikh

Comic: Luna the Vampire
Release date:  May 2015
Writer and artist: Yasmin Sheikh
Cover: full-color
Interior: full-color
Synopsis:  Ever wondered how it would be if outer space was populated by monsters? Look no further! As his is the amazing everyday life of Luna the Vampire. Jam-packed with awesome adventures, crazy faces, zombie postmen, and space. By the power of the giant floating god heads, don't miss out!

The Deal

I found this comic through a successful Kickstarter way back in 2015. I planned to write the review when it came in but a personal loss turned my life upside down for a while. Now seemed like a good time for some backlog vanquishing so I picked it up out of my bookcase and read and reviewed it on the way home from work. I even found my name in the Thank You section of the comic. I supported it for two main reasons. One was the fact that Yasmin Sheikh is also from the Netherlands, and there aren't that many English comics created in the Netherlands. Number two was the brightly colored and fun looking artwork that was shown in the Kickstarter. 
For the first time I invited my 12-years-old son Mark to give his opinion about this comic. I deemed it safe for him to read and it's nice to know the opinion of the younger generation on a comic that is also aimed at them. Please be aware that English is his second language so there may be some mistakes in his sentences. I only helped him with the spelling. 

The Feel

It's a sturdy A5-sized comic that stands on its own without bending awkwardly. The cover has a glossy finish. The brightly and fully saturated colors have been fully absorbed by the paper. The high-quality interior paper stock also has a shine to it and it brings out the crazy cool colors even better. The paper feels smooth and the pages are held together with perfect binding which is still holding tight after five years. The issue looks and feels professionally made. The art benefits from the paper stock used, which makes the bright colors jump out at you even more.  

The Stories

The comic contains a number of short stories ranging from one to a couple of pages. They are all slightly absurd slices of life of Luna. We don't see her biting anyone, there's no blood and gore so I happily let my son read it. My personal favorite is 'The Con', having been to a couple of conventions myself (though not yet SDCC), I related to that story the most. I also liked 'Fat'. At first I was a bit dismayed, but then realized the story is trying to bring a positive message. Be who you are, there is nothing wrong with you and don't let anyone or anything you see in a magazine or elsewhere tell you any different. It's told in Luna's quirky way. Lastly I'd like to mention the story of Luna and her new pet Moopsy. Loved the art, and although the story is somewhat predictable it was overall a funny origin story about Moopsy.
Mark's opinion: I really loved 'Escape from Kid Cobra' because it's messy and funny at the same time. One of my other favorites is 'The Con'. I've been to a couple of conventions (F.A.C.T.S in Belgium) and love the people that cosplay. The story was funny and all over the place but in a recognizable way. I liked seeing the layout of Luna's spaceship. I came back to it often to see where she was in a story. 

The Look

I'm a fan of the artwork. It's colourful, cartoony, I love the bendy arms and legs, the way Luna moves, the facial expressions and everything else. The lettering looks handwritten and feels personal, for me it was easy to read and it fits with the overall look of the comic. I heard the zombie moan inside my cranium every time I saw the moan lettering around one of them. 
As mentioned before the colours really benefit from daylight which shimmers on the shiny paper. It almost makes Luna come to life. I like how she's not your usual vampire but shows you a mirror instead. Surely you can recognise yourself in at least one of her stories.  
Mark's opinion: I love the many cool details, like where Luna looks in the mirror and only sees her dress. I like the different facial expressions. I can almost hear Luna when she's being sarcastic. The expressionistic lettering really fits the story. I love that Luna doesn't have your run-of-the-mill pet. I'd love to own a plushy of that. I would love it forever. 

The Conclusion

I realize this comic might not be for everyone. The art is quirky, bright, heavy on the pink and purple colors and that might be too much for some, but the stories are fun to read and some have a subtle message. It's a fun distraction from life. You'll find no high fantasy here. It's all for fun and should be read as such. I like how you can just pick it up and read one or a couple of stories and put it away again if you like, or you can continue reading. It's a short read and my son has picked it up at least four times already. Me and my son both like Luna and would gladly pick up a copy of any of the other issues that are out here. 

How to get a copy

This Kickstarter version is hard to get so you'll probably have to keep an eye out on one of the second-hand book sites. In my research I also found that Luna the Vampire has been published by IDW. You might be able to pick up one of those publications (there are three) or the collected version in Luna the Vampire: Grumpy Space (which is almost the same same as this reviewed Kickstarter version). The most recent instalment is Luna the Vampire: Pickled Zits. 
You can follow Yasmine Sheikh on her website and Twitter.