American Vampire is crafted so perfectly as a piece of storytelling that it even manages to be compelling when my favourite character is omitted. Yes, this is an issue completely devoid of Skinner Sweet and his sadistic antics; instead, our focus falls upon Pearl, the young woman who became a vampire at the start of the series and has, for all intents and purposes, been our primary protagonist, as she struggles to maintain her relationship with the human Henry, who is shown to be conscious of just how dangerous being in love with a vampire can be. A large portion of the issue is also dominated by another storyline involving Hattie, who is being tortured by a regular vampire determined to unlock the secrets to killing this new breed of American monster. It’s a great concept and Scott Snyder writes it so wonderfully that every page is alive with tension and drama. The art is by Mateus Santolouco in this issue, and while not as good as Rafael Albuqurque, it does manage to retain the brilliantly gaudy and intense look the series has been known for since its inception. This story concludes next issue, but right now it’s the perfect jumping on point for anyone desperate for a fix of vampires that doesn’t totally suck (pun intended).