Graphic Novel Review: PINOCCHIO, VAMPIRE SLAYER

Whoever thought that Carlo Collodi’s original story of PINOCCHIO could be so much fun? Collodi’s original story is much darker than Walt Disney’s watered down version hence why Van Jensen & Dusty Higgins’ original graphic novel PINOCCHIO, VAMPIRE SLAYER. Unlike the Disney version the events in this story take place directly after the events in Collodi’s story.

Pinocchio does not become a real boy at the end of the Collodi story and in Higgin’s (who created the story) and Jensen’s story soon after returning to Nasolungo where his father Geppeto is killed by a race of vampires who have arisen in the town. Now, Pinocchio declares it his duty to rid the town of the plague of undead. To aid him are his two companions Master Cherry, a carpenter, and the Blue Fairy and his wooden nose which he uses to dispatch each of the vampires he comes into contact with (when he lies his nose grows and then he breaks it off and uses it as a stake to kill the vampires).

Jensen & Higgins craft a compelling story that’s both funny and romantic (since Pinocchio falls in love) and suspenseful and terrifying. No one is safe in this world and Higgins’ artwork proves this. His dark black & white artwork uses rich blacks in which the vampires hide before striking from the darkness to kill their next victim. Pinocchio is seen in such the same darkness as he is a character who is surrounded by death and is on a mission of vengeance to avenge his father’s death.

Although the story rings of influences from Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, this story is darker because as Pinocchio continues on his journey he also is slowly learning about his true origins and purpose in the world. He did, in fact, come from a piece of magical talking wood. This adds another dimension to the story that by graphic novel’s end will have you wondering when the next adventure will begin. This is a great graphic novel not for just fans of vampires but fans of Collodi’s original vision as it is a great to see where the character has grown.

The Rock RACES TO WITCH MOUNTAIN

Disney is not above recycling there own films so its of now surprise that the novel “Escape to Witch Mountain” by Alexander Key is now the new pre-summer film Race To Witch Mountain starring everyone’s famous former wrestler Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock).

In the summer film tradition this new film has a lot of special FX and a lot of action and like the title suggests it “races” from one moment to the next at the pace of a Michael Bay film. Like last year’s Journey To The Center of the Earth in 3D, Race is a no-brains action kids film that easily forgotten after viewing. Kids will probably love it but anyone over the age of 13 will just wish they’d gone and saw something else.

The film concerns two aliens who crash to Earth in search of a secret experiment left on Earth that will help their own planet survive imminent danger. If they don’t get the experiment back to their planet in time then the people of their planet will invade Earth. Johnson plays Jack Bruno, the cab driver who drives them from place to place and inevitable gets himself caught up in trying to help the aliens get back home to their planet before the government gets a hold of them.

Although the special FX are really well done and there are some comic moments to be had between Johnson and Carla Gugino (from Watchmen), the film never seems fresh or new since most of what happens has been seen and done before in other Disney movies. As directed by Andy Fickman (with a screenplay by Matt Lopez and Mark Bomback), the film has very little to offer anyone with an extensive background in old Disney films. The only people that will enjoy this film are children who haven’t had the chance to watch all the classic Disney films yet (or fans of The Rock).