Corinna Bechko is leading the blood type responsibility for the new horror revival of EC comics, and I had the opportunity to talk to her about the series.
Building her short story with the Abyss inscription, the blood type follows ADA, a confident, rude vampire who finds herself on the coast of a resort on a Caribbean island. It may seem like a paradise, but Ada soon learns that another predator is hiding in the shadows. Below is a dangerous game of cats and mice. Neither Predator would try to back down.
ADA: Unlike the others, vampire
“Ada is totally confident,” Vechko said, explaining what makes the character so persuasive. “I believe she can jump first and get herself out of where she lands, and maybe she’s because she’s much older than she looks. I love writing that aspect of her personality. Personally, I’m worried about everything to death, so spending time with her is liberating.”
Unlike many literary vampires, the ADA is not tired of self-compassion or existential fear. “Many literary vampires tend to get pretty upset. Otherwise, they are simple creatures with appetite and rarely else happens. The ADA is not these things either,” explained Bechko. “She believes in moving forward, but she is not ashamed of her past. She’s like a cat and kills her to eat, but why not enjoy your food while you’re in it?”
Paradise Horror: A Unique Settings
Setting a blood type at a tropical resort is a rare but inspired choice, and Vechco is drawn from personal experience.
“I grew up in a beach community where there was about half the influx of tourists every year, so I saw both the glamour and the threes that came with it,” she recalled. “My boyfriend and I found a body just above Tidlin! Apparently, the drug deal was irreparably wrong. I tried to bring some of that memorable tone to Ada’s story. The way people think of exotic places means a vacation from reality. But hey, some of us actually live there and it’s not a paradise for anyone.”
Andrea Sorrentino’s Unforgettable Visual
Of course, the EC horror story is not complete without a strong visual component, and Andrea Sorrentino brings his distinctive style of atmosphere to his blood type.
“I can’t believe his work!” Vechko said. “I was just starting to look at the pages of the first issue and was extremely excited to see an innovative way of taking Jonathan Case’s original blood type short view. For some reason, he reminded us of those pages and then pulled off this wonderful magic trick by changing how he handles the story. In his skilled hands, Ada is in turn accustomed, skeptical, and fun. Just that she should be.”
Expand the EC horror universe
Just as blood types help pioneer a new wave of EC horror, Vechko hopes other anthology characters will be in the spotlight.
“I know that I often think of short stories as seeds: perfect small packages that contain the DNA of the larger ones,” she meditated. “For me, given the magic wand and control of the universe, I’d be happy to expand on the fantasy story called “Ice Heart” that appears in Cruel Kingdom #3. ”
Where is your ADA vacation?
And where would Ada take a holiday if she wasn’t surrounded by fresh prey? “I think she’ll go somewhere cold and beautiful. “Maybe Iceland? It’s gorgeous, full of unexpected spreads and otherworldly colours. Reykjavik also has a lively nightlife, or something that needed a snack.”
A fresh take on the fear of vampires
In blood type, Vechko creates a vampire story that embraces both fear and wit, breathing new life into the EC’s storied legacy.
Fans of horror comics, or those looking for a hero who refuses to apologise for being just himself, will not want to miss out on what the ADA has in the store.
