Fan-favorite character Travis Kidd—the vampire hunter who likes to “bite them back”—makes his return in this new American Vampire one-shot, American Vampire: The Long Road to Hell.

It’s a story burned deep into the American psyche: two young lovers, a stolen car and the open road. But these young lovers are newly turned vampires trying to fight the bloodsucking urge inside them. To make matters worse, they’ve got a pack of angry vampires on their tails—plus bad-ass vamp-killer Travis Kidd. He’s tracking the “Heartbreak Killers” across the heartland, but can he stop them before it all ends in tragedy?

Though it had a slow start, I quickly became a fan of Scott Snyder’s American Vampire. The horror story taking place at different points in American history presented a vampire mythos that was fun and fresh. It felt familiar, but also new and exciting.

Moving throughout history, the series eventually introduced Travis Kidd, a greaser vampire hunter in the 1950s. He’s the rebel with a cause and quickly became one of my favorite characters of the series.

This one-shot, after a too long break, doesn’t feature Kidd at first. Instead it follows two young lovers on the run to find a cure after being turned. Kidd eventually comes along to put the spike into the story. It’s a full story all in one and you might only need to know a little of what’s come before though it isn’t vital.

This one-shot special sets the stage for the American Vampire relaunch later this year, making it even more important for fans of the series. We’ve had a hiatus and to get anything new in this series is more than welcome. The fact this is setting the stage for what’s to come makes it that more important.

We have Snyder’s solid writing, joined by Rafael Albuquerque who also adds his artistic talents as well as to the story. Albuquerque is one of my favorite artists currently out there and to see his work alone makes me want to recommend the comic.

If you’ve enjoyed what’s come before in the series, this is a buy. For those who enjoy vampire comics, this is a good spot to check out and see if it’s for you. I’ve been in withdrawal and this is the hit I’ve needed.

Story: Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque Art: Rafael Albuquerque
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Vertigo provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review