True Blood comic coming in July; four covers and plot synopsis of first issue released

The first of six issues of a comic book series inspired by the HBO hit True Blood will go on sale this July, and Entertainment Weekly has images of its four possible covers. Each cover appears to be drawn by a different artist as the art styles and character likenesses vary greatly. The first has a cartoonish quality that undercuts the series’ graphic melodrama while the other three portray a pulpy realism. The comic series is an HBO venture with IDW Publishing which will involve True Blood series creator Alan Ball and writers Elisabeth Finch and Kate Barnow in the creative process, from plot and characterization to maintaining the framework and rules of the show. There does not appear to be any involvement from Charlaine Harris, author of The Southern Vampire Mysteries which Alan Ball developed the show from. Artists involved in the comics include David Messina of the Angel series and J. Scott Campbell of Danger Girl.

The storyline of the first issue finds Sookie and the residents of Bon Temps idling about Sam Merlotte’s bar while a storm rages, only to be trapped by a creature that begins feeding on the emotions of the bar’s patrons and picking them off one by one. Sounds a lot like a super condensed version of last season without the orgies and consuming of hearts.