Take the first look inside Dark Horse Comics' upcoming Carmilla: The First Vampire

Earlier this year, Popverse exclusively announced Dark Horse Comics’ upcoming graphic novel, Carmilla: The First Vampire — a queer murder mystery set in mid-90s Manhattan that centers around the latest incarnation of literature’s first vampire. As a follow-up, we’re thrilled to be able to offer the first glimpse inside the book, ahead of its January 2023 release.

Look through the gallery below for a sneak peek of what lies in store.

Talking earlier about the project, writer Amy Chu said that the roots of the project come from Sheridan Le Fanu’s 1872 novel Carmilla — a book that was written more than 25 years ahead of Bram Stoker's famous creation, Dracula. That doesn’t mean that Carmilla is a rehab of what’s come before, however; as Chu put it, “Bringing the story to '90s New York let me explore themes of cultural identity, gentrification, homophobia and racism. It's definitely the darkest, most mature storyline I've ever written!”

The book, illustrated by Soo Lee, will be released under Dark Horse’s Berger Books imprint. Editor Karen Berger, head of the imprint and famed for shepherding books like Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing and Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman into existence, described the project as “a mesmerizing, steamy and decadent thriller,” adding that it’s also “a story with important cultural themes which resonate in today’s antagonizing times.”

Carmilla: The First Vampire arrives in comic book stores on January 11, 2023, and in book stores February 28, 2023.

Carmilla is far from the only exciting upcoming release from Dark Horse. Just last week, they announced that Stan Sakai’s beloved Usagi Yojimbo would be returning to the company after some years away, as part of a new Sakai-led imprint at the publisher.