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30 Days of Night

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This article is about the comic book miniseries. For the 2007 film adaptation, see 30 Days of Night (film).
30 Days of Night
Cover to the 30 Days of Night trade paperback
Art by Ben Templesmith.
Publication information
PublisherIDW Publishing
ScheduleMonthly
FormatLimited series
Genre
Publication date2002 - Present
Creative team
Created bySteve Niles
Ben Templesmith
Written bySteve Niles
Matt Fraction (Juarez in Bloodsucker Tales 1-8)
Dan Wickline (Dead Space; Spreading the Disease)
Kelly Sue DeConnick (Eben and Stella)
Ben Templesmith (Red Snow)
Artist(s)Ben Templesmith
Szymon Kudranski (Annual 2004)
Brandon Hovet (Annual 2004)
Josh Medors (Annual 2004)
Kody Chamberlain (Dead Billy Dead in Bloodsucker Tales 1-8)
Nat Jones (Annual 2005)
Milx (Dead Space)
Alex Sanchez (Spreading the Disease)
Justin Randall (Eben and Stella)
Bill Sienkiewicz (Beyond Barrow)

30 Days of Night is a three-issue horror comic book limited series written by Steve Niles, illustrated by Ben Templesmith and published by IDW Publishing in 2002. All three parties co-own the property.

The series takes place in Barrow, Alaska, so far north that during the winter the sun does not rise for 67 days (however, the town in the miniseries bears little resemblance to the real Barrow except in name). Another difference is that in the series, once the sun sets, it's suddenly pitch black. In reality, for a few weeks before the first sunrise and after the last sunset of the year, there are brief periods of twilight. In the series, vampires, being vulnerable to sunlight, take advantage of the prolonged darkness to feast upon the town's inhabitants.

Initially an unsuccessful film pitch[1], the series became a breakout success story for Steve Niles, whose previous works had received relatively little attention. It was also the first full-length work by co-creator Ben Templesmith. The series has been followed by numerous sequel series and, in 2007, was adapted into a film of the same name.

Plot summary

30 Days of Night was a three-issue miniseries that jump-started the careers of writer Steve Niles and artist Ben Templesmith. Vampires flock to Barrow, Alaska where the sun sets for about 30 days, allowing them to feed without the burden of sleep to avoid lethal sunlight. When the vampire elder Vicente learns of this plan, he travels to Barrow to end the feeding, in order to preserve the secrecy of vampires. Because of the cold, the vampires' senses are weakened and a few of the town's residents are able to hide. One such resident is Sheriff Eben Olemaun, who saves the town by injecting vampire blood into his veins. He uses his enhanced strength to fight Vicente, saving the lives of the few remaining townspeople, including his wife Stella. Suffering the same weakness as all vampires, Eben dies and turns to ash when the sun rises. Without thinking Stella inhales Ebens ashes and then becomes a supervamp who is no longer allergic to sunlight and cannot bear the night sky without turning to ash herself.

Dark Days was the follow-up to 30 Days of Night, featuring the original creative team. Beginning in June 2003, this series featured the exploits of Stella Olemaun after surviving the attack on Barrow in the original series. After publishing an account of the attack - 30 Days of Night - Stella draws the attention of the Los Angeles vampire population, as well as the lover of Vicente, the head vampire from the original series. Learning that there may be a way to bring back her former husband Eben, Stella strikes a deal with vampire Dane, who seeks revenge for the murder of his mentor by Vicente. The two form a brief romantic relationship. Stella exchanges proof of the existence of vampires for her husband's remains, in the hope of bringing him back from the dead. She double-crosses the vampire party, blowing up a large number of them in a house, before successfully resurrecting Eben. The two reconcile for a moment before the still-vampiric Eben lunges, fangs bared, for her throat.

This series also serves as an introduction to the vampiric FBI agent, Norris.

Sequels

Annual 2004 was a 48-page one-shot released in January 2004 by regular 30 Days of Night publisher IDW. The issue features four short stories, each written by Steve Niles but featuring different illustrators. The first, "The Book Club", is illustrated by co-creator and original 30 Days of Night artist Ben Templesmith. It involves a suburban book club's discussion of Stella Olemaun's book (also titled "30 Days of Night"). This arouses suspicion about a shut-in neighbor, leading to his murder by the unruly book club. The second story, "The Hand That Feeds", is illustrated by Szymon Kudranski and features Dane seeking a hand transplant from an eccentric doctor. "Agent Norris: MIA" features the pencils of Brandon Hovet, and depicts agent Norris's transformation from a "scout" or "bug eater" to a full-blown vampire. The final tale, "The Trapper", is illustrated by Josh Medors. This story introduces John Ikos, a Barrow resident turned vampire hunter (and a main character in later series).

30 Days of Night: Return to Barrow is another sequel to the original series by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith. Return to Barrow features Brian Kitka, the brother of a victim of the attack on Barrow in the original miniseries. Kitka becomes Barrow's new sheriff after moving there with his son to investigate his brother's demise. Kitka's skepticism about the claims of a vampire attack disappears when he discovers his deceased brother's journal, which includes a full account of the attack. He finds himself protecting the town along with John Ikos. This story features the return of several characters from the previous series, including Eben and Stella who save John's son from the vampires.

30 Days of Night: Bloodsucker Tales marked the first time a writer other than Niles would work on the series. Throughout the 8 issues of Bloodsucker Tales, two stories were told. The first, "Dead Billy Dead", was written by Steve Niles and illustrated by Kody Chamberlain. This serialized story featured a young man named Billy who was turned into a vampire and later kidnapped, along with his girlfriend Maggie, by a vampire-obsessed scientist. Meanwhile Goodis, a police officer whom Maggie had called when approached by the vampiric Billy, discovers Stella Olemaun's book. The second story, "Juarez or Lex Nova & The Case of the 400 Dead Mexican Girls", was written by Matt Fraction and illustrated by 30 Days of Night veteran Ben Templesmith. This story depicted Lex Nova's investigation of the disappearance of hundreds of girls in Juarez, Mexico. A group of vampires called the Zero Family Circus arrives in Mexico at the same time, believing the deaths to be caused by an estranged vampire.

Annual 2005 was a 48-page single issue of 30 Days of Night released in December 2005 by IDW. It tells the story of John Ikos leaving Barrow and going to Los Angeles in search of Agent Norris. While in Los Angeles, John Ikos meets Billy (from the "Dead Billy Dead" story in Bloodsucker Tales) and Dane, and does battle with a gang of vampires going by the name The Night Crew led by a vampire called Santana.

30 Days of Night: Dead Space - After a self-imposed hiatus following the tragic events of the last shuttle mission, NASA prepares to launch the Icarus on a simple mission to help restore the nation's confidence in the space program. But their worst fears are realized when it's discovered that something has gotten aboard the shuttle, something ferocious, something with fangs and a taste for blood.

30 Days of Night: Spreading the Disease - This new series picks up with Agent Michael Henson from the Dead Space series being sent off to exile in Alabama after trying to get people to take the vampire threat seriously. He is contacted by a mysterious caller that suggests the questions of ‘why someone would want to put a vampire in space’ still needed to be answered. So Henson takes the time he has before checking in at his new office to try and follow the fangs. This leads him into a much bigger and far more dangerous situation.

30 Days of Night: Eben and Stella - In the waning moments of Dark Days, Stella managed to bring her vampire husband Eben back from beyond, only he came back hungry. This miniseries fills in the black gaps between that tale and Return to Barrow. It is co-written by Steve Niles and Kelly Sue DeConnick and illustrated by Justin Randall.

30 Days of Night: Red Snow - 1941. Hitler's Operation Silver Fox has failed, but the war on the Eastern Front drags on as the Russian winter starts to bite. British military attaché Corporal Charlie Keating observes the war from the Soviet side, making sure crucial supplies get through to aid Stalin's front in the battle against the Nazis. With luck, he too will survive to see the end of the war. But something else is out there, and they're not the Nazis. No matter how hard humanity tries to kill itself, something else does it better. Written and illustrated by Ben Templesmith.

30 Days of Night: Beyond Barrow - After years of attacks, and several without, the citizens of Barrow have become united against random attacks on their city by the undead. Unfortunately the same does not apply outside of Barrow or the rest of the mysterious Arctic Circle. Written by Steve Niles and illustrated by Bill Sienkiewicz.

30 Days of Night: Film Tie-In - This is a novelization of the film based on the comic series. This release closely follows the story as it is told in the film.

30 Days of Night: Rumours of the Undead and 30 Days of Night: Immortal Remains - These are the first two original novels (not comic books) by writer Steve Niles, that expand the stories from the comic book series.

30 Days of Night: Blood of Christ - 3 issue mini - April Fool's Joke

Characters

Humans

Vampires

The Nosferatu were once ruled by a "Council of Elders" led by Vicente. When the Council decided to make themselves known to the human race, humanity rebelled and persecuted most of their race. After a millennium, only a handful survived led by Vicente.

Film adaptation and book series

Main article: 30 Days of Night (film)

A film adaptation of the original 30 Days of Night miniseries was produced by Columbia Pictures and Ghost House Productions. The screenplay went through several versions and writers, among them, Steve Niles and Stuart Beattie. The film was directed by David Slade and stars Hollywood actors Josh Hartnett and Melissa George. It was released on October 19, 2007 [1] and was filmed at Henderson Valley Studios in Auckland, New Zealand.

A series of 30 Days of Night prose novels are in production from IDW Publishing and Pocket Books. The first book, Rumors of the Undead by Steve Niles and Jeff Mariotte with a cover by Ben Templesmith was released in February, 2006 and the book 30 Days of Night: Immortal Remains has also been released. Additional novels are also expected to be collaborative works between Niles and Mariotte.

Collections

30 Days of Night was originally published as several miniseries of 22 page comic books from IDW Publishing. These single issues are now collected in several trade paperbacks, as well as hardcover collections.

  • 30 Days of Night paperback (published June 5, 2004, the first printing featured the autographs of Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith; collects 30 Days of Night 1-3)
    • 30 Days of Night hardcover (published December 6, 2004; collects 30 Days of Night 1-3)
    • The Complete 30 Days of Night hardcover (published January 10, 2004; collects 30 Days of Night 1-3)
  • Dark Days paperback (published April 25, 2004; collects Dark Days 1-6)
    • The Complete Dark Days hardcover (December 25, 2004; collects Dark Days 1-6)
  • 30 Days of Night: Return to Barrow paperback (published October, 2004; collects Return to Barrow 1-6)
    • 30 Days of Night: Return to Barrow hardcover (published October, 2004; collects Return to Barrow 1-6)
  • 30 Days of Night: Bloodsucker Tales paperback (published September 14, 2005; collects Bloodsucker Tales 1-8)
    • 30 Days of Night: Bloodsucker Tales hardcover (published August 25, 2005; collects Bloodsucker Tales 1-8)
  • 30 Days of Night: Three Tales paperback (published July 26, 2006; collects 30 Days of Night 2005 Annual, 30 Days of Night: Dead Space 1-3 and 30 Days of Night: Picking up the Pieces) ISBN 1933239921 [2]
    • 30 Days of Night 2005 Annual: The Journal of John Ikos Written by Steve Niles, art by Nat Jones.
    • 30 Days of Night: Dead Space Written by Steve Niles and Dan Wickline, art by Milx.
    • 30 Days of Night: Picking Up the Pieces Written by Steve Niles, art by Ben Templesmith
  • 30 Days of Night: Spreading the Disease paperback (published July 5, 2005 ISBN 1600100856) Written by Dan Wickline, art by Alex Sanchez.[3]
  • 30 Days of Night: Eben & Stella paperback (published November 15, 2007 ISBN 1600101070) Written by Steve Niles and Kelly DeConnick, art by Justin Randall.[4]
  • 30 Days of Night: Red Snow paperback (published January 15, 2008 ISBN 1600101496) Written and illustrated by Ben Templesmith. [5]
  • 30 Days of Night: Film Tie-In paperback (published 15 Oct 2007, ISBN 1416544976)
  • 30 Days of Night: Blood of Christ paperback (Advertised but not published on April 1, 2008; collects Blood of Christ 1-3) Written and illustrated by Ben Templesmith.

Awards

30 Days of Night: Return to Barrow garnered Steve Niles's and Ben Templesmith's first Eisner Award nominations in 2005. These included:

  • Nomination, best limited series
  • Nomination, best writer (Steve Niles)
  • Nomination, best painter/multimedia artist (Ben Templesmith)

References

Footnotes

  1. ^ 30 Days of Steve Niles, IGN, October 18, 2007
  2. ^ IDW page for 30 Days of Night: Three Tales
  3. ^ IDW page for 30 Days of Night: Spreading the Disease
  4. ^ IDW page for 30 Days of Night: Eben and Stella
  5. ^ IDW page for 30 Days of Night: Red Snow
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