Cool... just plain cool, 26 Sep 2008
I bought the Darkness video game that came out and really liked the source material, read up a bit on the Darkness on wikipedia and so decided I wanted to buy one of the graphic novels.

This on is great as it tells the origins of Jackie and the Darkness. My only complaint is that there are a few bits which are obviously in one of the spin offs or something as I seem to find in all these types of collections.

The artwork is gorgeous and the subject matter is bloody and violent.

Welcome to the twisted world of The Darkness..., 29 May 2007
Having never read any of Top Cow's 'The Darkness' comics before but having an interest in the upcoming next-gen game, I wasn't sure what I was in for with this Ultimate Collection. I certainly don't regret it and look forward to uncovering more of Jackie Estacado's story, and now I'm almost over-hyped about the game!

This collection includes the comic's origin story, "Coming of Age", where protagonist Jackie inherits the gift/curse of The Darkness, which grants him terrifying ancient powers. There is also another story arc included, titled "Resurrection" - the basis for the game where Jackie sets out to clean up his mafia 'family' and free it from the grip of its current tyrannic boss. Covers are included for each volume, plus an alternate covers and game concept art section at the back.

The artwork is stunning, several different artists feature throughout the collection and the differing styles are impressive, the frames laid out interestingly (if a little confusingly on a couple of occasions), the writing top notch and the characters fascinating. Jackie is a classic anti-hero, having been raised in the mafia as a hitman he is well-suited to the evil powers he is given access to, but he has a caring side as well and is pretty damn stylish to boot.

I would heartily recommend this collection to anybody interested in the game, comics in general, or dark and complex stories. In addition to the great content, it's a quality book, beautifully presented and it just feels shiny. It's a great introduction to The Darkness and will leave you hungry for more.

Cool... just plain cool, 26 Sep 2008
I bought the Darkness video game that came out and really liked the source material, read up a bit on the Darkness on wikipedia and so decided I wanted to buy one of the graphic novels.

This on is great as it tells the origins of Jackie and the Darkness. My only complaint is that there are a few bits which are obviously in one of the spin offs or something as I seem to find in all these types of collections.

The artwork is gorgeous and the subject matter is bloody and violent.

Welcome to the twisted world of The Darkness..., 29 May 2007
Having never read any of Top Cow's 'The Darkness' comics before but having an interest in the upcoming next-gen game, I wasn't sure what I was in for with this Ultimate Collection. I certainly don't regret it and look forward to uncovering more of Jackie Estacado's story, and now I'm almost over-hyped about the game!

This collection includes the comic's origin story, "Coming of Age", where protagonist Jackie inherits the gift/curse of The Darkness, which grants him terrifying ancient powers. There is also another story arc included, titled "Resurrection" - the basis for the game where Jackie sets out to clean up his mafia 'family' and free it from the grip of its current tyrannic boss. Covers are included for each volume, plus an alternate covers and game concept art section at the back.

The artwork is stunning, several different artists feature throughout the collection and the differing styles are impressive, the frames laid out interestingly (if a little confusingly on a couple of occasions), the writing top notch and the characters fascinating. Jackie is a classic anti-hero, having been raised in the mafia as a hitman he is well-suited to the evil powers he is given access to, but he has a caring side as well and is pretty damn stylish to boot.

I would heartily recommend this collection to anybody interested in the game, comics in general, or dark and complex stories. In addition to the great content, it's a quality book, beautifully presented and it just feels shiny. It's a great introduction to The Darkness and will leave you hungry for more.

Jackie Estacado. Man, Myth, Legend., 03 Jul 2004
Right, now where to start? At the beginning i suppose, though thats rather boring. This is the story of a mafia hitman, who upon his 21st birthday discovers that his family is the recipient of an ancient power known as the darkness. There are good things and bad things about this situation.
Good things:
1)He is able to create anything(as long as he can understand it)
2)He is immortal(well to some that would be a plus)
3)He can call forth demons to do his bidding
4)He has a really cool suit type thing(symbiote like i suppose)
Bad things:
1)It only works in the dark, in daylight he's a regular guy
2)He's being stalked by a crazy angel type thing and a brotherhood of crazy monks
3)One of the monks is totally obssesed with him(in the totally wrong way, though sometimes he's a help)
4)..and this is the big one,If he impregnates a woman and she gives birth the power goes to the baby and he dies on the spot. Considering that Jackie prides himself on his way with women, and that's his favourite passtime..well you can see how that could piss someone off eh? The art is great, the story is great, the characters..especially Wenders and The Butcher(who doesnt work in a butchers shop) are brilliant. I reckon this dude could take Batman(though i havnt read the crossover and only at night) and believe me i dont say that lightly...Bats decked Superman, and could probably take down Galactus alone. Anyway buy this, then heart of darkness, Family ties(with witchblade)spear of darkness and finally ressurection. Shame they didnt publish the rest of the first series.

Cool... just plain cool, 26 Sep 2008
I bought the Darkness video game that came out and really liked the source material, read up a bit on the Darkness on wikipedia and so decided I wanted to buy one of the graphic novels.

This on is great as it tells the origins of Jackie and the Darkness. My only complaint is that there are a few bits which are obviously in one of the spin offs or something as I seem to find in all these types of collections.

The artwork is gorgeous and the subject matter is bloody and violent.

Welcome to the twisted world of The Darkness..., 29 May 2007
Having never read any of Top Cow's 'The Darkness' comics before but having an interest in the upcoming next-gen game, I wasn't sure what I was in for with this Ultimate Collection. I certainly don't regret it and look forward to uncovering more of Jackie Estacado's story, and now I'm almost over-hyped about the game!

This collection includes the comic's origin story, "Coming of Age", where protagonist Jackie inherits the gift/curse of The Darkness, which grants him terrifying ancient powers. There is also another story arc included, titled "Resurrection" - the basis for the game where Jackie sets out to clean up his mafia 'family' and free it from the grip of its current tyrannic boss. Covers are included for each volume, plus an alternate covers and game concept art section at the back.

The artwork is stunning, several different artists feature throughout the collection and the differing styles are impressive, the frames laid out interestingly (if a little confusingly on a couple of occasions), the writing top notch and the characters fascinating. Jackie is a classic anti-hero, having been raised in the mafia as a hitman he is well-suited to the evil powers he is given access to, but he has a caring side as well and is pretty damn stylish to boot.

I would heartily recommend this collection to anybody interested in the game, comics in general, or dark and complex stories. In addition to the great content, it's a quality book, beautifully presented and it just feels shiny. It's a great introduction to The Darkness and will leave you hungry for more.

Jackie Estacado. Man, Myth, Legend., 03 Jul 2004
Right, now where to start? At the beginning i suppose, though thats rather boring. This is the story of a mafia hitman, who upon his 21st birthday discovers that his family is the recipient of an ancient power known as the darkness. There are good things and bad things about this situation.
Good things:
1)He is able to create anything(as long as he can understand it)
2)He is immortal(well to some that would be a plus)
3)He can call forth demons to do his bidding
4)He has a really cool suit type thing(symbiote like i suppose)
Bad things:
1)It only works in the dark, in daylight he's a regular guy
2)He's being stalked by a crazy angel type thing and a brotherhood of crazy monks
3)One of the monks is totally obssesed with him(in the totally wrong way, though sometimes he's a help)
4)..and this is the big one,If he impregnates a woman and she gives birth the power goes to the baby and he dies on the spot. Considering that Jackie prides himself on his way with women, and that's his favourite passtime..well you can see how that could piss someone off eh? The art is great, the story is great, the characters..especially Wenders and The Butcher(who doesnt work in a butchers shop) are brilliant. I reckon this dude could take Batman(though i havnt read the crossover and only at night) and believe me i dont say that lightly...Bats decked Superman, and could probably take down Galactus alone. Anyway buy this, then heart of darkness, Family ties(with witchblade)spear of darkness and finally ressurection. Shame they didnt publish the rest of the first series.

Books 4-6 in the Jack Fleming, Vampire PI series, 21 Aug 2007
This is a collection of books 4-6 in the Jack Fleming, Vampire PI series and contains entertaining supernatural stories which leaven the 'vampire' moments with the humanity of our bloodsucking protagonist, Jack. He's a great hero because he's fallible, seems to get shot and knocked out rather regularly, cares for his girlfriend Bobbi and his friend Charles Escott and tends to blunder around not being quite sure what he's doing a lot of the time. Perhaps his blundering and being shot may pall over time but at the moment it makes for a very different, and very likeable, hero.


ART IN THE BLOOD
"Art in the Blood" sees Jack coming to the rescue of a man at a party and then being sucked into problems within the art world. Alex Adrian was a famous artist but hasn't done anything since his wife committed suicide; Evan Robley and his sister Sandra are also artists and when more suspicious events start taking place, including a death for which Alex Adrian might be responsible, Jack and Escott have to unravel the plot and work out what's really going on. The Chicago underworld plays its part as usual with more dodgy characters who have it in for Jack and Escott.

This story gives us more of an insight into the relationship between Jack and Bobbi as well as Jack needing to use his powers of vampire hypnosis more and more, leading to more people finding out what he truly is. It's another great read with a lighthearted feel and yet sometimes a darker undertone.


FIRE IN THE BLOOD
The first page in this book is great fun as we meet Jack apparently stripping Olivia Vandemore's evening gown from her and about to sacrifice her on an altar to Sabajajji, the Spider God. Fortunately this is just part of the novel he is writing rather than reality - although reality for Jack Fleming, Vampire PI, is often as bloodthirsty as this novel.

Jack and Charles Escott, Private Agent, are summoned to see Mr Sebastian Pierce, a rich retired Chicago man who tasks them to find a valuable bracelet that his daughter's boyfriend or a friend of his may have stolen. Jack finds himself shadowing the daughter to Bobbi's club and soon enough they stumble into murder and mayhem. A new member of the Chicago Underground, Vaughn Kyler, comes into play in this book and he's a particularly creepy individual who is resistant to Jack's vampire hypnosis. This book also sees the darker side of Jack having an outing after an episode of hypnotising goes rather wrong. Once again Jack finds himself in dodgy situations and only escapes by the skin of his teeth - is this ability going to pall any time soon?

The ending of this book is rather open and in fact leads directly into the next story, "Blood on the Water", although fortunately this episode does reach some sort of a conclusion. However Jack's rather more off balance in this book because of the darker side of his powers and we are learning more about him through it. Another great episode in this excellent series - a series that it probably pays to read in order.


BLOOD ON THE WATER
This story starts directly after "Fire In The Blood" and I think it would probably be rather difficult to understand everything that's going on, along with the fairly large cast of characters, without reading some of the previous books.

Jack Fleming, Vampire, had a bit of a shock in the last book when his vampiric nature got away from him and he nearly killed a woman. He's still struggling with the aftermath of those events in this story and is unwilling to use his hypnosis skills but equally doesn't want to talk about it to the rather perceptive Charles Escott, his partner.

The 'baddie', Vaughn Kyler, who we first met in the last book plays a significant role in the beginning of this story when he gives Jack the ultimatum to leave town or die. This gives Jack huge moral qualms - Jack knows that if he doesn't kill Kyler then neither Charles nor Bobbi will be safe, and yet how can he become a murderer? I think the way that the author showed Jack's fears about this was excellent.

In this story everyone is still chasing the bracelet from the last book and Jack enlists the help of Gordy, another local crime boss who's helped them in the past. Unfortunately a turf war seems to be breaking out with a new entrant, Angela Paco, playing her part as well. The three-sided war looks to be unstoppable and Jack has to decide on his actions with Kyler.

Once again, as in most of the other stories, Jack gets himself into various fixes and nearly dies. His physical limits are tested in a new way and there is more violence surrounding him. In the earlier books there was a lot of situation comedy where Jack was acting like a ghost and it happens again, very amusingly, in this book. However the turf war in this book lends it a darker feel and no doubt sets up for further instalments.

In short, it's another good read and we're getting further and further into Jack's character as the stories continue but this wouldn't be a good first book for a reader in this series.

Cool... just plain cool, 26 Sep 2008
I bought the Darkness video game that came out and really liked the source material, read up a bit on the Darkness on wikipedia and so decided I wanted to buy one of the graphic novels.

This on is great as it tells the origins of Jackie and the Darkness. My only complaint is that there are a few bits which are obviously in one of the spin offs or something as I seem to find in all these types of collections.

The artwork is gorgeous and the subject matter is bloody and violent.

Welcome to the twisted world of The Darkness..., 29 May 2007
Having never read any of Top Cow's 'The Darkness' comics before but having an interest in the upcoming next-gen game, I wasn't sure what I was in for with this Ultimate Collection. I certainly don't regret it and look forward to uncovering more of Jackie Estacado's story, and now I'm almost over-hyped about the game!

This collection includes the comic's origin story, "Coming of Age", where protagonist Jackie inherits the gift/curse of The Darkness, which grants him terrifying ancient powers. There is also another story arc included, titled "Resurrection" - the basis for the game where Jackie sets out to clean up his mafia 'family' and free it from the grip of its current tyrannic boss. Covers are included for each volume, plus an alternate covers and game concept art section at the back.

The artwork is stunning, several different artists feature throughout the collection and the differing styles are impressive, the frames laid out interestingly (if a little confusingly on a couple of occasions), the writing top notch and the characters fascinating. Jackie is a classic anti-hero, having been raised in the mafia as a hitman he is well-suited to the evil powers he is given access to, but he has a caring side as well and is pretty damn stylish to boot.

I would heartily recommend this collection to anybody interested in the game, comics in general, or dark and complex stories. In addition to the great content, it's a quality book, beautifully presented and it just feels shiny. It's a great introduction to The Darkness and will leave you hungry for more.

Jackie Estacado. Man, Myth, Legend., 03 Jul 2004
Right, now where to start? At the beginning i suppose, though thats rather boring. This is the story of a mafia hitman, who upon his 21st birthday discovers that his family is the recipient of an ancient power known as the darkness. There are good things and bad things about this situation.
Good things:
1)He is able to create anything(as long as he can understand it)
2)He is immortal(well to some that would be a plus)
3)He can call forth demons to do his bidding
4)He has a really cool suit type thing(symbiote like i suppose)
Bad things:
1)It only works in the dark, in daylight he's a regular guy
2)He's being stalked by a crazy angel type thing and a brotherhood of crazy monks
3)One of the monks is totally obssesed with him(in the totally wrong way, though sometimes he's a help)
4)..and this is the big one,If he impregnates a woman and she gives birth the power goes to the baby and he dies on the spot. Considering that Jackie prides himself on his way with women, and that's his favourite passtime..well you can see how that could piss someone off eh? The art is great, the story is great, the characters..especially Wenders and The Butcher(who doesnt work in a butchers shop) are brilliant. I reckon this dude could take Batman(though i havnt read the crossover and only at night) and believe me i dont say that lightly...Bats decked Superman, and could probably take down Galactus alone. Anyway buy this, then heart of darkness, Family ties(with witchblade)spear of darkness and finally ressurection. Shame they didnt publish the rest of the first series.

Books 4-6 in the Jack Fleming, Vampire PI series, 21 Aug 2007
This is a collection of books 4-6 in the Jack Fleming, Vampire PI series and contains entertaining supernatural stories which leaven the 'vampire' moments with the humanity of our bloodsucking protagonist, Jack. He's a great hero because he's fallible, seems to get shot and knocked out rather regularly, cares for his girlfriend Bobbi and his friend Charles Escott and tends to blunder around not being quite sure what he's doing a lot of the time. Perhaps his blundering and being shot may pall over time but at the moment it makes for a very different, and very likeable, hero.


ART IN THE BLOOD
"Art in the Blood" sees Jack coming to the rescue of a man at a party and then being sucked into problems within the art world. Alex Adrian was a famous artist but hasn't done anything since his wife committed suicide; Evan Robley and his sister Sandra are also artists and when more suspicious events start taking place, including a death for which Alex Adrian might be responsible, Jack and Escott have to unravel the plot and work out what's really going on. The Chicago underworld plays its part as usual with more dodgy characters who have it in for Jack and Escott.

This story gives us more of an insight into the relationship between Jack and Bobbi as well as Jack needing to use his powers of vampire hypnosis more and more, leading to more people finding out what he truly is. It's another great read with a lighthearted feel and yet sometimes a darker undertone.


FIRE IN THE BLOOD
The first page in this book is great fun as we meet Jack apparently stripping Olivia Vandemore's evening gown from her and about to sacrifice her on an altar to Sabajajji, the Spider God. Fortunately this is just part of the novel he is writing rather than reality - although reality for Jack Fleming, Vampire PI, is often as bloodthirsty as this novel.

Jack and Charles Escott, Private Agent, are summoned to see Mr Sebastian Pierce, a rich retired Chicago man who tasks them to find a valuable bracelet that his daughter's boyfriend or a friend of his may have stolen. Jack finds himself shadowing the daughter to Bobbi's club and soon enough they stumble into murder and mayhem. A new member of the Chicago Underground, Vaughn Kyler, comes into play in this book and he's a particularly creepy individual who is resistant to Jack's vampire hypnosis. This book also sees the darker side of Jack having an outing after an episode of hypnotising goes rather wrong. Once again Jack finds himself in dodgy situations and only escapes by the skin of his teeth - is this ability going to pall any time soon?

The ending of this book is rather open and in fact leads directly into the next story, "Blood on the Water", although fortunately this episode does reach some sort of a conclusion. However Jack's rather more off balance in this book because of the darker side of his powers and we are learning more about him through it. Another great episode in this excellent series - a series that it probably pays to read in order.


BLOOD ON THE WATER
This story starts directly after "Fire In The Blood" and I think it would probably be rather difficult to understand everything that's going on, along with the fairly large cast of characters, without reading some of the previous books.

Jack Fleming, Vampire, had a bit of a shock in the last book when his vampiric nature got away from him and he nearly killed a woman. He's still struggling with the aftermath of those events in this story and is unwilling to use his hypnosis skills but equally doesn't want to talk about it to the rather perceptive Charles Escott, his partner.

The 'baddie', Vaughn Kyler, who we first met in the last book plays a significant role in the beginning of this story when he gives Jack the ultimatum to leave town or die. This gives Jack huge moral qualms - Jack knows that if he doesn't kill Kyler then neither Charles nor Bobbi will be safe, and yet how can he become a murderer? I think the way that the author showed Jack's fears about this was excellent.

In this story everyone is still chasing the bracelet from the last book and Jack enlists the help of Gordy, another local crime boss who's helped them in the past. Unfortunately a turf war seems to be breaking out with a new entrant, Angela Paco, playing her part as well. The three-sided war looks to be unstoppable and Jack has to decide on his actions with Kyler.

Once again, as in most of the other stories, Jack gets himself into various fixes and nearly dies. His physical limits are tested in a new way and there is more violence surrounding him. In the earlier books there was a lot of situation comedy where Jack was acting like a ghost and it happens again, very amusingly, in this book. However the turf war in this book lends it a darker feel and no doubt sets up for further instalments.

In short, it's another good read and we're getting further and further into Jack's character as the stories continue but this wouldn't be a good first book for a reader in this series.


First three in the Jack Fleming, Vampire PI series, 01 Aug 2007
PN Elrod's "Jack Fleming, Vampire PI" series is a great read with humour and a fantastic setting in 1930s Chicago with film noir aspects. This collection of the first three stories is excellent value for money.

BLOODLIST
The story begins with "Bloodlist" where we meet Jack Fleming waking up having crawled out of the sea. No sooner has he staggered to the road when a passing driver clips him with his bumper - clearly on purpose. Jack finds himself in discussion with the car driver and discovers that he is supposed to be dead, killed because he wouldn't tell people where an important list was hidden.

Jack realises pretty quickly that he has become a vampire. Fortunately he knows about the vampire life, having had a vampire girlfriend previously, and he prepares his life accordingly (fetching some of his home earth, finding somewhere safe to sleep the day, feeding from the stockyards). Elrod gives her own particular selection of traits to vampires - garlic, crosses and invitations into rooms don't work, disappearing, extra strength and glamour do. What's fun about this story is that we learn about Jack's skills and nature as he does and because he's clearly not evil, just a pleasant and friendly ex-reporter who wants to get to the bottom of his own death.

Chicago is a city of gangsters and other dodgy types in this story and Jack falls foul of several of them. What's great about Jack as a character is that if he were fully human he would have died multiple times as he really isn't quite up to dealing with these characters. However his vampire nature gets him out of a lot of sticky situations and also enables him to have a great time scaring some of the people who were involved in his death. Assisted by the trusty Charles Escott, a brave private agent and sometime actor, the two of them try to find out why Jack was killed and what was on the list. In the course of their investigations Jack meets Bobbi, girlfriend to one of the gangsters and a surprisingly phlegmatic person who seems able to cope with his vampiric nature.

There are a lot of amusing jokes and allusions to various books and films which went over the head of this relatively young English reader but that didn't matter as the story was always enjoyable. The best parts are when Jack is 'haunting' his killers but the fun is interspersed with some serious moments as he slowly begins to remember all that they did to him and to come to terms with his new nature.

This is an excellent first story in the series and Jack is a great new character, both as a vampire and also as a slightly hapless investigator.

LIFEBLOOD
The second story, "Lifeblood", takes place just a few weeks after the first story finishes. Jack and Bobbi have settled into some kind of a relationship and Jack also spends some of his time helping Escott with his private investigations. However they soon decide that it would be wise for Jack to have some more of his home earth stored at Escott's place in case he has a problem with returning to his hotel room so Jack drives 'home' to Ohio to collect it. On the way he realises he is being followed and eventually has a showdown with the two people in the car - vampire hunters. They're obviously both rather loony and have read far too many vampire novels, thinking that they are safe from Jack with their garlic and crosses. He gives them a flat tyre and then continues on his way.

Once he's collected the earth he passes his parents' house to find the vampire hunters are there. He chases them off, then returns to Chicago but worried about his parents. Unfortunately he hasn't completely escaped the vampire hunters and they start to plague him in Chicago; he's worried about Bobbi and whether they will go after her. His attention is also taken by an old woman, Gaylen Dumont, who has responded to his adverts in the papers asking for Maureen to contact him (Maureen is his lost love and the vampire who made him). Gaylen is Maureen's sister, now 74 years old, and she gives Escott some information which might help him to find Maureen. However there's more to Gaylen than Jack initially realises and more danger to Bobbi than just from the vampire hunters. Jack is faced with an impossible situation, one that he realises Maureen found herself in, and it's only with the help of Escott his friend that he can survive at all.

This story is more gritty perhaps than the first as we have more emotional engagement from Jack. Being a vampire makes him mostly bombproof but it doesn't mean that he isn't extremely vulnerable because of the friendships he has made and because of his family. The story is always interesting with some great humorous touches and Jack as a character is always very appealing. I found that as a reader I really cared about what happened to him and wanted things to work out well for him. It's a great second book in the series and possibly could be read as a standalone book although it might seem rather complex. The ending leaves the question of Maureen still unresolved and this is dealt with more fully in the third book.

BLOODCIRCLE
The third story, "Bloodcircle", continues straight from where "Lifeblood" left off. Jack Fleming, vampire investigator, and his assistant/boss Charles Escott are still trying to find out what happened to Maureen Dumont, the female vampire that made Jack. She disappeared five years ago when realising her sister Gaylen was going to force her to make her a vampire. Jack and Charles have a small clue to follow about Maureen's disappearance so they set off on a trip to New York State to follow the clue.

Eventually their search takes them to a rich household of the reclusive lady Emily Francher whose mother died in strange circumstances. Jack goes to investigate and soon discovers that Emily's gigolo lover is rather more significant than he might seem. They follow more clues which culminate in Jack being seriously injured and with a very amusing scene where Charles appears to be a body snatcher. The unmasking of the villain and the explanation of what really happened five years before is no great surprise but is well written and enjoyable nonetheless.

In this episode of the Vampire PI series we learn more and more about Jack's personality, particularly with regard to his morals and his feelings. There are some really interesting little vignettes into his thoughts, for example when seeing coffins sized for children when he is in the funeral parlour. Jack's about as far from the traditional view of the evil vampire as it's possible to get and yet he also has to drink blood and carries out mind control on people. The scene where he's trying to find a meal in a farmyard is an amusing episode amongst some of the darker events of the story.

Again this is a great read, like the two previous stories, and it seems like P N Elrod has settled well into her characters and is slowly revealing more and more about them. It's a most enjoyable series and a welcome change from the usual overblown and sex-obsessed vampire genre tale.

The opening trio of adventures of Jack Fleming, Vampire P.I., 02 Feb 2005
In literature and popular culture there are the Bram Stoker vampires of Dracula, the Anne Rice vampires like Lestat, Louis and Armand, and the Joss Whedon vampires of Angelus, Spike and the Master. A distant, but by no means a poor relation, are the vampires of P. N. Elrod. "The Vampire Files" collects the first three novels in the Jack Fleming, Vampire P.I. series, where a slightly different type of vampire inhabits the film noir world of the hardboiled detective.

"Bloodlist" introduces us to Jack Fleming, who does not remember how he became a vampire let alone how he ended up dead, which lends an air of mystery to "Bloodlist." Jack was (is?) a reporter, so he sets about to learn who wanted (wants?) him dead. Fortunately, shortly after waking up on the beach a goon tries to run him down and tells Jack, after some encouragement, that he had some sort of list that is important enough for some gangster types to want him dead. Unfortunately, Jack remembers none of this. Allied with Charles Escott, an eccentric private investigator and former actor who is fascinated by Jack's current, ah, condition, our hero gets closer and closer to solving one of this two burning mysteries. Along the way he makes the acquaintance of Bobbi, a beautiful singer at one of the clubs and the current "girlfriend" of one of the bad guys. But even dead, Jack knows how to show a lady a good time. More importantly, eventually he gets to remember every excruciating detail of his "death."

"Bloodlist" certainly establishes the potential for this series, which as even Jack notices is more reminiscent of the Shadow than Dracula; the best parts of this book are when Jack uses his new powers to toy with the bad guys. Jack is a vampire, but since he feeds his blood lust at the Chicago Stockyards and is still trying to learn the ropes about being one of the undead he qualifies as being a "good" vampire. As a faithful sidekick, Escott is a unique combination of elements from a lot of literary ancestors, while Bobbi makes an interesting love interest for our hero simply because she does not bat an eye at Jack's unique approach to love making. The Vampire Files is clearly a series that is going to rest on the strength of the three main characters and she has certainly given herself something to build upon. Plus, there is that other mystery to solve as to how he ended up undead.

The first novel is the weakest of the three, only because the film noir aspects are not as strong as the developing idea of vampires the first time around. In "Lifeblood" vampire hunters are after Jack, as "The Vampire Files" kicks into high gear. Nice guy vampire Jack Fleming is still getting used to being one of the undead, helping his friend Charles Escott with a few investigations and trying to build some sort of happy live with Bobbi Smythe. However, his "life" is suddenly facing a couple of major complications. First, a pair of fairly incompetent but nonetheless deadly vampire hunters are on his trail. They do not know that crosses and silver do not bother our hero, but there is no reason for Jack to tell them that. Second, he has finally had a response from the ads he has been placing for Maureen in newspapers around the country and meets Gaylen Dumont, an old woman who claims to be his beloved Maureen's younger sister. Yes, it seems that Maureen is the vampire who sired Jack, and now Gaylen wants a small favor from our hero.

Elrod has a much better feel for the bad guys (and gals) this time around that she did with the gangsters. The practical side of being a vampire has been pretty much worked out in terms of what parts of what everybody knows about vampires, courtesy of Bram Stoker's "Dracula," are actually true. But what I like is that the practical realities of being a vampire are central to the story Elrod is telling. There is also a harder edge to this story, with the more gruesome elements balancing the comic confrontations a bit more than in the previous volume. It is clear that we are in the beginning of a lengthy tale to be told and I appreciate a writer who wants to take their time in telling their tale well.

In the third offering, "Bloodcircle," Jack finally finds out the truth about Maureen. After cleaning up a few loose ends from their previous adventure, Jack and Escott try to uncover what happened to Maureen, Jack's former lover and vampire sire, when she disappeared five years ago. Apparently on that night she was at the estate of Miss Emily Francher, whose personal assistant Jonathan Barrett not only turns out to be a 160-year-old vampire, but also is revealed to be the one who sired Maureen. With plenty of in-jokes for those who still remember the soap opera "Dark Shadows," P. N. Elrod follows our hero and his faithful human companion as they seek to solve the mystery of Maureen's disappearance, which has been haunting Jack for years. Once again, Elrod saves the best for last, as the climatic chapters of this novel elevate the story line to a new level. What I continue to appreciate with these novels are not only how Elrod deals with the practical aspects of being a vampire, especially once they are staked, but how Jack never responds in a predictable manner.

I also like the fact that "Bloodcircle," like its two predecessors in "The Vampire Files," are clearly part of a larger story, always "to be continued" and always compelling our continued interest. These books are fun reads, perfect for a day at the beach or living the commuter lifestyle, even when they come three to a volume as is the case with this collection. Elrod has created a rather different but still entertaining type of vampire, and even got around to trying to integrate her vampires with Bram Stokers in "Quincey Morris, Vampire." However, you should start here, with Jack Fleming, before moving on to that particular vampiric tidbit.

new vamp, 17 Nov 2003
Having heard that this author is alegedly one of the best vampire writers, I was eager to read this book, but was unable to get hold of any copies anywhere! So i was delighted to find this new compilation of 3 books, and a very good book it was. The idea of a new vampire having to learn how to use his skills was interesting and finding a friend and boss to help find his old girlfriend(who made him into a vamp) cool. If you like the old films about private dicks in america (ie the thin man)and some good mysteries, then you'll like this, also not all badies are so bad, some end up helping to hide the bodies of the really bad guys.Although more humour would of helped this book,the concept was different than most vamp book around now and i am eagerly waiting for more to be available. Thanks for reading my first book review

Cool... just plain cool, 26 Sep 2008
I bought the Darkness video game that came out and really liked the source material, read up a bit on the Darkness on wikipedia and so decided I wanted to buy one of the graphic novels.

This on is great as it tells the origins of Jackie and the Darkness. My only complaint is that there are a few bits which are obviously in one of the spin offs or something as I seem to find in all these types of collections.

The artwork is gorgeous and the subject matter is bloody and violent.

Welcome to the twisted world of The Darkness..., 29 May 2007
Having never read any of Top Cow's 'The Darkness' comics before but having an interest in the upcoming next-gen game, I wasn't sure what I was in for with this Ultimate Collection. I certainly don't regret it and look forward to uncovering more of Jackie Estacado's story, and now I'm almost over-hyped about the game!

This collection includes the comic's origin story, "Coming of Age", where protagonist Jackie inherits the gift/curse of The Darkness, which grants him terrifying ancient powers. There is also another story arc included, titled "Resurrection" - the basis for the game where Jackie sets out to clean up his mafia 'family' and free it from the grip of its current tyrannic boss. Covers are included for each volume, plus an alternate covers and game concept art section at the back.

The artwork is stunning, several different artists feature throughout the collection and the differing styles are impressive, the frames laid out interestingly (if a little confusingly on a couple of occasions), the writing top notch and the characters fascinating. Jackie is a classic anti-hero, having been raised in the mafia as a hitman he is well-suited to the evil powers he is given access to, but he has a caring side as well and is pretty damn stylish to boot.

I would heartily recommend this collection to anybody interested in the game, comics in general, or dark and complex stories. In addition to the great content, it's a quality book, beautifully presented and it just feels shiny. It's a great introduction to The Darkness and will leave you hungry for more.

Jackie Estacado. Man, Myth, Legend., 03 Jul 2004
Right, now where to start? At the beginning i suppose, though thats rather boring. This is the story of a mafia hitman, who upon his 21st birthday discovers that his family is the recipient of an ancient power known as the darkness. There are good things and bad things about this situation.
Good things:
1)He is able to create anything(as long as he can understand it)
2)He is immortal(well to some that would be a plus)
3)He can call forth demons to do his bidding
4)He has a really cool suit type thing(symbiote like i suppose)
Bad things:
1)It only works in the dark, in daylight he's a regular guy
2)He's being stalked by a crazy angel type thing and a brotherhood of crazy monks
3)One of the monks is totally obssesed with him(in the totally wrong way, though sometimes he's a help)
4)..and this is the big one,If he impregnates a woman and she gives birth the power goes to the baby and he dies on the spot. Considering that Jackie prides himself on his way with women, and that's his favourite passtime..well you can see how that could piss someone off eh? The art is great, the story is great, the characters..especially Wenders and The Butcher(who doesnt work in a butchers shop) are brilliant. I reckon this dude could take Batman(though i havnt read the crossover and only at night) and believe me i dont say that lightly...Bats decked Superman, and could probably take down Galactus alone. Anyway buy this, then heart of darkness, Family ties(with witchblade)spear of darkness and finally ressurection. Shame they didnt publish the rest of the first series.

Books 4-6 in the Jack Fleming, Vampire PI series, 21 Aug 2007
This is a collection of books 4-6 in the Jack Fleming, Vampire PI series and contains entertaining supernatural stories which leaven the 'vampire' moments with the humanity of our bloodsucking protagonist, Jack. He's a great hero because he's fallible, seems to get shot and knocked out rather regularly, cares for his girlfriend Bobbi and his friend Charles Escott and tends to blunder around not being quite sure what he's doing a lot of the time. Perhaps his blundering and being shot may pall over time but at the moment it makes for a very different, and very likeable, hero.


ART IN THE BLOOD
"Art in the Blood" sees Jack coming to the rescue of a man at a party and then being sucked into problems within the art world. Alex Adrian was a famous artist but hasn't done anything since his wife committed suicide; Evan Robley and his sister Sandra are also artists and when more suspicious events start taking place, including a death for which Alex Adrian might be responsible, Jack and Escott have to unravel the plot and work out what's really going on. The Chicago underworld plays its part as usual with more dodgy characters who have it in for Jack and Escott.

This story gives us more of an insight into the relationship between Jack and Bobbi as well as Jack needing to use his powers of vampire hypnosis more and more, leading to more people finding out what he truly is. It's another great read with a lighthearted feel and yet sometimes a darker undertone.


FIRE IN THE BLOOD
The first page in this book is great fun as we meet Jack apparently stripping Olivia Vandemore's evening gown from her and about to sacrifice her on an altar to Sabajajji, the Spider God. Fortunately this is just part of the novel he is writing rather than reality - although reality for Jack Fleming, Vampire PI, is often as bloodthirsty as this novel.

Jack and Charles Escott, Private Agent, are summoned to see Mr Sebastian Pierce, a rich retired Chicago man who tasks them to find a valuable bracelet that his daughter's boyfriend or a friend of his may have stolen. Jack finds himself shadowing the daughter to Bobbi's club and soon enough they stumble into murder and mayhem. A new member of the Chicago Underground, Vaughn Kyler, comes into play in this book and he's a particularly creepy individual who is resistant to Jack's vampire hypnosis. This book also sees the darker side of Jack having an outing after an episode of hypnotising goes rather wrong. Once again Jack finds himself in dodgy situations and only escapes by the skin of his teeth - is this ability going to pall any time soon?

The ending of this book is rather open and in fact leads directly into the next story, "Blood on the Water", although fortunately this episode does reach some sort of a conclusion. However Jack's rather more off balance in this book because of the darker side of his powers and we are learning more about him through it. Another great episode in this excellent series - a series that it probably pays to read in order.


BLOOD ON THE WATER
This story starts directly after "Fire In The Blood" and I think it would probably be rather difficult to understand everything that's going on, along with the fairly large cast of characters, without reading some of the previous books.

Jack Fleming, Vampire, had a bit of a shock in the last book when his vampiric nature got away from him and he nearly killed a woman. He's still struggling with the aftermath of those events in this story and is unwilling to use his hypnosis skills but equally doesn't want to talk about it to the rather perceptive Charles Escott, his partner.

The 'baddie', Vaughn Kyler, who we first met in the last book plays a significant role in the beginning of this story when he gives Jack the ultimatum to leave town or die. This gives Jack huge moral qualms - Jack knows that if he doesn't kill Kyler then neither Charles nor Bobbi will be safe, and yet how can he become a murderer? I think the way that the author showed Jack's fears about this was excellent.

In this story everyone is still chasing the bracelet from the last book and Jack enlists the help of Gordy, another local crime boss who's helped them in the past. Unfortunately a turf war seems to be breaking out with a new entrant, Angela Paco, playing her part as well. The three-sided war looks to be unstoppable and Jack has to decide on his actions with Kyler.

Once again, as in most of the other stories, Jack gets himself into various fixes and nearly dies. His physical limits are tested in a new way and there is more violence surrounding him. In the earlier books there was a lot of situation comedy where Jack was acting like a ghost and it happens again, very amusingly, in this book. However the turf war in this book lends it a darker feel and no doubt sets up for further instalments.

In short, it's another good read and we're getting further and further into Jack's character as the stories continue but this wouldn't be a good first book for a reader in this series.


First three in the Jack Fleming, Vampire PI series, 01 Aug 2007
PN Elrod's "Jack Fleming, Vampire PI" series is a great read with humour and a fantastic setting in 1930s Chicago with film noir aspects. This collection of the first three stories is excellent value for money.

BLOODLIST
The story begins with "Bloodlist" where we meet Jack Fleming waking up having crawled out of the sea. No sooner has he staggered to the road when a passing driver clips him with his bumper - clearly on purpose. Jack finds himself in discussion with the car driver and discovers that he is supposed to be dead, killed because he wouldn't tell people where an important list was hidden.

Jack realises pretty quickly that he has become a vampire. Fortunately he knows about the vampire life, having had a vampire girlfriend previously, and he prepares his life accordingly (fetching some of his home earth, finding somewhere safe to sleep the day, feeding from the stockyards). Elrod gives her own particular selection of traits to vampires - garlic, crosses and invitations into rooms don't work, disappearing, extra strength and glamour do. What's fun about this story is that we learn about Jack's skills and nature as he does and because he's clearly not evil, just a pleasant and friendly ex-reporter who wants to get to the bottom of his own death.

Chicago is a city of gangsters and other dodgy types in this story and Jack falls foul of several of them. What's great about Jack as a character is that if he were fully human he would have died multiple times as he really isn't quite up to dealing with these characters. However his vampire nature gets him out of a lot of sticky situations and also enables him to have a great time scaring some of the people who were involved in his death. Assisted by the trusty Charles Escott, a brave private agent and sometime actor, the two of them try to find out why Jack was killed and what was on the list. In the course of their investigations Jack meets Bobbi, girlfriend to one of the gangsters and a surprisingly phlegmatic person who seems able to cope with his vampiric nature.

There are a lot of amusing jokes and allusions to various books and films which went over the head of this relatively young English reader but that didn't matter as the story was always enjoyable. The best parts are when Jack is 'haunting' his killers but the fun is interspersed with some serious moments as he slowly begins to remember all that they did to him and to come to terms with his new nature.

This is an excellent first story in the series and Jack is a great new character, both as a vampire and also as a slightly hapless investigator.

LIFEBLOOD
The second story, "Lifeblood", takes place just a few weeks after the first story finishes. Jack and Bobbi have settled into some kind of a relationship and Jack also spends some of his time helping Escott with his private investigations. However they soon decide that it would be wise for Jack to have some more of his home earth stored at Escott's place in case he has a problem with returning to his hotel room so Jack drives 'home' to Ohio to collect it. On the way he realises he is being followed and eventually has a showdown with the two people in the car - vampire hunters. They're obviously both rather loony and have read far too many vampire novels, thinking that they are safe from Jack with their garlic and crosses. He gives them a flat tyre and then continues on his way.

Once he's collected the earth he passes his parents' house to find the vampire hunters are there. He chases them off, then returns to Chicago but worried about his parents. Unfortunately he hasn't completely escaped the vampire hunters and they start to plague him in Chicago; he's worried about Bobbi and whether they will go after her. His attention is also taken by an old woman, Gaylen Dumont, who has responded to his adverts in the papers asking for Maureen to contact him (Maureen is his lost love and the vampire who made him). Gaylen is Maureen's sister, now 74 years old, and she gives Escott some information which might help him to find Maureen. However there's more to Gaylen than Jack initially realises and more danger to Bobbi than just from the vampire hunters. Jack is faced with an impossible situation, one that he realises Maureen found herself in, and it's only with the help of Escott his friend that he can survive at all.

This story is more gritty perhaps than the first as we have more emotional engagement from Jack. Being a vampire makes him mostly bombproof but it doesn't mean that he isn't extremely vulnerable because of the friendships he has made and because of his family. The story is always interesting with some great humorous touches and Jack as a character is always very appealing. I found that as a reader I really cared about what happened to him and wanted things to work out well for him. It's a great second book in the series and possibly could be read as a standalone book although it might seem rather complex. The ending leaves the question of Maureen still unresolved and this is dealt with more fully in the third book.

BLOODCIRCLE
The third story, "Bloodcircle", continues straight from where "Lifeblood" left off. Jack Fleming, vampire investigator, and his assistant/boss Charles Escott are still trying to find out what happened to Maureen Dumont, the female vampire that made Jack. She disappeared five years ago when realising her sister Gaylen was going to force her to make her a vampire. Jack and Charles have a small clue to follow about Maureen's disappearance so they set off on a trip to New York State to follow the clue.

Eventually their search takes them to a rich household of the reclusive lady Emily Francher whose mother died in strange circumstances. Jack goes to investigate and soon discovers that Emily's gigolo lover is rather more significant than he might seem. They follow more clues which culminate in Jack being seriously injured and with a very amusing scene where Charles appears to be a body snatcher. The unmasking of the villain and the explanation of what really happened five years before is no great surprise but is well written and enjoyable nonetheless.

In this episode of the Vampire PI series we learn more and more about Jack's personality, particularly with regard to his morals and his feelings. There are some really interesting little vignettes into his thoughts, for example when seeing coffins sized for children when he is in the funeral parlour. Jack's about as far from the traditional view of the evil vampire as it's possible to get and yet he also has to drink blood and carries out mind control on people. The scene where he's trying to find a meal in a farmyard is an amusing episode amongst some of the darker events of the story.

Again this is a great read, like the two previous stories, and it seems like P N Elrod has settled well into her characters and is slowly revealing more and more about them. It's a most enjoyable series and a welcome change from the usual overblown and sex-obsessed vampire genre tale.

The opening trio of adventures of Jack Fleming, Vampire P.I., 02 Feb 2005
In literature and popular culture there are the Bram Stoker vampires of Dracula, the Anne Rice vampires like Lestat, Louis and Armand, and the Joss Whedon vampires of Angelus, Spike and the Master. A distant, but by no means a poor relation, are the vampires of P. N. Elrod. "The Vampire Files" collects the first three novels in the Jack Fleming, Vampire P.I. series, where a slightly different type of vampire inhabits the film noir world of the hardboiled detective.

"Bloodlist" introduces us to Jack Fleming, who does not remember how he became a vampire let alone how he ended up dead, which lends an air of mystery to "Bloodlist." Jack was (is?) a reporter, so he sets about to learn who wanted (wants?) him dead. Fortunately, shortly after waking up on the beach a goon tries to run him down and tells Jack, after some encouragement, that he had some sort of list that is important enough for some gangster types to want him dead. Unfortunately, Jack remembers none of this. Allied with Charles Escott, an eccentric private investigator and former actor who is fascinated by Jack's current, ah, condition, our hero gets closer and closer to solving one of this two burning mysteries. Along the way he makes the acquaintance of Bobbi, a beautiful singer at one of the clubs and the current "girlfriend" of one of the bad guys. But even dead, Jack knows how to show a lady a good time. More importantly, eventually he gets to remember every excruciating detail of his "death."

"Bloodlist" certainly establishes the potential for this series, which as even Jack notices is more reminiscent of the Shadow than Dracula; the best parts of this book are when Jack uses his new powers to toy with the bad guys. Jack is a vampire, but since he feeds his blood lust at the Chicago Stockyards and is still trying to learn the ropes about being one of the undead he qualifies as being a "good" vampire. As a faithful sidekick, Escott is a unique combination of elements from a lot of literary ancestors, while Bobbi makes an interesting love interest for our hero simply because she does not bat an eye at Jack's unique approach to love making. The Vampire Files is clearly a series that is going to rest on the strength of the three main characters and she has certainly given herself something to build upon. Plus, there is that other mystery to solve as to how he ended up undead.

The first novel is the weakest of the three, only because the film noir aspects are not as strong as the developing idea of vampires the first time around. In "Lifeblood" vampire hunters are after Jack, as "The Vampire Files" kicks into high gear. Nice guy vampire Jack Fleming is still getting used to being one of the undead, helping his friend Charles Escott with a few investigations and trying to build some sort of happy live with Bobbi Smythe. However, his "life" is suddenly facing a couple of major complications. First, a pair of fairly incompetent but nonetheless deadly vampire hunters are on his trail. They do not know that crosses and silver do not bother our hero, but there is no reason for Jack to tell them that. Second, he has finally had a response from the ads he has been placing for Maureen in newspapers around the country and meets Gaylen Dumont, an old woman who claims to be his beloved Maureen's younger sister. Yes, it seems that Maureen is the vampire who sired Jack, and now Gaylen wants a small favor from our hero.

Elrod has a much better feel for the bad guys (and gals) this time around that she did with the gangsters. The practical side of being a vampire has been pretty much worked out in terms of what parts of what everybody knows about vampires, courtesy of Bram Stoker's "Dracula," are actually true. But what I like is that the practical realities of being a vampire are central to the story Elrod is telling. There is also a harder edge to this story, with the more gruesome elements balancing the comic confrontations a bit more than in the previous volume. It is clear that we are in the beginning of a lengthy tale to be told and I appreciate a writer who wants to take their time in telling their tale well.

In the third offering, "Bloodcircle," Jack finally finds out the truth about Maureen. After cleaning up a few loose ends from their previous adventure, Jack and Escott try to uncover what happened to Maureen, Jack's former lover and vampire sire, when she disappeared five years ago. Apparently on that night she was at the estate of Miss Emily Francher, whose personal assistant Jonathan Barrett not only turns out to be a 160-year-old vampire, but also is revealed to be the one who sired Maureen. With plenty of in-jokes for those who still remember the soap opera "Dark Shadows," P. N. Elrod follows our hero and his faithful human companion as they seek to solve the mystery of Maureen's disappearance, which has been haunting Jack for years. Once again, Elrod saves the best for last, as the climatic chapters of this novel elevate the story line to a new level. What I continue to appreciate with these novels are not only how Elrod deals with the practical aspects of being a vampire, especially once they are staked, but how Jack never responds in a predictable manner.

I also like the fact that "Bloodcircle," like its two predecessors in "The Vampire Files," are clearly part of a larger story, always "to be continued" and always compelling our continued interest. These books are fun reads, perfect for a day at the beach or living the commuter lifestyle, even when they come three to a volume as is the case with this collection. Elrod has created a rather different but still entertaining type of vampire, and even got around to trying to integrate her vampires with Bram Stokers in "Quincey Morris, Vampire." However, you should start here, with Jack Fleming, before moving on to that particular vampiric tidbit.

new vamp, 17 Nov 2003
Having heard that this author is alegedly one of the best vampire writers, I was eager to read this book, but was unable to get hold of any copies anywhere! So i was delighted to find this new compilation of 3 books, and a very good book it was. The idea of a new vampire having to learn how to use his skills was interesting and finding a friend and boss to help find his old girlfriend(who made him into a vamp) cool. If you like the old films about private dicks in america (ie the thin man)and some good mysteries, then you'll like this, also not all badies are so bad, some end up helping to hide the bodies of the really bad guys.Although more humour would of helped this book,the concept was different than most vamp book around now and i am eagerly waiting for more to be available. Thanks for reading my first book review

Well written, sexy...a good vampire fantasy., 04 May 1998
This book kept me guled until I was done. Jonathan Barrett, the unsung "hero" experiences first hand the lure and lust of the vampire world. Reading through the pages it was if I were there on the hot summer days, and erie nights. I will say I found the ending a little weak, but it sure left things open for P.N. Elrods next book. Worth the time!

A must read sensation!!!, 20 Apr 1997
Riveting, on the edge...rooting for gentleman vampire...Jonathan Barrett. Honor does pass the supernatural. A real class act. I had to finish the series!!! Live it!

Cool... just plain cool, 26 Sep 2008
I bought the Darkness video game that came out and really liked the source material, read up a bit on the Darkness on wikipedia and so decided I wanted to buy one of the graphic novels.

This on is great as it tells the origins of Jackie and the Darkness. My only complaint is that there are a few bits which are obviously in one of the spin offs or something as I seem to find in all these types of collections.

The artwork is gorgeous and the subject matter is bloody and violent.

Welcome to the twisted world of The Darkness..., 29 May 2007
Having never read any of Top Cow's 'The Darkness' comics before but having an interest in the upcoming next-gen game, I wasn't sure what I was in for with this Ultimate Collection. I certainly don't regret it and look forward to uncovering more of Jackie Estacado's story, and now I'm almost over-hyped about the game!

This collection includes the comic's origin story, "Coming of Age", where protagonist Jackie inherits the gift/curse of The Darkness, which grants him terrifying ancient powers. There is also another story arc included, titled "Resurrection" - the basis for the game where Jackie sets out to clean up his mafia 'family' and free it from the grip of its current tyrannic boss. Covers are included for each volume, plus an alternate covers and game concept art section at the back.

The artwork is stunning, several different artists feature throughout the collection and the differing styles are impressive, the frames laid out interestingly (if a little confusingly on a couple of occasions), the writing top notch and the characters fascinating. Jackie is a classic anti-hero, having been raised in the mafia as a hitman he is well-suited to the evil powers he is given access to, but he has a caring side as well and is pretty damn stylish to boot.

I would heartily recommend this collection to anybody interested in the game, comics in general, or dark and complex stories. In addition to the great content, it's a quality book, beautifully presented and it just feels shiny. It's a great introduction to The Darkness and will leave you hungry for more.

Jackie Estacado. Man, Myth, Legend., 03 Jul 2004
Right, now where to start? At the beginning i suppose, though thats rather boring. This is the story of a mafia hitman, who upon his 21st birthday discovers that his family is the recipient of an ancient power known as the darkness. There are good things and bad things about this situation.
Good things:
1)He is able to create anything(as long as he can understand it)
2)He is immortal(well to some that would be a plus)
3)He can call forth demons to do his bidding
4)He has a really cool suit type thing(symbiote like i suppose)
Bad things:
1)It only works in the dark, in daylight he's a regular guy
2)He's being stalked by a crazy angel type thing and a brotherhood of crazy monks
3)One of the monks is totally obssesed with him(in the totally wrong way, though sometimes he's a help)
4)..and this is the big one,If he impregnates a woman and she gives birth the power goes to the baby and he dies on the spot. Considering that Jackie prides himself on his way with women, and that's his favourite passtime..well you can see how that could piss someone off eh? The art is great, the story is great, the characters..especially Wenders and The Butcher(who doesnt work in a butchers shop) are brilliant. I reckon this dude could take Batman(though i havnt read the crossover and only at night) and believe me i dont say that lightly...Bats decked Superman, and could probably take down Galactus alone. Anyway buy this, then heart of darkness, Family ties(with witchblade)spear of darkness and finally ressurection. Shame they didnt publish the rest of the first series.

Books 4-6 in the Jack Fleming, Vampire PI series, 21 Aug 2007
This is a collection of books 4-6 in the Jack Fleming, Vampire PI series and contains entertaining supernatural stories which leaven the 'vampire' moments with the humanity of our bloodsucking protagonist, Jack. He's a great hero because he's fallible, seems to get shot and knocked out rather regularly, cares for his girlfriend Bobbi and his friend Charles Escott and tends to blunder around not being quite sure what he's doing a lot of the time. Perhaps his blundering and being shot may pall over time but at the moment it makes for a very different, and very likeable, hero.


ART IN THE BLOOD
"Art in the Blood" sees Jack coming to the rescue of a man at a party and then being sucked into problems within the art world. Alex Adrian was a famous artist but hasn't done anything since his wife committed suicide; Evan Robley and his sister Sandra are also artists and when more suspicious events start taking place, including a death for which Alex Adrian might be responsible, Jack and Escott have to unravel the plot and work out what's really going on. The Chicago underworld plays its part as usual with more dodgy characters who have it in for Jack and Escott.

This story gives us more of an insight into the relationship between Jack and Bobbi as well as Jack needing to use his powers of vampire hypnosis more and more, leading to more people finding out what he truly is. It's another great read with a lighthearted feel and yet sometimes a darker undertone.


FIRE IN THE BLOOD
The first page in this book is great fun as we meet Jack apparently stripping Olivia Vandemore's evening gown from her and about to sacrifice her on an altar to Sabajajji, the Spider God. Fortunately this is just part of the novel he is writing rather than reality - although reality for Jack Fleming, Vampire PI, is often as bloodthirsty as this novel.

Jack and Charles Escott, Private Agent, are summoned to see Mr Sebastian Pierce, a rich retired Chicago man who tasks them to find a valuable bracelet that his daughter's boyfriend or a friend of his may have stolen. Jack finds himself shadowing the daughter to Bobbi's club and soon enough they stumble into murder and mayhem. A new member of the Chicago Underground, Vaughn Kyler, comes into play in this book and he's a particularly creepy individual who is resistant to Jack's vampire hypnosis. This book also sees the darker side of Jack having an outing after an episode of hypnotising goes rather wrong. Once again Jack finds himself in dodgy situations and only escapes by the skin of his teeth - is this ability going to pall any time soon?

The ending of this book is rather open and in fact leads directly into the next story, "Blood on the Water", although fortunately this episode does reach some sort of a conclusion. However Jack's rather more off balance in this book because of the darker side of his powers and we are learning more about him through it. Another great episode in this excellent series - a series that it probably pays to read in order.


BLOOD ON THE WATER
This story starts directly after "Fire In The Blood" and I think it would probably be rather difficult to understand everything that's going on, along with the fairly large cast of characters, without reading some of the previous books.

Jack Fleming, Vampire, had a bit of a shock in the last book when his vampiric nature got away from him and he nearly killed a woman. He's still struggling with the aftermath of those events in this story and is unwilling to use his hypnosis skills but equally doesn't want to talk about it to the rather perceptive Charles Escott, his partner.

The 'baddie', Vaughn Kyler, who we first met in the last book plays a significant role in the beginning of this story when he gives Jack the ultimatum to leave town or die. This gives Jack huge moral qualms - Jack knows that if he doesn't kill Kyler then neither Charles nor Bobbi will be safe, and yet how can he become a murderer? I think the way that the author showed Jack's fears about this was excellent.

In this story everyone is still chasing the bracelet from the last book and Jack enlists the help of Gordy, another local crime boss who's helped them in the past. Unfortunately a turf war seems to be breaking out with a new entrant, Angela Paco, playing her part as well. The three-sided war looks to be unstoppable and Jack has to decide on his actions with Kyler.

Once again, as in most of the other stories, Jack gets himself into various fixes and nearly dies. His physical limits are tested in a new way and there is more violence surrounding him. In the earlier books there was a lot of situation comedy where Jack was acting like a ghost and it happens again, very amusingly, in this book. However the turf war in this book lends it a darker feel and no doubt sets up for further instalments.

In short, it's another good read and we're getting further and further into Jack's character as the stories continue but this wouldn't be a good first book for a reader in this series.


First three in the Jack Fleming, Vampire PI series, 01 Aug 2007
PN Elrod's "Jack Fleming, Vampire PI" series is a great read with humour and a fantastic setting in 1930s Chicago with film noir aspects. This collection of the first three stories is excellent value for money.

BLOODLIST
The story begins with "Bloodlist" where we meet Jack Fleming waking up having crawled out of the sea. No sooner has he staggered to the road when a passing driver clips him with his bumper - clearly on purpose. Jack finds himself in discussion with the car driver and discovers that he is supposed to be dead, killed because he wouldn't tell people where an important list was hidden.

Jack realises pretty quickly that he has become a vampire. Fortunately he knows about the vampire life, having had a vampire girlfriend previously, and he prepares his life accordingly (fetching some of his home earth, finding somewhere safe to sleep the day, feeding from the stockyards). Elrod gives her own particular selection of traits to vampires - garlic, crosses and invitations into rooms don't work, disappearing, extra strength and glamour do. What's fun about this story is that we learn about Jack's skills and nature as he does and because he's clearly not evil, just a pleasant and friendly ex-reporter who wants to get to the bottom of his own death.

Chicago is a city of gangsters and other dodgy types in this story and Jack falls foul of several of them. What's great about Jack as a character is that if he were fully human he would have died multiple times as he really isn't quite up to dealing with these characters. However his vampire nature gets him out of a lot of sticky situations and also enables him to have a great time scaring some of the people who were involved in his death. Assisted by the trusty Charles Escott, a brave private agent and sometime actor, the two of them try to find out why Jack was killed and what was on the list. In the course of their investigations Jack meets Bobbi, girlfriend to one of the gangsters and a surprisingly phlegmatic person who seems able to cope with his vampiric nature.

There are a lot of amusing jokes and allusions to various books and films which went over the head of this relatively young English reader but that didn't matter as the story was always enjoyable. The best parts are when Jack is 'haunting' his killers but the fun is interspersed with some serious moments as he slowly begins to remember all that they did to him and to come to terms with his new nature.

This is an excellent first story in the series and Jack is a great new character, both as a vampire and also as a slightly hapless investigator.

LIFEBLOOD
The second story, "Lifeblood", takes place just a few weeks after the first story finishes. Jack and Bobbi have settled into some kind of a relationship and Jack also spends some of his time helping Escott with his private investigations. However they soon decide that it would be wise for Jack to have some more of his home earth stored at Escott's place in case he has a problem with returning to his hotel room so Jack drives 'home' to Ohio to collect it. On the way he realises he is being followed and eventually has a showdown with the two people in the car - vampire hunters. They're obviously both rather loony and have read far too many vampire novels, thinking that they are safe from Jack with their garlic and crosses. He gives them a flat tyre and then continues on his way.

Once he's collected the earth he passes his parents' house to find the vampire hunters are there. He chases them off, then returns to Chicago but worried about his parents. Unfortunately he hasn't completely escaped the vampire hunters and they start to plague him in Chicago; he's worried about Bobbi and whether they will go after her. His attention is also taken by an old woman, Gaylen Dumont, who has responded to his adverts in the papers asking for Maureen to contact him (Maureen is his lost love and the vampire who made him). Gaylen is Maureen's sister, now 74 years old, and she gives Escott some information which might help him to find Maureen. However there's more to Gaylen than Jack initially realises and more danger to Bobbi than just from the vampire hunters. Jack is faced with an impossible situation, one that he realises Maureen found herself in, and it's only with the help of Escott his friend that he can survive at all.

This story is more gritty perhaps than the first as we have more emotional engagement from Jack. Being a vampire makes him mostly bombproof but it doesn't mean that he isn't extremely vulnerable because of the friendships he has made and because of his family. The story is always interesting with some great humorous touches and Jack as a character is always very appealing. I found that as a reader I really cared about what happened to him and wanted things to work out well for him. It's a great second book in the series and possibly could be read as a standalone book although it might seem rather complex. The ending leaves the question of Maureen still unresolved and this is dealt with more fully in the third book.

BLOODCIRCLE
The third story, "Bloodcircle", continues straight from where "Lifeblood" left off. Jack Fleming, vampire investigator, and his assistant/boss Charles Escott are still trying to find out what happened to Maureen Dumont, the female vampire that made Jack. She disappeared five years ago when realising her sister Gaylen was going to force her to make her a vampire. Jack and Charles have a small clue to follow about Maureen's disappearance so they set off on a trip to New York State to follow the clue.

Eventually their search takes them to a rich household of the reclusive lady Emily Francher whose mother died in strange circumstances. Jack goes to investigate and soon discovers that Emily's gigolo lover is rather more significant than he might seem. They follow more clues which culminate in Jack being seriously injured and with a very amusing scene where Charles appears to be a body snatcher. The unmasking of the villain and the explanation of what really happened five years before is no great surprise but is well written and enjoyable nonetheless.

In this episode of the Vampire PI series we learn more and more about Jack's personality, particularly with regard to his morals and his feelings. There are some really interesting little vignettes into his thoughts, for example when seeing coffins sized for children when he is in the funeral parlour. Jack's about as far from the traditional view of the evil vampire as it's possible to get and yet he also has to drink blood and carries out mind control on people. The scene where he's trying to find a meal in a farmyard is an amusing episode amongst some of the darker events of the story.

Again this is a great read, like the two previous stories, and it seems like P N Elrod has settled well into her characters and is slowly revealing more and more about them. It's a most enjoyable series and a welcome change from the usual overblown and sex-obsessed vampire genre tale.

The opening trio of adventures of Jack Fleming, Vampire P.I., 02 Feb 2005
In literature and popular culture there are the Bram Stoker vampires of Dracula, the Anne Rice vampires like Lestat, Louis and Armand, and the Joss Whedon vampires of Angelus, Spike and the Master. A distant, but by no means a poor relation, are the vampires of P. N. Elrod. "The Vampire Files" collects the first three novels in the Jack Fleming, Vampire P.I. series, where a slightly different type of vampire inhabits the film noir world of the hardboiled detective.

"Bloodlist" introduces us to Jack Fleming, who does not remember how he became a vampire let alone how he ended up dead, which lends an air of mystery to "Bloodlist." Jack was (is?) a reporter, so he sets about to learn who wanted (wants?) him dead. Fortunately, shortly after waking up on the beach a goon tries to run him down and tells Jack, after some encouragement, that he had some sort of list that is important enough for some gangster types to want him dead. Unfortunately, Jack remembers none of this. Allied with Charles Escott, an eccentric private investigator and former actor who is fascinated by Jack's current, ah, condition, our hero gets closer and closer to solving one of this two burning mysteries. Along the way he makes the acquaintance of Bobbi, a beautiful singer at one of the clubs and the current "girlfriend" of one of the bad guys. But even dead, Jack knows how to show a lady a good time. More importantly, eventually he gets to remember every excruciating detail of his "death."

"Bloodlist" certainly establishes the potential for this series, which as even Jack notices is more reminiscent of the Shadow than Dracula; the best parts of this book are when Jack uses his new powers to toy with the bad guys. Jack is a vampire, but since he feeds his blood lust at the Chicago Stockyards and is still trying to learn the ropes about being one of the undead he qualifies as being a "good" vampire. As a faithful sidekick, Escott is a unique combination of elements from a lot of literary ancestors, while Bobbi makes an interesting love interest for our hero simply because she does not bat an eye at Jack's unique approach to love making. The Vampire Files is clearly a series that is going to rest on the strength of the three main characters and she has certainly given herself something to build upon. Plus, there is that other mystery to solve as to how he ended up undead.

The first novel is the weakest of the three, only because the film noir aspects are not as strong as the developing idea of vampires the first time around. In "Lifeblood" vampire hunters are after Jack, as "The Vampire Files" kicks into high gear. Nice guy vampire Jack Fleming is still getting used to being one of the undead, helping his friend Charles Escott with a few investigations and trying to build some sort of happy live with Bobbi Smythe. However, his "life" is suddenly facing a couple of major complications. First, a pair of fairly incompetent but nonetheless deadly vampire hunters are on his trail. They do not know that crosses and silver do not bother our hero, but there is no reason for Jack to tell them that. Second, he has finally had a response from the ads he has been placing for Maureen in newspapers around the country and meets Gaylen Dumont, an old woman who claims to be his beloved Maureen's younger sister. Yes, it seems that Maureen is the vampire who sired Jack, and now Gaylen wants a small favor from our hero.

Elrod has a much better feel for the bad guys (and gals) this time around that she did with the gangsters. The practical side of being a vampire has been pretty much worked out in terms of what parts of what everybody knows about vampires, courtesy of Bram Stoker's "Dracula," are actually true. But what I like is that the practical realities of being a vampire are central to the story Elrod is telling. There is also a harder edge to this story, with the more gruesome elements balancing the comic confrontations a bit more than in the previous volume. It is clear that we are in the beginning of a lengthy tale to be told and I appreciate a writer who wants to take their time in telling their tale well.

In the third offering, "Bloodcircle," Jack finally finds out the truth about Maureen. After cleaning up a few loose ends from their previous adventure, Jack and Escott try to uncover what happened to Maureen, Jack's former lover and vampire sire, when she disappeared five years ago. Apparently on that night she was at the estate of Miss Emily Francher, whose personal assistant Jonathan Barrett not only turns out to be a 160-year-old vampire, but also is revealed to be the one who sired Maureen. With plenty of in-jokes for those who still remember the soap opera "Dark Shadows," P. N. Elrod follows our hero and his faithful human companion as they seek to solve the mystery of Maureen's disappearance, which has been haunting Jack for years. Once again, Elrod saves the best for last, as the climatic chapters of this novel elevate the story line to a new level. What I continue to appreciate with these novels are not only how Elrod deals with the practical aspects of being a vampire, especially once they are staked, but how Jack never responds in a predictable manner.

I also like the fact that "Bloodcircle," like its two predecessors in "The Vampire Files," are clearly part of a larger story, always "to be continued" and always compelling our continued interest. These books are fun reads, perfect for a day at the beach or living the commuter lifestyle, even when they come three to a volume as is the case with this collection. Elrod has created a rather different but still entertaining type of vampire, and even got around to trying to integrate her vampires with Bram Stokers in "Quincey Morris, Vampire." However, you should start here, with Jack Fleming, before moving on to that particular vampiric tidbit.

new vamp, 17 Nov 2003
Having heard that this author is alegedly one of the best vampire writers, I was eager to read this book, but was unable to get hold of any copies anywhere! So i was delighted to find this new compilation of 3 books, and a very good book it was. The idea of a new vampire having to learn how to use his skills was interesting and finding a friend and boss to help find his old girlfriend(who made him into a vamp) cool. If you like the old films about private dicks in america (ie the thin man)and some good mysteries, then you'll like this, also not all badies are so bad, some end up helping to hide the bodies of the really bad guys.Although more humour would of helped this book,the concept was different than most vamp book around now and i am eagerly waiting for more to be available. Thanks for reading my first book review

Well written, sexy...a good vampire fantasy., 04 May 1998
This book kept me guled until I was done. Jonathan Barrett, the unsung "hero" experiences first hand the lure and lust of the vampire world. Reading through the pages it was if I were there on the hot summer days, and erie nights. I will say I found the ending a little weak, but it sure left things open for P.N. Elrods next book. Worth the time!

A must read sensation!!!, 20 Apr 1997
Riveting, on the edge...rooting for gentleman vampire...Jonathan Barrett. Honor does pass the supernatural. A real class act. I had to finish the series!!! Live it!

Great story and a visual master piece, 09 Dec 2008
Any fan of the Marvelverse needs to own this graphic novel, the story is great and the art work is a real treat for the eyes. The angels are visually stunning and mean as is the skull man himself. This graphic novel will leave you wanting more and more it is that good.

The Road to Damnation, 01 Aug 2008
BRILLIANT STORY ONE OF MY FAVOURITE GRAPHIC NOVELS EVER!...clayton crain's artwork is amazing....

Paying the price for making a deal with devil, every night Johnny Blaze, The Ghost Rider rides for his life from the pits of hell but never does he make it out to freedom. However one night he is finally given a chance of freedom, one single chance to leave the pits of hell forever. Unfortunately to save himself he must save the world from complete annihilation at the hands of two purely evil characters.

The collection of Ghost Rider The Road to Damnation is a fantastic adventure of one of Marvel comics' darkest heroes. The story from a man who has made his career from telling the dark but brilliant tales and artwork that perfects this comic mini-series into a modern classic.

Telling the story of relatively unpopular character and one who has not had a story published in many years. Ennis and Crain took a big risk when they brought back ole' flame head topping him off with that true Ghost Rider attitude and an up-to-date spin on his powers, in simple facts Ennis and Crain truly brought Ghost Rider back with style to the 21st century.

The only major criticism with Road to Damnation is Johnny Blaze is completely unseen in his human form, but his spirit is definitely still inside Ghost Rider.

This is a must read for any Ghost Rider fan, but the strength of the story can even carry someone with just a general interest of comics into the world of The Ghost Rider thanks to the team of Garth Ennis, Clayton Crain and Marvel Comics.

So, so pretty..., 03 Feb 2008
A quick warning to anyone thinking about buying this, it's 1-6 not 1-16 and is no different from other later editions of this book. You aren't getting more for your money although you might find this older one a little cheaper.

The story is good, not Garth Ennis best and fans of his will probably be aware of a certain amount of rehashing or at least reiterating of ideas form 'Preacher' or 'Chronicles of Wormwood'. What really makes this worth buying though is the artwork. I remember playing Donkey Kong country and wondering how they got something 2d to seem so three dimensional and rendered. It's the same kind of feeling with this, you could spend and hour just looking at one of the more intricate panels and while the art can't be considered realistic it fits the story beautifully.

I wouldn't usually recommend buying a comic on the art alone (and I'm not here either really as the story is still better than the average) but this is an exception. Good enough to encourage me to buy the next Garth Ennis and Clayton Crain collaboration 'Trail of Tears'.

Back In Black (again!), 19 Nov 2007
The return (again) of Johnny Blaze as Ghost Rider following 2001s rather poor Hammer Lane mini series. Having learnt their lesson, Marvel editorial turn to Garth Ennis to rekindle the flame (arf). The deal Johnny Blaze made with the devil has finally caught up with him, and every night he tries to break free of Hell and every time he fails. Until he strikes a deal with an Angel. This doesn't work out too well etheir, and reminds me of one of Ennis' perennial themes : Heaven and its host is perhaps just as sucky as Hell and its hoards. In reintroducing Ghost Rider, Ennis taps into well worn themes, as anyone familiar with his work on Hellblazer and Preacher will easily attest. However, the political manoeuverings of both Heaven and Hell feel right for the character and its nice that the absence of the Comics Code finally allows Ghost Rider into territory that was previously deemed too senisitive, even in its '90s incarnation. That, and the outstanding artwork of Clayton Crain are really what elevates the title. Having only recently become familiar with the Johnny Blaze Ghost Rider (i grew up with the '90s version with Danny Ketch as host and a tougher, more mature Blaze), I am a little disappointed that Johnny has regressedd to being something of an idiot who gets the better of him taken at every turn. Surely the demon that resides within blaze would have some inkling of what's going on? Or as a demon that has seemingly fallen foul of the Devil, is it part of his enduring punishment to be bound to the soul of a mortal as purely power, lacking any kind of personality? Questions for the ongoing series, perhaps. If you're coming fresh to Ghost Rider, then start here. Older readers such as myself, will probably find this something of a mixed bag.

Amazing Art, 13 Feb 2007
I mean amazing truely amazing. I couldn't get enough of this art. A great dark and evil tale of betrayal and the war between heaven and hell. Ghost Rider escapes hell only 2 have 2 hunt down a demon for heaven before another angel or a deamon can get to him. If you liked this art the same artist did a spiderman Comic Vemon Vs. Carnage which is not so suited to that style of art but is till visually stunning.
If you want a tail about Ghost rider kicking ass and hiding from hell to the ruin of earth then look no further. Be warned this has scenes of graphic violence. I warned you!!
Read at your peril, Go on, Ride like a bat outta hell!!!

Cool... just plain cool, 26 Sep 2008
I bought the Darkness video game that came out and really liked the source material, read up a bit on the Darkness on wikipedia and so decided I wanted to buy one of the graphic novels.

This on is great as it tells the origins of Jackie and the Darkness. My only complaint is that there are a few bits which are obviously in one of the spin offs or something as I seem to find in all these types of collections.

The artwork is gorgeous and the subject matter is bloody and violent.

Welcome to the twisted world of The Darkness..., 29 May 2007
Having never read any of Top Cow's 'The Darkness' comics before but having an interest in the upcoming next-gen game, I wasn't sure what I was in for with this Ultimate Collection. I certainly don't regret it and look forward to uncovering more of Jackie Estacado's story, and now I'm almost over-hyped about the game!

This collection includes the comic's origin story, "Coming of Age", where protagonist Jackie inherits the gift/curse of The Darkness, which grants him terrifying ancient powers. There is also another story arc included, titled "Resurrection" - the basis for the game where Jackie sets out to clean up his mafia 'family' and free it from the grip of its current tyrannic boss. Covers are included for each volume, plus an alternate covers and game concept art section at the back.

The artwork is stunning, several different artists feature throughout the collection and the differing styles are impressive, the frames laid out interestingly (if a little confusingly on a couple of occasions), the writing top notch and the characters fascinating. Jackie is a classic anti-hero, having been raised in the mafia as a hitman he is well-suited to the evil powers he is given access to, but he has a caring side as well and is pretty damn stylish to boot.

I would heartily recommend this collection to anybody interested in the game, comics in general, or dark and complex stories. In addition to the great content, it's a quality book, beautifully presented and it just feels shiny. It's a great introduction to The Darkness and will leave you hungry for more.

Jackie Estacado. Man, Myth, Legend., 03 Jul 2004
Right, now where to start? At the beginning i suppose, though thats rather boring. This is the story of a mafia hitman, who upon his 21st birthday discovers that his family is the recipient of an ancient power known as the darkness. There are good things and bad things about this situation.
Good things:
1)He is able to create anything(as long as he can understand it)
2)He is immortal(well to some that would be a plus)
3)He can call forth demons to do his bidding
4)He has a really cool suit type thing(symbiote like i suppose)
Bad things:
1)It only works in the dark, in daylight he's a regular guy
2)He's being stalked by a crazy angel type thing and a brotherhood of crazy monks
3)One of the monks is totally obssesed with him(in the totally wrong way, though sometimes he's a help)
4)..and this is the big one,If he impregnates a woman and she gives birth the power goes to the baby and he dies on the spot. Considering that Jackie prides himself on his way with women, and that's his favourite passtime..well you can see how that could piss someone off eh? The art is great, the story is great, the characters..especially Wenders and The