Dating apps may suck, but being turned into a vampire sucks harder… That’s what happens to one of the leads in Dinner Date, an upcoming series from Ignition Press by two friends of The Beat: writer Joanne Starer and artist Khary Randolph, with colors by Emilio Lopez and lettering by Andworld Design.
Here’s the synopsis:
Modern dating is rough.
No one likes being on the apps, but it’s not much easier meeting people IRL. Especially when they might turn you into a vampire without warning.
This is exactly what happened to Syd. She was only trying to get over her toxic ex—whom she may still drunkenly text from time to time—not looking to have her life totally changed. She thought finding the right guy before was hard, but now she has an unquenchable thirst for blood. Her dating pool has suddenly become her food chain!
Meanwhile, Izzy has been trying to make her dreams a reality in the Big Apple, though right now she’s part of the gig economy working as a rideshare driver. When Syd ends up in the back of Izzy’s car, there is an instant connection. Is this love at first sight, or will it all end with one bite?
Today, The Beat can reveal an exclusive sneak peek at Dinner Date #1, as well as cover art.
Cover A by Khary Randolph
Cover B by Steve Lieber
Cover C (Retailer Incentive) by Corin Howell
“In every vampire story, there is a point where the newly formed vamp has a crisis of conscience and tries to survive without killing innocent people,” said Starer. “After nearly a decade on online dating apps—where I received the stupidest, grossest, most vile messages from strangers—I realized I had found the PERFECT hunting ground for vampires. And so, Dinner Date was born. It’s a horrific little rom-com that explores modern dating and female rage, and it’s sure to be relatable to anyone who has ever been on the quest for love—or revenge.
“And as a delightful bonus, I got to create this story with my real-life partner of ten years, Khary Randolph,” Starer added. “Khary is doing the best work of his career on Dinner Date, and the extraordinary colors of Emilio Lopez just elevate it all to the next level.”
“When Joanne and I created Sirens of the City, it was an exploration of a young girl trying to navigate the supernatural underworld of 1980s New York City,” said Randolph. “It was a fun romp with real, mature undertones that spoke to what it’s like being a woman in a world that is largely defined by men’s rules. While working on that book, I always had in the back of my mind that we would one day create a killer (pun intended) vampire tale.
“Dinner Date is a natural evolution of that idea—still a woman’s story, still set in NYC, still supernatural—but this time it’s a little sexier and a whole lot bloodier. Joanne is on her A-game weaving a tale that’s hilarious, horrifying, and full of heart,” Randolph continued. “And did we mention this time it’s in color? Emilio consistently makes my lines look way better than I have any right to look. Y’all have never seen a vampire story like this before.”
“It’s thrilling to be working with a team that can do so many things and do all of them so well,” said editor Jamie S. Rich. “Joanne and Khary can do funny, they can do scary, they can do romantic—it’s all here in Dinner Date. I laugh when I read the scripts, and then again when I see how Khary has realized the moments on the page. I also end up rooting for the characters because they are so real. In any good rom-com, you should be clamoring for the lovers to get together, and in any good horror story, you should be afraid for their lives. In Dinner Date, you have it all!”
Dinner Date #1 will be available digitally and at your local comic shop on October 7. Pre-orders are due Monday, August 31.
