The mutant vampire bounty hunter known as Durham Red is one of the most popular characters in British comics. An unsung figure in vampire fiction and one whose appeal remains truly troublesome
Nice article mate, very thought-provoking. Red is almost more anti-villain than anti-hero. I think that (along with the way Carlos drew her) was a big part of why she struck such a cord with 13 (or however old I was) year old me. I like that you show how her addiction consumes her despite herself. Vampirism should be like that, in much the same way that heroine addiction propelled Kurt Cobain, or Lou Reed, et al.
It’s curious how much some folks want the grey characters to be a hero. But also in how much some get away with doing bad things. Dredd has committed atrocities but that’s waved away by many. Yet the new Red has seemingly proven more divisive, because, what, we see her true nature?
I enjoyed the piece above, which deftly provides context for your decisions in the strip. And bar a couple of moments (notably the off-screen killing of a young girl – understandable within the strip, but as a father of a youngling something I increasingly react against in fiction), I’ve found this soft reboot very successful. If nothing else, not treating Red like a pin-up and giving her the brick shithouse build she’d need for the job moved Red a long way in the right direction for me. But the stories themselves and the current icky villain have taken things much further.
Looking forward to the Hachette HC, which I’ll definitely be picking up.
Thanks for reading, Craig. I guess with Red I just wanted to be honest. Digging into that moral ambiguity and seeing how a character like that would maintain a moral compass is really interesting, I think. It gives the character fresh places to go and lots of different stories to throw at her. (I was just rambling about all this over on the 2000 AD forum: https://forums.2000ad.com/index.php?topic=49311.0)
Seeing children in peril in stories always touches a nerve in me too, Craig. And I always aim to avoid lazy shock tactics. Yet I always feel if a topic is uncomfortable then it’s probably worth exploring. I wouldn’t ever want Red to become Hannibal Lector or anything, but the threat that she COULD BE is pretty delicious.
Thank you so much for reading Red’s adventures as well as this essay, Craig. Every single share and subscription is hugely appreciated. Thank you!
Thank you for this. It also brings up the conflicts in ambiguities: it’s great wish-fulfillment to follow a character whose modus operandi is to commit completely justified and inarguable murder (a character who hunts and kills Nazis, say), but what happens to that character when those easy targets are gone? (And like you, I’m sick of the copouts and rationalizations in vampire fiction from the Eighties on, where the protagonists get all of the great powers and abilities but can “switch” to alternate food if their needs threaten the love interests. To bring up a contemporary example, would Colin Robinson be anywhere as interesting if he could just stick his tongue in a light fixture?)
Nice article mate, very thought-provoking. Red is almost more anti-villain than anti-hero. I think that (along with the way Carlos drew her) was a big part of why she struck such a cord with 13 (or however old I was) year old me. I like that you show how her addiction consumes her despite herself. Vampirism should be like that, in much the same way that heroine addiction propelled Kurt Cobain, or Lou Reed, et al.
Cheers, Troy!
It’s curious how much some folks want the grey characters to be a hero. But also in how much some get away with doing bad things. Dredd has committed atrocities but that’s waved away by many. Yet the new Red has seemingly proven more divisive, because, what, we see her true nature?
I enjoyed the piece above, which deftly provides context for your decisions in the strip. And bar a couple of moments (notably the off-screen killing of a young girl – understandable within the strip, but as a father of a youngling something I increasingly react against in fiction), I’ve found this soft reboot very successful. If nothing else, not treating Red like a pin-up and giving her the brick shithouse build she’d need for the job moved Red a long way in the right direction for me. But the stories themselves and the current icky villain have taken things much further.
Looking forward to the Hachette HC, which I’ll definitely be picking up.
Red’s getting a Hachette book? That’s great! :D
Thanks for reading, Craig. I guess with Red I just wanted to be honest. Digging into that moral ambiguity and seeing how a character like that would maintain a moral compass is really interesting, I think. It gives the character fresh places to go and lots of different stories to throw at her. (I was just rambling about all this over on the 2000 AD forum: https://forums.2000ad.com/index.php?topic=49311.0)
Seeing children in peril in stories always touches a nerve in me too, Craig. And I always aim to avoid lazy shock tactics. Yet I always feel if a topic is uncomfortable then it’s probably worth exploring. I wouldn’t ever want Red to become Hannibal Lector or anything, but the threat that she COULD BE is pretty delicious.
Thank you so much for reading Red’s adventures as well as this essay, Craig. Every single share and subscription is hugely appreciated. Thank you!
I'm intrigued by your footnote - who do you consider the first gay character in 2000AD?
The official line is that it's the vampire-exorcist Devlin Waugh, though I'd argue the case for Johnny Alpha! :D
Ooh, that's a left field theory, and I'm here for it.
His best mate was a bear who was always going on about his "Happy Stick." I mean, come on!! ;)
I like it. I'm also now I'm claiming Rogue Trooper for team bisexual.
Thank you for this. It also brings up the conflicts in ambiguities: it’s great wish-fulfillment to follow a character whose modus operandi is to commit completely justified and inarguable murder (a character who hunts and kills Nazis, say), but what happens to that character when those easy targets are gone? (And like you, I’m sick of the copouts and rationalizations in vampire fiction from the Eighties on, where the protagonists get all of the great powers and abilities but can “switch” to alternate food if their needs threaten the love interests. To bring up a contemporary example, would Colin Robinson be anywhere as interesting if he could just stick his tongue in a light fixture?)