by Van Jensen and Dusty Higgins

In accordance with recent retellings of other famous stories with zombies, werewolves, etc., we now get to see the world’s most famous puppet battle vampires. It is actually quite a bit more fun than it seems on the surface.

The story in this graphic novel picks up well after the events already chronicled in a number of fairy tales, and Pinocchio is still a puppet. However, now that the countryside has been overrun with bloodsucking monsters, he is not as keen as he once was to become a real boy. In fact, he has developed into a rather heroic figure, due not only to his lack of flesh and blood, but also his unique nose-growing talent.

Nearly all of the classic characters are in the story, with a few amusing differences and at least one very startling one. The artwork is mostly clear with strong usage of shadows and some very fresh angles. At times, it is like reading a storyboard of a well-done modern film. The action can be hard to follow at times, but the flow of the story is clear and maintains reader interest.

Rated: None. Cartoon violence and a single mild swear word.