The Qwillery: True Blood - The Comic Books

The True Blood comic books launched on Wednsday, July 21, 2010. The publisher is IDW Publishing. The first issue has 6 covers. There are 4 regular covers A - D and 2 Retailer Incentive covers, a photo variant and a sketch variant. There is also a special San Diego Comic-Con cover.

In April, Alan Ball announced the comic:

And from the July 21 announcement from IDW:

HBO and IDW Publishing are proud to announce the launch of the first-ever comic book series based on the network's hit show True Blood. Available today at San Diego Comic-Con and comic retailers throughout North America, this sexy, visually striking comic series will add new and unique layers of supernatural drama to the wildly original Emmy®- and Golden Globe®-winning television show. Two exclusive versions of True Blood #1 will be available at San Diego Comic-Con, each with a different cover. Fans can find a special David Messina wrap-around cover at the IDW booth #2643. Select comic retailers throughout the convention will offer a second exclusive cover, featuring a monochromatic version of Joe Corroney's cover.

Developed with the show's Oscar®-and Emmy®-winning creator, Alan Ball (HBO's Six Feet Under, American Beauty), IDW's True Blood series is the exclusive, official show comics.

"I am very excited to be introducing the True Blood comic book series," stated Ball. "These graphic novels are a great companion to the series and we are pleased that the popularity of the show is allowing it to branch out into different mediums."

Beginning with issue #1, the True Blood comic series offers the same erotically-charged romance, wry humor, intriguing mystery and suspense the show has become known for. In this comic book series, Sookie and many other Bon Temps locals find themselves waiting in Merlotte's bar for a strangely portentous raging storm to subside. Soon, they discover they've been trapped by an entity that feeds off of raw emotions and begins killing off the patrons one by one until his hunger is sated.

The plot was developed with Ball, along with series writers Elisabeth Finch and Kate Barnow, and co-written by David Tischman and Mariah Huehner. Beautifully illustrated by top tier artist David Messina, the series captures all the bloody details and sexy reveals of this exciting new adventure. Renowned artists J. Scott Campbell, Joe Corroney, and Andrew Currie join Messina in providing covers for the first issue.

The True Blood comics will explore the ongoing adventures of telepathic heroine Sookie Stackhouse, her vampire lover Bill Compton, best friend Tara Thornton, enigmatic and ancient vampire sheriff Eric Northman, loyal boss Sam Merlotte, brother Jason Stackhouse, perpetual-virgin vampire Jessica, and the flamboyant cook Lafayette Reynolds.

The covers are gorgeous:

Cover A