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True Blood Comics #2
True Blood, Volume 2: Tainted Love
Hoyt, the human boyfriend of Jessica, tries to do a good deed... and it doesn't go unpunished Hoyt notices that Jessica has been staring at a poster for a local prom night, which leads him to romantically scheme to throw a surprise one for her at Merlotte's (with the help of friends Sookie, Sam and Tara). Unfortunately, things go awry when the Jessica is drinks a bit much of the punch... which just happens to be part of a TAINTED batch of Tru Blood This causes Jessica to lose control and run off into the night, rampaging at whatever comes before her While Hoyt and Bill (with a little help from Jason) come to her aid, Sookie and Lafayette try another route to helping their friend-by seeking out Eric, owner of Fangtasia... and the local sheriff It's a thrill ride beyond compare as Sookie, Bill, Eric, Sam, Tara, Lafayette and Jason all struggle bring Jessica back to the safety of Bon Temps... Before the ever-approaching dawn arrives
160 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2011
About the author
Marc Andreyko
490 books82 followersMarc Andreyko is a comic book and screenplay writer, best known for writing the 2000s ongoing series Manhunter for DC Comics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
June 6, 2016
3.5 stars. I enjoyed the storyline in this one but the art threw me off a bit. Like others reviewers mentioned, the art is very different from the first volume. That was one of the things I enjoyed most about the first volume was that the characters looked so much like the actors and actresses that played them in the show and it really felt like I was reliving the TV show in graphic novel form but the character drawings in this volume didn't really resemble the characters all that much. If you look for longer than a few seconds you will begin to see the similarities but they definitely aren't as recognizable as they are in the first volume.
October 14, 2015
oh you just love sookie even more..
June 19, 2024
It appears the general consensus here is that this volume is much better than the previous volume...but that still doesn't mean it's any good.
While it's always good to see characters that I haven't seen in years (I keep telling myself that I'll get around to rewatching the series someday), I couldn't wait for this shitshow to be over.
With lines like:
You dumb-ass stick-in-the-mud! You have as much command over me as you do your own pants!
and
Oh, okay. So, you're boring and old.
Bring it on, Grampa.
I just wanted to be put out of my misery.
This is going to have to be my last volume. Not even my love for the show can push me through this mediocre at best fest.
1 Star
While it's always good to see characters that I haven't seen in years (I keep telling myself that I'll get around to rewatching the series someday), I couldn't wait for this shitshow to be over.
With lines like:
You dumb-ass stick-in-the-mud! You have as much command over me as you do your own pants!
and
Oh, okay. So, you're boring and old.
Bring it on, Grampa.
I just wanted to be put out of my misery.
This is going to have to be my last volume. Not even my love for the show can push me through this mediocre at best fest.
1 Star
May 28, 2018
The plot of the first True Blood comic book series didn't make any sense to me; I liked this one better. It centered on the sweet notion of Hoyt Fortenberry wanting to give Jessica Hamby the prom she's missing out on since undead teenagers don't have to finish high school. It all goes disastrously awry when Jessica unknowingly drinks from a tainted batch of Tru Blood.
Every once in a while I miss this HBO series, so when I saw this graphic novel at my local comic book shop on Free Comic Book Day 2018, I had to pick it up.
Every once in a while I miss this HBO series, so when I saw this graphic novel at my local comic book shop on Free Comic Book Day 2018, I had to pick it up.
January 8, 2023
True Blood: Tainted Love: Marc Andreyko & Michael McMillian
This graphic novel was so fun. I've read all the Skokie Stackhouse novels except 1— and this one did not disappoint. Super fun mini stories surrounding the characters of Bon Temps. As I was reading I could hear the characters voices from the show. This is a plot line that should have definitely made the show. A tainted Tru Blood storyline would have been way better than some of the later seasons the show had.
⭐️⭐️⭐️—Recommend
This graphic novel was so fun. I've read all the Skokie Stackhouse novels except 1— and this one did not disappoint. Super fun mini stories surrounding the characters of Bon Temps. As I was reading I could hear the characters voices from the show. This is a plot line that should have definitely made the show. A tainted Tru Blood storyline would have been way better than some of the later seasons the show had.
⭐️⭐️⭐️—Recommend
August 3, 2019
This second volume was an improvement on the first. Although in some ways I liked the artwork less, the story was better. There was a decent plot and some actual interest. It felt more like new material and a worthwhile time investment. 3.5 stars.
July 10, 2022
Extreme Book Nerd Your Way Challenge 2022
Now the Sookie gang are facing a problem with tained Tru Blood that makes vampires go feral and suicidal. THey have to figure out who did it and how, all while protecting one of their own who was affected. Again, Great art work.
Now the Sookie gang are facing a problem with tained Tru Blood that makes vampires go feral and suicidal. THey have to figure out who did it and how, all while protecting one of their own who was affected. Again, Great art work.
September 4, 2019
The comic was great! It was cool to see new adventures with Sooki and the boys and each chapter kept me on my toes. The artwork was amazing. I wish there had been more volumes :(
November 2, 2022
Better than the first graphic novel. Still not a big fan of the art work. In some scenes the characters look great and in others they look nothing like what they are supposed to.
August 16, 2019
This book was definitely cool
June 17, 2011
I enjoyed the first volume of “True Blood” comics, surprisingly enough. Going into it, I was inwardly groaning and hoping that they’d be good, and they were. The volume I received was the first issue out of this entire volume, and was a lovely bite into an old world that was much like coming home. The prom plotline was cute, and it’s good to see that in some ways, at least, “True Blood” is staying true to its literary origins.
I think the closest the comic stayed to the original “Sookie Stackhouse” book series was with creeper!Bill leering at everyone from the shadows while the rest of the cast went off to prom. I honestly have never really liked Bill, especially after the Big Reveal in both the show and the book as to what his real motives toward Sookie were when he first approached her. I won’t reveal those here for spoiler reasons, so watch/read the series yourself.
However, I really did like seeing Jessica (one of my favorite characters from the TV series) finally get a little bit more backstory and get a little love that she never experienced alive through the prom plotline. Bill being his creepy and overprotective self fit perfectly, and Sookie also got the prom-she-never-got when she was in high school and fighting against her psychic abilities in order to stay sane. It was a sweet departure from the usual grisly business that goes on in Bon Temps, even if the lurking crazy infected main Tru Blood plotline was waiting behind it. This first issue did a great job of setting things up, and you can definitely bet that I’m going to be wanting to read the entire second volume of these comics.
If you’re a fan of the show, definitely pick up volume 1 of the comics and see if you’ll like it before going on to volume 2. The good thing is that they’re standalone stories connected more with the show than with each other, so you can dive in whenever, wherever you like. A great summer read to be sure!
(posted to librarything, shelfari, goodreads, and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)
I think the closest the comic stayed to the original “Sookie Stackhouse” book series was with creeper!Bill leering at everyone from the shadows while the rest of the cast went off to prom. I honestly have never really liked Bill, especially after the Big Reveal in both the show and the book as to what his real motives toward Sookie were when he first approached her. I won’t reveal those here for spoiler reasons, so watch/read the series yourself.
However, I really did like seeing Jessica (one of my favorite characters from the TV series) finally get a little bit more backstory and get a little love that she never experienced alive through the prom plotline. Bill being his creepy and overprotective self fit perfectly, and Sookie also got the prom-she-never-got when she was in high school and fighting against her psychic abilities in order to stay sane. It was a sweet departure from the usual grisly business that goes on in Bon Temps, even if the lurking crazy infected main Tru Blood plotline was waiting behind it. This first issue did a great job of setting things up, and you can definitely bet that I’m going to be wanting to read the entire second volume of these comics.
If you’re a fan of the show, definitely pick up volume 1 of the comics and see if you’ll like it before going on to volume 2. The good thing is that they’re standalone stories connected more with the show than with each other, so you can dive in whenever, wherever you like. A great summer read to be sure!
(posted to librarything, shelfari, goodreads, and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)
February 27, 2016
Joe Corroney's artwork for this volume differs greatly from the artwork done by David Messina in True Blood All Together Now. That may or may not be a good thing. Whereas the art in volume one had a photo-shopped look to it, at least the characters looked like their TV counterparts. This was not really the case with volume two. The faces changed from panel-to-panel at times and some of the facial drawings looked nothing like the actors that portray the same characters, at all, ever. Hoyt was the worse of the bunch as he looked like a generic comic guy. Others barely were recognizable as well. The colors were good and strong; lines well defined and the backgrounds weren't terrible. Not that they were chockful of detailing, but they were better than some graphics that I have read.
The overall plot was interesting and I can kinda place where in the True Blood universe this little tale lands, but it has been so long since I have watched the show that I couldn't exactly place what season this would have occurred in. It does seem like a big leap from the time period in which volume one took place, so I'm not sure when the next couple of volumes will take place. The characters dialogue read as one would expect, lots of mature language as well as the slangy-dialect that you can practically hear in the voices of the actors from the show. I was interested in reading this because I thought that the overall plot revolved around Jessica,, which in a way it did, but I was hoping for something different that the red-haired vixen running amok.
I'm glad that I am not collecting these graphics from myself, but I can't turn down a free read that is quick and helps me build up my 2016 reading challenge. I'm pretty sure that I will keep reading this series til the end if my niece keeps buying them, much like I did with the show. As long as it isn't money out of my pocket, I'll see it through til the end.
The overall plot was interesting and I can kinda place where in the True Blood universe this little tale lands, but it has been so long since I have watched the show that I couldn't exactly place what season this would have occurred in. It does seem like a big leap from the time period in which volume one took place, so I'm not sure when the next couple of volumes will take place. The characters dialogue read as one would expect, lots of mature language as well as the slangy-dialect that you can practically hear in the voices of the actors from the show. I was interested in reading this because I thought that the overall plot revolved around Jessica,, which in a way it did, but I was hoping for something different that the red-haired vixen running amok.
I'm glad that I am not collecting these graphics from myself, but I can't turn down a free read that is quick and helps me build up my 2016 reading challenge. I'm pretty sure that I will keep reading this series til the end if my niece keeps buying them, much like I did with the show. As long as it isn't money out of my pocket, I'll see it through til the end.
April 17, 2017
It has been months, several, since I have read this graphic novel and most I recall is that I did not like this at all. Good thing is that I read it when I wrote little recaps for myself. (OCDish behaviour does have its advantages!)
Let's make a list! I love lists, and I think I should make a list for this..
1. I did not enjoy the art. The lines are too bold, the colors too muddy. I love Mangas, but the typical comics somehow never managed to get my attention. This Graphic Novel did not even have a brilliant Marvel Comics cover.
2. I did not like the story, as far as I can recall. It was boring and although I love the TV show, I have to say that I don't think anyone would want to read this, especially if you consider the price:
- If you love the show, you will be disappointed.
- If you hate the show, you won't want to read it anyway.
- If you don't know the show, you shouldn't read this, it might make you want to never watch it.
3. I do not enjoy the novels in the German translation, but even here the same things I've just said above, count. This graphic novel will not make you want to see the show or read the books!
Tainted Love is supposed to be 160 pages long or something, but I vaguely recall getting less than that, and lots of these pages were some silly adds I had no interest in anyway. So, yes, I'm quite sure it could have been better than what I got to see.
Still, I won't buy these little things - The price is ridiculous!
If you have read them and thought they were better, please let me know. : )
Let's make a list! I love lists, and I think I should make a list for this..
1. I did not enjoy the art. The lines are too bold, the colors too muddy. I love Mangas, but the typical comics somehow never managed to get my attention. This Graphic Novel did not even have a brilliant Marvel Comics cover.
2. I did not like the story, as far as I can recall. It was boring and although I love the TV show, I have to say that I don't think anyone would want to read this, especially if you consider the price:
- If you love the show, you will be disappointed.
- If you hate the show, you won't want to read it anyway.
- If you don't know the show, you shouldn't read this, it might make you want to never watch it.
3. I do not enjoy the novels in the German translation, but even here the same things I've just said above, count. This graphic novel will not make you want to see the show or read the books!
Tainted Love is supposed to be 160 pages long or something, but I vaguely recall getting less than that, and lots of these pages were some silly adds I had no interest in anyway. So, yes, I'm quite sure it could have been better than what I got to see.
Still, I won't buy these little things - The price is ridiculous!
If you have read them and thought they were better, please let me know. : )
August 2, 2011
Though I've only seen a few episodes of the tv show, I think this comic series is better than the books and a closer fit than the books.
One of my complaints, though, is that in the 38 pages, about 10 pages were of ads in the edition I was given to review. While I understand that IDW has some fantastic things in the works, it seemed like the ad space in this edition was a lot more than similar titles by the company.
I did like that it ended as a cliffhanger. But I didn't get the whole 160 pages as promised (see product information below), but it was enough of a cliffhanger to make me want to know what happens next. And I think I might seek out the book when it finally gets published.
I think you have to know the basic characters in the series in order to truly appreciate this comic. There were a few characters (due to my lack of series knowledge) that confounded me, but was remedied by a quick wikipedia check.
I want to thank IDW Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read the pages that I did get to read.
Note: I received an electronic copy of 38 pages of this in exchange for my honest review. I marked down my review due to the brevity of the review copy I received.
One of my complaints, though, is that in the 38 pages, about 10 pages were of ads in the edition I was given to review. While I understand that IDW has some fantastic things in the works, it seemed like the ad space in this edition was a lot more than similar titles by the company.
I did like that it ended as a cliffhanger. But I didn't get the whole 160 pages as promised (see product information below), but it was enough of a cliffhanger to make me want to know what happens next. And I think I might seek out the book when it finally gets published.
I think you have to know the basic characters in the series in order to truly appreciate this comic. There were a few characters (due to my lack of series knowledge) that confounded me, but was remedied by a quick wikipedia check.
I want to thank IDW Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read the pages that I did get to read.
Note: I received an electronic copy of 38 pages of this in exchange for my honest review. I marked down my review due to the brevity of the review copy I received.
June 24, 2013
Sometimes television series get so caught up in their often excellent story arcs that some of the crucial exploration of the world they present is left to the media tie-in fiction. Such is the situation between the TV-series "True Blood" and this graphic novel "Tainted Love" based on the show. The fact that in the universe of the series the product True Blood is the only way keeping vampires from killing humans has been used as a strategic plot element in more recent series, but "Tainted Love" did it first in an obvious-to-the-point-of-necessary manner.
What happens when a batch of True Blood is tainted with a substance that turn vampires berserk? Who is responsible and why?
Marc Andreyko navigates through a few plot holes, but the thing keeps itself together reasonably well. "Tainted Love" isn't in the same league of ambition as the TV-show by far, but a fitting addition to the saga nevertheless.
What happens when a batch of True Blood is tainted with a substance that turn vampires berserk? Who is responsible and why?
Marc Andreyko navigates through a few plot holes, but the thing keeps itself together reasonably well. "Tainted Love" isn't in the same league of ambition as the TV-show by far, but a fitting addition to the saga nevertheless.
June 24, 2011
Ah, "True Blood" in comic book form. It's been a long time since I've read a comic book versus a graphic novel. I'd forgotten how fun they are. "True Blood" truly follows the spirit of comics as well as the book/television series.
I raced through this one thinking that it was longer than it was, and I was harshly disappointed when it came to an end, with a cliffhanger no less!
It's smart, funny, the art isn't horrible, and it's a good addition to the "True Blood" universe.
I would recommend this comic for fans of the show more than fans of the books, and most comic book geeks probably aren't that interested anyway. But a fun find for a fan for sure.
I'm looking forward to volume 3!
*** 1/2 = glad I read it, I enjoyed it.
ARC provided by Net Galley
I raced through this one thinking that it was longer than it was, and I was harshly disappointed when it came to an end, with a cliffhanger no less!
It's smart, funny, the art isn't horrible, and it's a good addition to the "True Blood" universe.
I would recommend this comic for fans of the show more than fans of the books, and most comic book geeks probably aren't that interested anyway. But a fun find for a fan for sure.
I'm looking forward to volume 3!
*** 1/2 = glad I read it, I enjoyed it.
ARC provided by Net Galley
February 24, 2012
I think I like Marc Andreyko. I should look into more of his work. I liked this one better than Vol. 1 even though I feel like I was missing something at the end. That seems to be a theme as I'm writing things up tonight. I'm blaming my cold that I can't concentrate on story endings. Anyway, getting some back-story on characters isn't a bad way to integrate an extra story into a series.
So Lu and I went to literacy night at her school and one of the activites was to make a bookcover. This was the only hardcover we had with us. So she made a cover and colored a "poison worm" to decorate it and our table of 5 year olds discussed vampires. She then asked if she could read the book on the way home. Um...no.
So Lu and I went to literacy night at her school and one of the activites was to make a bookcover. This was the only hardcover we had with us. So she made a cover and colored a "poison worm" to decorate it and our table of 5 year olds discussed vampires. She then asked if she could read the book on the way home. Um...no.
September 19, 2012
This second graphic novel was SO MUCH BETTER than the first. I really loved the storyline and we learned some really interesting facts that hadn't been delved into on the show, the biggest being what happened to Jessica just before she was captured for Bill to turn her. That was awesome to know!
The storyline this time also read like the show--someone had tainted the Tru Blood supply with a crazy contaminant that caused the vampires who drank it to go cray cray faced.
The characters sounded true-to-life and I just loved graphic novel Pam and Eric as much as the real deal!
Only downfall once more---I cannot get past these weird artist depictions of my favorite characters. Strange!
The storyline this time also read like the show--someone had tainted the Tru Blood supply with a crazy contaminant that caused the vampires who drank it to go cray cray faced.
The characters sounded true-to-life and I just loved graphic novel Pam and Eric as much as the real deal!
Only downfall once more---I cannot get past these weird artist depictions of my favorite characters. Strange!
March 29, 2016
Diese Graphic Novel hat mir wieder sehr gut gefallen. Die Charaktere sehen denen der Serie sehr, sehr ähnlich, was mir gefällt. Die Stories sind neu, also nicht identisch mit der Serie. Außerdem kann man die Graphic Novels auch wild durcheinander lesen, da die Stories immer abgeschlossen sind und man die anderen Geschichten nicht kennen muss, um sie zu verstehen.
Der Zeichenstil ist wirklich gut und die Farbwahl sehr angenehm. Durch das Hardcover und die relativ dicken, glänzenden Seiten wirkt alles sehr hochwertig. Die Story ist interessant und zwischendurch gibt es immer wieder Seiten zum Artwork. Ich mag die Reihe auf jeden Fall sehr.
Meine Wertung
4,6/5
Der Zeichenstil ist wirklich gut und die Farbwahl sehr angenehm. Durch das Hardcover und die relativ dicken, glänzenden Seiten wirkt alles sehr hochwertig. Die Story ist interessant und zwischendurch gibt es immer wieder Seiten zum Artwork. Ich mag die Reihe auf jeden Fall sehr.
Meine Wertung
4,6/5
June 19, 2011
This graphic novel is more on the side of the TV show than the novels. It uses the same story, the same characters and the appearance of the actors. The sketches are so good that you can't mistake one for another, and recognize them at first glance. It's astonishing! I really appreciate it, but what pleased me the most, was the fact that they used a new script, and I had the pleasure to discover an exclusive plot.
June 30, 2011
Not to be missed for the True Blood fan. The drawings are similar to the cast in the TV series and the story stays closer to the book. The best of both worlds. The back ground was detailed and colored with perfection.
It is dark and creepy and Bill is down right scary looking, think evil dark stalker. I don't care for him so it worked for me. Jessica, and Sookie get to have a prom. It's sweet and you know somethings going to happen....
Don't dismiss these as being just comics !
It is dark and creepy and Bill is down right scary looking, think evil dark stalker. I don't care for him so it worked for me. Jessica, and Sookie get to have a prom. It's sweet and you know somethings going to happen....
Don't dismiss these as being just comics !
October 5, 2012
Not a bad addition to the True Blood graphic novel franchise, but not as character driven as the first one and not as exciting as the third one. It had an interesting premise of the Trueblood being tainted and affecting Jessica, but it never felt like Jessica or the rest of the characters were in real danger. Also, how the blood was tainted was a bit confusing. Not my favorite of the Trueblood comics, but worth a read.
July 11, 2015
I'm sure sure if I would recommend this to others or not. I'm still not a fan of the art or the stories there coming up with. However, at least this story was close to true blood. Except the prom part. Hess did get caught coming back from a party and turned by Bill. Also Jessica didn't go crazy like that because of true blood, it was because of the witches. The true blood problem was a virus that wasn't cured and made vampires weak and then they died.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2011
For a second storyline attempt, it's better than the first. I feel like they're :almost: there in making it as good as the television show. Of course, they have a limited number of pages to work with, but I'm holding out hope that the next volume will be good. Especially since it's set in New Orleans and features more Eric and Sookie. (Yay!)
January 4, 2012
I thought this series was much better than the first one. It was a much stronger plot and, as it clearly took place between seasons 3 and 4 of the show, partially answered one lingering question the show presented last season. As always, the illustrations were quite good - I'm always impressed how they capture the actors/actresses so that even background characters are easily recognizable.
June 23, 2012
eComic (Comixology) Action-packed story about Jessica, who goes on a rampage after drinking infected Tru-Blood. While Sookie and the scrummy Eric seek an antidote, Bill and the others fight to stop Jessica from causing too much destruction. Best panel? Eric carrying Sookie as he takes flight a la Superman. :)
June 9, 2013
Second collection that ties into the television series and books before it, but seems to try to tell a story on its own. Being an outsider to the franchise, I'd say this will probably appeal more to the fans who already love it. I find myself wondering where a good vampire hunter is when you need one... though I did like the artistic style.
December 8, 2013
The first volume I found much better (I'd give that one a 3.5 rather than a 3 if I could). This one is more of a solid 3. Jessica and Hoyt's relationship never interested me as much as Jessica is a character is not from the book series. I liked how this story tied into the TV shows series though, becoming a "backstory" for her character.
September 29, 2014
This volume is a bit more interesting than the first one. The writing is a bit better, and the characters are truer to their TV show versions. The plot is pretty fun, and it is a standalone installment that can be enjoyed without reading the first volume.
The art does not start that good, but gradually gets better throughout the book.
All in all, a fun read for most of the fans of the TV show.
The art does not start that good, but gradually gets better throughout the book.
All in all, a fun read for most of the fans of the TV show.
January 2, 2015
After reading volume one all together now I almost didn't bother to read this one, I'm really glad I did though. It was actually a good story. The art work was better as well.
Read for my book riot read harder 2015 challenge in the graphic novel, graphic memoir, or collection of comics of any kind category
Read for my book riot read harder 2015 challenge in the graphic novel, graphic memoir, or collection of comics of any kind category
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews