Bottomfeeder

[December 27th, 2006] The acclaimed graphic novelist B.H. Fingerman's first all-prose novel, Bottomfeeder (M Press, 272 pages, $12.95), follows a young bloodsucker named Philip Merman who has spent the last 27 years trying to understand his transformation from man to vampire. The common denominator throughout Fingerman's work is the acute attention he pays to the trivialities of daily, urban life. Bottomfeeder, out courtesy of local comic-book giant Darkhorse's literary fiction/nonfiction arm M Press, carries out his favorite theme by answering the following question: What is daily life like for a vampire in New York City?

Phil is still very human. He worries about the moral implications of his killing (a problem he solves by feeding only on mankind's "forgettables"—druggies, muggers, pickpockets, the homeless, etc.), complains about his lackluster job (vampires still need to pay rent), needing to do laundry and sometimes choosing a night of telly over stalking prey. Yet he looks 27—albeit pale and smoothed over—regenerates when he feeds on human blood and will burn to an ashy crisp if he is exposed to sunlight. The reader travels in Phil's head as he sojourns through everlasting darkness. And, as Phil muses, "Living a life of perpetual night can do strange things to your head."

Any modern take on the vampire mythos must naturally bear, for a moment, comparisons to Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. Fingerman's vampires have almost none of the stereotypical "vampiric" powers: no superhuman strength or speed, no mental powers. Rice's vampires traverse the world, live as rock stars, and delve into the ancient histories of the occult. Fingerman's vampires inhabit a world very familiar to the urban reader: subway rides, jobs, therapy sessions, navigating the club scene. This sense of closeness to the mortal life draws the reader in. But, once you start to get cozy, Fingerman shows you how foul human life really is. Phil's urban landscape reeks of contemporary physical, spiritual and moral rot.

Fingerman's novel isn't so much about vampires but rather about the stripping away of the romantic connotations a reader unconsciously brings to such an iconic subject—supernatural powers, Old World charm, immortality. The dark side of these nocturnal hunters plays out through the compelling pace of the novel punctuated by the wit and candor of living in an everyday vampire's head. When the prey is humanity and the neck the dinner table, the readers get a much more intimate portrayal than you might want. Consider first how dirty a neck gets. Then consider the prey of choice for Phil. Finally consider that losing bowel control is a common side effect of dying. Not exactly the most pleasant way to end a meal, is it?

This is a novel for those who enjoy seeing myths turned on their heads, as well as anyone who notices the oddities that populate the dark edges of our world. If you've ever thought, "Wouldn't it be kinda cool to be a vampire?" (come on, you know you have), give Bottomfeeder a read. While my answer to the former is now a definitive "no," I enjoyed the ride.