True Blood, that campy vampire HBO series based on the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris set in fictional Bon Temps, Louisiana, came to an end last night, Sunday, August 24th, with Season 7 Episode 10 finale “Thank You.” The series revolves around telepath Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) and her supernatural (and non) lovers, relatives, and friends.

No good vampire/werewolf/fairy/shapeshifter/medium/witch show would be complete without a formidable foe (or foes) for the plucky heroes and heroines to stand against. Some were silly, some were horrifying, some were lunatics, some were the heroes and heroines themselves, and some deserved their own late night Cinemax show, but they all had the common thread of being thoroughly entertaining. Sookie and her posse always prevailed (with some casualties). But, it’s all come to an end now, so it’s time to take a look back at the Villains from each season.

True Blood #4
Created by Alan Ball
Written by Michael McMillian and Ann Nocenti
Art by Michael Gaydos
Colors by Marcelo Maiolo
Letters by Neil Uyetake
Cover by Tim Bradstreet
IDW Publishing
Release Date: September 5, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

This past season of HBO’s True Blood was a rollicking good time in my opinion and even managed to say a thing or two about politics, albeit while scantily clad. Lucky for us Truebies, and hopefully for some new recruits, this comic series isn’t just the next best thing; it is entirely its own thing. Almost like visiting an old friend who is constantly redecorating, but they use half naked mystical creature types instead of knick knacks”¦who wouldn’t want to come over?

While Michael McMillian and Annie Nocenti could easily rest on those laurels and still keep tons of fans, they are also inventive storytellers and the conclusion to the very revealing story arc Where Were You keeps the literary blood flowing with Alcide’s Story. There are no shockers to hiss storyline but it is filled with all the loyal lovable, wolfie, shirtless goodness that one would come to expect from the latest leading man/Sookie devotee.

True Blood #3
Created by Alan Ball
Written by Michael McMillian and Ann Nocenti
Art by Michael Gaydos
Colors by Marcelo Maiolo
Letters by Neil Uyetake
Cover by Tim Bradstreet
IDW Publishing
Release Date: July 25, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

True Blood #3 of the Where Were You? story arc is called “Bill’s Story,” but the real star for me is the refreshing unambiguously evil villain Remus. He is sans tortured soul and manages to have supernatural properties without being in love with Sookie, or at least he is not yet. Michael Mcmillian and Annie Nocenti tell us the story of how Bill Compton and Remus became acquainted in pre-revelation (when the vampires come out of the coffin) England. I love when they show Bill as a punk rocker on the show because in his modern incarnation as politician and somewhat inconsistent anti-hero he is nearly always uptight. We get a taste of that in flashbacks as well as Remus paging Lestat as a tattoed rock singer giving up vampire secrets in his lyrics. He also likes to eat innocent people and feels he is part of a superior race as a vampire. This makes him an easy target to rally against and the gang, which includes Sookie, Eric (begrudgingly of course), Jessica, Bill, etc., is starting to do just this that.

True Blood #1
Created by Alan Ball
Written by Michael McMillian and Ann Nocenti
Art by Michael Gaydos
Colors by Marcelo Maiolo
Letters by Neil Uyetake
Cover by Tim Bradstreet
IDW Publishing
Release Date: May 23, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

With HBO’s Season 5 premiere of True Blood about to “come out of the coffin” on June 10th and now as an ongoing monthly comic series, it is a good time to be a Fangbanger. IDW is back again with True Blood #1 with a ‘Where Were You?’ story arc which lands on the one year anniversary of the Great Revelation aka Coffin Night. Creator Alan Ball teams up with writers Michael McMillian (who shows off another talent playing Reverend Steve Newlin on the show) and Ann Nocenti to bring us a new tale of the dark denizens of Bon Temps. Backstories are revealed from the day vampires informed humanity that not only do they exist, but with the invention of the synthetic blood substitute Tru Blood, the living and the dead can now peacefully coexist. Favorite characters from the show mingle with interesting and mysterious strangers on this strange new holiday which seeks to rival the decadence of Mardi Gras. This issue proves loyal to the world of the True Blood show but diverges from the storyline, making it a must see for Trubies and newbies alike.