| Baltimore, or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire | |
|---|---|
Graphic novel cover |
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| Publisher | Bantam Spectra |
| Date | August 28, 2007 |
| Creative team | |
| Writer(s) | Mike Mignola Christopher Golden |
| Artist(s) | Mike Mignola Christopher Golden |
| Original publication | |
| Issue(s) | 1-10 |
| Language | English |
| ISBN | |
Baltimore, or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire is a 2007 illustrated novel created by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden.
Contents |
Each chapter begins with a quote from Hans Christian Andersen's, "The Steadfast Tin Soldier", which has frequent references within the tale to Lord Baltimore. The novel consists of several tales all interlinked around Baltimore and the men who know him.
Captain Lord Henry Baltimore leads a night attack on a battlefield during World War I; after his entire squad is killed by enemy fire and Baltimore himself is wounded in the leg and left for dead, he awakes some hours later to see giant bat creatures feeding on his dead men. When one attempts to feed off him, he slashes at it with his bayonet and scars its face hideously - the giant creature in return wounds him and infests his leg with such terrible gangrene that when he is later brought to hospital, it is amputated - hence his famous jointed wooden leg. Unknowingly, Lord Baltimore struck a powerful vampire who is so angered by Baltimore's actions (he is forevered scarred and blinded in his right eye) that he strikes down a "plague" upon warring Europe. People think this to be a sickness which spreads quickly across countries, but in truth it is vampirism. Baltimore returns home from war haunted by his encounter on the field, yet happy to be home early on account of his leg. But upon arrival, he discovers his parents and sister have succumbed to the plague - only his wife Elowen survived.
And so the plot turns to three of Baltimores' companions who have helped in the past - battlefield surgeon Doctor Lemuel Rose, gentlemen trader Thomas Childress Jr., and sea captain Demetrius Aischros. They have all been called to meet at an inn with Baltimore, and while they wait for him, each tells two tales - how they met Baltimore and why they believe his tale of the vampire encounter to be true. The Doctor treated his leg, Childress grew up on his island home and Aischros shipped him home after the war... From their tales of Baltimore and the supernatural it becomes apparent that Baltimore has become a man bent on a mission to kill the 'Red King' vampire, who infested his family and then murdered his beloved wife. He travels to kill the lesser vampires in hope of reaching the Red King, and has called his three friends forth in hope of their aid.
Mike Mignola came up with the concept for Baltimore, or The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire and conceived much of the plot, though Christopher Golden penned the novel based on their joint efforts.[1]
A five issue mini-series, Baltimore: The Plague Ships was published by Dark Horse in 2010, with Ben Stenbeck as illustrator. It was collected in hardback in June 2011, paperback in December 2011.
A new Baltimore comic story, Baltimore: A Passing Stranger, appeared as half of Dark Horse Comic's 2011 Free Comic Book Day offering.
A second five-issue mini-series also drawn by Stenbeck, Baltimore: The Curse Bells, was published by Dark Horse in later 2011.
New Regency optioned the rights to adapt Baltimore as a film in September 2007. The novel's authors wrote a screenplay, while David S. Goyer was set to direct. After a leadership change at New Regency, the studio abandoned the project, and the rights have reverted to the authors. [2]