Lake Charles native and Los Angeles professional screenwriter
and producer Mark Landry will return to his hometown on Friday, May 24, to sign free posters
of his new graphic novel Bloodthirsty from
3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Paper Heroes, located at 3941 Ryan St. in Lake Charles. The
graphic novel promises to immerse fans in multi-layered, intense storylines
that give a post-Katrina New Orleans its own homegrown hero.
A Louisiana State University graduate, Landry moved to Los
Angeles to earn a degree from University of Southern California’s School of
Cinematic Arts. He has worked for Lucasfilm, Nickelodeon, and the Disney
Channel, among others. Landry co-wrote Teen
Beach Movie, which will premiere this July on the Disney Channel. He is the
son of Thomas and Susan Landry of Lake Charles.
The Bloodthirsty saga
follows Virgil LaFleur, a Cajun/Creole Coast Guard veteran discharged with
post-traumatic stress syndrome after Hurricane Katrina. With his parents gone
and despite saving dozens of lives, Virgil has grown bitter and depressed in
the wake of the storm. The story begins as he plans to leave New Orleans
forever; however, Virgil’s younger brother’s mysterious murder sucks Virgil
back into a vortex of intrigue, corruption, and revenue as he becomes obsessed
with bringing the killers to justice.
“This novel is meant to not only entertain but to impact readers
as well,” said Landry. “Beyond the barbed wit and gritty violence, serious
questions about class, economics, and political power in Louisiana are raised.”
Along the way, Virgil uncovers a ring of corrupt disaster
capitalists led by local biotech mogul Simon Wolfinger. He and his followers
share a common trait—extreme longevity—provided by a very expensive injection.
The one atrocious side effect of this “treatment” is a perpetual dependence on
the consumption of human blood.
Virgil discovers that these “hemovores” have been feeding
off of the blood of New Orleans’ poor and homeless citizens. Now with a new
storm coming—Hurricane Rose—Virgil must choose to either evacuate New Orleans
forever or stay and become the hero that the city so desperately needs.
“What’s different about this superhero is that Virgil
doesn’t set out to rescue or inspire anyone. He’s only motivated by revenge,”
explained Landry. “But an unintended consequence is that along the way he becomes
a symbol of hope, not only for the citizens of New Orleans but for himself. If
even one person is inspired by Virgil’s journey to regain hope, then this story
will be successful.”
Comic veteran Georges Jeanty, best known for his work on Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, was glad to
lend industry expertise to Landry on his project. “I had been a fan of his
miniseries, The American Way,” said
Landry. “When I found out that Georges lived nearby, I reached out to him
and pitched him the story for ‘One Nation Under Water.’ Luckily, he
totally dug it. He has been an invaluable resource and an endless fount
of knowledge and encouragement ever since.”
Anne Rice collaborator Ashley Marie Witter, artist of the
hit Interview with the Vampire
graphic novel, illustrates the book.
Landry admits he spent numerous afternoons as a child in
Paper Heroes in Lake Charles. He says that is where his love for film and comic
books began, which is why he has chosen to stage a poster signing there for his
new graphic novel series on Friday. Landry is excited to share the story with
his hometown. Free posters will be given away while supplies last.
“There's always some kind of guilt about leaving one's place
of birth,” Landry says. “In some way, I think this story is a way of correcting
things in my soul, even if those corrections are fictional. At least I'm
saying, 'Here is one man who is going to stay and help and inspire hope. He
isn't me, but he's better than me.'”
Bloodthirsty is now
available for pre-order. Visit www.bloodthirstycomic.com
to help support Landry’s project and ensure its successful launch. Contact Matt
Young at 337-478-7396 for more information.
