If it isnt multiple worlds right now, then its dystopian wastelands. Mad Max: Fury Road recently showed up to illustrate to any pretenders how to do a story set after the end of the world, and Bethesda finally confirmed a fourth in their series of Fallout games that take place in a United States ravaged by nuclear war. Coming up with a new spin on the formula? Thats the real trick. Well, that and doing it well. Thankfully Stake Land manages both of those things, by imagining an America devastated not by hordes of zombies, or war, or an uprising of hyper-intelligent apes. Nope, this is a world where vampires finally decided theyd had enough and were going to murder everyone to death. Its probably the most faithful adaptation of the original I Am Legend book to date, despite not officially being connected to Robert Mathesons story of loneliness and survival in a world where youre the minority, and blood-drinkers are hunting you throughout the night. Bleak, yes, but with a strong sense of atmosphere and some gut-wrenching emotional punches.
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
