'The Strain' detailed by David Lapham

David Lapham has discussed his comic adaptation of Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan's book The Strain.

The Stray Bullets and Young Liars writer explained his eight-issue miniseries based on the novel about a virus which transforms its victims into vampires.

The title was unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con following the release of a teaser earlier in July.



Lapham told Comic Book Resources: "For starters it's a dark, horror, end of the world scenario mixed with stories of human survival and tragedy. Y'know, all the fun things in life. The only thing it lacks is the funny. Nothing funny here - just bodies. Unless you find bodies funny. Then, seek help.

"The fact that it's not one monster lurking [in] the night. That it's working like a virus makes it global in scope. It also makes it far less likely you're going to live. Any of you. And by you, I mean you and not me. I take that Airborne stuff. That's gotta protect me, right?"

Lapham also explained the challenges of adapting a novel into a comic book series.

"Fitting everything [in]! Well, actually, you can't," he said. "A novel has the luxury of being as expansive as it wants.

"The trick here is keeping the good stuff, the important stuff and the terrifying stuff and making sure you can bring that together in a way where you're faithful to the book, but you're actually creating something new. Something that's its own work."

The Strain comic will debut in December.