Vampire Free Style is a series of comic books, currently up to issue 3 and destined to be 6 issues in length. The books are a gothic fairytale in which we meet a cast of characters but our story proper surrounds Micia, a sweet black cat who can speak with the stars.
She is linked to Padroncino, a witch boy who is trying to learn how to fly (with little success) and is searching for his girlfriend who has vanished without a trace. Through the comics we see flashbacks to memories of Padroncino from Micia.
There is also Edward a man whose path keeps crossing that of Micia. When near the cat he sees a vision of a girl clad in black, surely Padroncino's missing girlfriend. As I mentioned this is a gothic fairytale and the story ties these characters in deeply together, with hints of a history going back 300 years. The story itself is complex and interesting, though the dialogue can be a little off at times. However, this is a minor criticism and, if anything, adds a formality to the dialogue that works in the setting.

Where this really succeeds is with the illustrations, worked in black and grey they carry a cuteness within that is underscored with a sumptuousness, which merges the gothic element with a magical mischievousness. This mischievousness is complimented by story asides, such as a little clay idol that teases Micia in a magic shop. The shop, incidentally, is owned by Auntie Margherita a character whose face we never see but who has a perchance for dressing the long suffering cat in costumes to comic effect. It is, again, the visual aspects of such impish humour that really works.

Now, to this point I have not mentioned vampires and this is the reason I have looked at these 3 issues in the form of an honourable mention. It is at the very end of the third volume that our vampiric activity begins literally over the last three pages when Edward is reawakened as a vampire. Obviously in the fourth volume the vampire aspects will come more into play.
A beautiful trip into a dark fable, with enough story revealed and questions raised within the reader's mind to both intrigue and bring them back into the beautifully drawn world.

Vampire Free Style issues 1, 2, 3 reviewed by Richard Bruton - Forbidden Planet International (www.forbiddenplanet.co.uk)

Vampire Free Style is an absolutely delightful book, with much to offer to a wide range of comic and non-comic readers. There’s a lightness and playfulness throughout the book but the cuteness coexists happily with a sense of loss and sadness that, if Jenika handles it right in forthcoming issues, will make this book far more than the cute Manga Goth book it superficially resembles. It’s a modern little fairy story, mixing gothic romance with a great sense of fun in both writing and art.

In these first three issues we’re introduced to a young trainee witch boy with a habit of jumping off roofs trying to fly his broomstick. Our young witch boy meets an interesting cat on his latest aborted flying lesson. But this black cat, Micia, is no ordinary cat and she seems to be linked not only to Padroncino (the witch boy), but also with Edward, leader of a group of Goths who can only see a beautiful Death like Goth girl whenever he looks at Micia. Obviously there is more to this cat than meets the eye.

Indeed there appears to be much more to so many of the cast of characters. Padroncino is desperately searching for the girlfriend who mysteriously disappeared; there are witches and witchcraft everywhere, and more questions than answers so far. The interweaving of their stories is seen, by the start of issue three, to last through the centuries. Lost necklaces, secret masters living in the darkness, and of course, at some point we find out why it’s called Vampire Free Style. Although, with so many Goths around, it was no surprise to find out that someone with a thirst for blood would be showing up.

Jenika’s writing is fun and packed with spirit and raw energy and very occasionally small slips in the dialogue (Jenika’s Italian by birth and arrived here just 5 years ago), but the fun and the energy more than make up for this every time. Her artwork is a curious mix of styles; the obvious reference point for me is Neil Gaiman’s Death series, as one of the lead characters in Vampire Free Style is a stereotypical Goth girl with a penchant for top hats. But there’s also a very westernised Manga look to it complete with bighead moments galore, shifting artistic styles and androgynous boys and girls. And I can also see elements of Charles Vess and P Craig Russell in there as well.

Finally a word on the physical comic itself. If you have an image of small press comics as some dodgy little black and white photocopy you’re in the wrong place. Vampire Free Style, like many of the current crop of great UK comics, is very professionally produced with gorgeous colour covers and crisp stark black and white interior pages in a handy A5 size. The production values of the whole thing match Jenika’s skill and artistry. Each cover is a lovely, simple image that invites you into the delightful, wistful and romantic comic inside.

What really shines out when reading a Jenika comic book, is her artwork. The style is a brilliant mix between simplistic Western style art and the more manga-feeling artwork. It combines to create something individual, while also being wholly recognisable. I feel it would work a lot better in full colour, but that's a triviality. And that black cat is the cutest thing you'll ever see.

Jenika shows promise, her artwork is spot on for what she's doing and with no real slip ups in each issue, you can tell she's comfortable with it, and has settled into the style. Her overall storytelling seems brilliant, and it also works as a piece overall, although some of her dialogue could use a bit more work. It's hard to recommend Jenika to anyone group in particular, but really you should check her out.

I loved the ending, which leaves you with a mystery about who these characters really are. Is the cat really a cat? Who is the lost princess? ... and who is this guy Ed who sees the cat as someone completely different. These are all questions I'm sure will be explained. In fact, I'm looking forward to it.

The art is stylistic and beautiful. It makes you want to turn the pages and truly brings the story to life. It gives the book a certain ambiance that makes you feel like magic awaits you inside. For a self published comic, it was done exceedingly well.

"... Now, you may not have ever heard of this book before but you will. And normally I don't do this, but at the end of this review, I'm going to post a link to the place where you can find this book, because I think this book is just that good.

There are several things about this book that will stand out in your mind as you are reading it and - more importantly long after you've put it down. First and foremost, there is the creator: Jenika Ioffreda. With such an unforgettable and yeah cool name, Ioffreda could rest on her name alone for recognition, but this is a creator who is much more than a namesake.

Ioffreda handles the art and the writing on this digest-sized gem. Let's get to the art first, since that is what caught my attention first. Ioffreda has a smooth style that can range from the lifelike to the cartoony on the same panel. And Ioffreda truly brings her characters to life by packing tons of emotion into her art. This is a book that will make you laugh and get misty-eyed from the art alone but then there's the story.

Ioffreda delivers a heartbreaking gothic fairy tale of a "prince" who has lost his "princess" and doesn't know why. Trying to pick up the pieces and move on, this prince finds a new companion of sorts with a mysterious black cat he later names Micia. And as we soon discover, there is much more to this creature and the "prince" - than first meets the eye.

Don't let the title of this one fool you. This is not a horror tale. In fact, at this point, I can't even tell you how the "vampire" fits into Vampire Free Style yet.
This is a touching, magical tale that begs to be told, brought to life by some of the freshest art I have seen in ages. Two simple lines bring this book to a close: "once upon a dream. Now we have only to draw it." Here's to hoping that Ioffreda draws and writes the rest of this tale soon!"

Suggested for readers ages 9 and up.

Overall grade = A

Click here to view directly the review page at www.thecomicfanatic.com

"...Someone has gone missing. Her friend longs to see her again but has no clues as to what has happened to her. He should be able to track something done, seeing as he dabbles in magic and has an aunt and sister who also share his skill, but to no avail. Into his life wanders a stray black cat. He gives it a home, but the cat seems to know things about the young man and his family. She also attracts the attention of Edward, an elegant man about town who knows his share of magic and senses that the cat is more than she appears...

Strongly influenced by manga storytelling techniques and graphic design, this book has a very professional quality about it. The artwork is engaging in its detail and charm. There's some great use of greyscale here as well as interesting detailing. The Goth inspired look of many of the characters is smartly done without any titillation. And the central character of the cat Micia is soooo cute!! The book uses the techniques that many will recognise from manga such as the mix of very cartonish drawings for humorous actions and more developed work for the majority of the story. In much manga this mix becomes confusing and diverts from the plot, but Jenika avoids this by keeping the plot central.

The pacing on display in these two books suggests that Jenika has a long saga in mind that involves an interesting array of characters. There is a lot to keep the reader engaged in the mix of humour, mystery and magic. I'd planned just to review issue one this evening, by once I'd finished I just had to go find where I'd left issue two and read it straight away."

In a Word: Enchanting

Exhibitor review - Uk Web and Mini Comix Thing 2007

What is it: Vampire Free Style is a manga styled series of comics written drawn and published by Jenika Ioffreda, a lovely lady who likes vampires and all things dark and ookie.

Why should I read it? Because of the atmospheric, gothy artwork, the engaging storyline, and the very very very cute cat. Vampire Free Style deserves to be a big favourite with the goth and manga crowdes.

Here is a review by IndyComicReview.com:

Writing: By the end of the book, I wasn't entirely sure as to what was going on and how all of these characters fit together, but I really enjoyed the humor and the sort of idealized romance that flavored this issue.
Artwork: The art was somewhere between Johnny the Homicidal Maniac and a more standard Anime style, but it still came across as its own to me. It complemented the romantic tone of the story perfectly.
Overall: 4/5 stars. This was a really sweet story that got off to a great start and left me wanting to know more about the characters and where they were going.
Alex Haas

Writing: There were a few technical/editing glitches in the book that I found distracting, but overall it was well put together. I liked the balance and blend of emotions in this title. The humor kept it from being too mopey and emo, while the
more serious feelings kept it from being to slapstick-y.
Overall: 4/5 stars. Quirky, but endearing.
Robert Weiman

Writing: This certainly isn't the type of book that I would pick up for myself at astore. It just isn't the genre that I care to read. But after reading it, I can say that I didn't hate this book...in fact it was pretty good. I think what sold me on it was the
Artwork. Now I didn't like all the artwork as I thought the little cute Manga like touches with the cat were a bit to cutesy for me. The rest of the artwork was very good though.
As for the writing, it was interesting but it was SO jumpy that I always felt like I was trying to catch up with what was going on. Scenes and thought processes seemed to shift without warning and without having context.
Overall: 3/5 stars. Better than I anticipated as this isn't my usual taste in books. I would be curious to see where this goes in the future...as long as I can keep up with it.
Ron Miller

Here is the review from Web Comic World (www.webcomicworld.blogspot.com)

We all know the Prince and Princess stories. We know the Princess in her dress who longs for her Prince, or the Prince with a dodgy haircut who sacrifices his life for his true Princess. It's been regurgitated more times than a Britney Spears rehab scoop. How refreshing it is to see that old story given a nice little twist.
It all starts with that familiar line that you get in most fable books or fairy tales; 'The dark fable is about to start...' We are then transported to the first page which shows our Prince longing to find his Princess. Only that our Prince is dressed in very modern clothes and looks...regular.
I'm not a keen fan of anime art but the drawing in this is tight and consistent. The black and white look has been very well handled by Jenika. There are some panels with a blurry effect which look really cool. The problem I've had with anime is the lack of a respectable artistic structure. Jenika has proven to me that anime can look good and respectable, without being cartoony and a complete joke.
Not one to give too much away, Issue 1 really just sets the scene with the main character that is the Prince and a black cat that he finds and be-friends. The cat joins the Prince on his quest to find his Princess which leads them to a library with that presents us with an interesting scene. The end of this issue sets things up nicely for the following installment.
I would have like to see the relationship with the Prince and the cat developed a bit more in this issue. Their friendship seemed a bit too rushed. More dialouge from the Prince and reactions from the cat would have been a nice addition. Anyhow, I look forward to the next installment. Jenika has a simple story here that has my taste buds tickled so far...

Here is a review by Kat
www.comicspace.com/bckat

Vampire free style is magical. When you open up issue no.1, you are lead into a charming night world by a saucer-eyed black cat. Because Micia can only kitty-speak like "miou" and "miaaa", the reader must piece together the mistery of where the cat comes from.
A crestfallen witch boy searches for his missing girlfriend. Meanwhile, a goateed man named Ed finds himself talking to a cat who may be in danger and needs his help.
Jenika's phrasing can be awkward sometimes (English is not her first language), but the meaning is easily grasped. The sweetness of her artwork provides a refreshing contrast with the darker story.

Here is a review by Allan from the Comic Creator Guild (www.comicscreatorsguild.co.uk):

A young man, who is apparently learning to be a witch, mourns the loss of his love. Where she has gone, he knows not, but he spends much of his time desparately seeking answers. A cute black cat comes into his life one day, and though he doesn't yet know it, the young witch may find the feline is much more than she appears.

Vampire Free Style is written and drawn by Ioffreda in an unabashed Manga style. The art is strong, with a fluid line and superior figure drawing. The characters -- especially the oh-so cute cat -- come alive thanks to the artist's familiarity with depicting body language. I was reminded in places of the art of Svetlana Chmakova (Dramacon). There's a lovely full page piece of pencil art at the back, so anyone out there who fancies themselves as a Manga inker - this is the place to come to hone your skills.

It's only the first issue so the story doesn't get very far, but what is there is certainly intriguing. It's also laugh out loud funny. This is one to watch.

Vampire Free Style reviewed by Optical Sloth (www.opticalsloth.com)

Who's in the mood for a good gothic fairy tale? This is the story of a prince looking for his lost princess, a witch learning how to fly, a nosy aunt who dresses up cats, a young man who is curious about the same cat, and, of course, the cat, who seems to know a lot about what's going on. It's essentially good clean fun for all ages, with some nice creepy atmospheric art. Oh, and one bleeped out "fuck", so maybe it's not going to be for all ages for long, who knows? In this issue we see the cat meet up with the witch and the curious young man and get the barest glimpse of what's to come, but luckily I got the next few issues along with this one in the mail so it won't be a mystery for long. I'm a bit mystified about the price, but let's say around $5 and leave it at that as that's a gorgeous cover and it's a pretty thick book. Of course, you could always just wander around that website listed above, maybe contact Jenika and find out for yourself..