By Nick Authenrieth

Anita Blake #1 interior art

Ridding the world of the scourge that is vampires is no easy task. Just ask Anita Blake, a vampire hunter pulled straight from the lore of Laurell K. Hamilton's best-selling novels. Now starring in the comic book adaptation of these stories, Anita has become a fixture in the pages of Marvel Comics.

If you like vampires, werewolves and even Anita's hometown of St. Louis, you're in for a treat. We've put together this nifty visual guide to steer you along the path that Anita Blake has carved out for herself at Marvel Comics. Every issue and every cover is included. And you can bet it'll be updated on the regular.

The series' inception was kick-started in May 2006 with ANITA BLAKE, VAMPIRE HUNTER: GUILTY PLEASURES #1. Adapted from the first Anita Blake story Hamilton wrote, Guilty Pleasures takes readers on Anita's epic journey full of vampires, mystery, crime, monsters and sensuality. Having gone through numerous printings and massive expores, ANITA BLAKE, VAMPIRE HUNTER: GUILTY PLEASURES has become a blood-soaked success.

Anita Blake #4 interior art

In a reality not too different from our own and situated in St. Louis, Anita Blake is an animator, a person with the ability to control and raise the dead. Relying on this talent to pay the bills, Anita also begins to dabble in a slightly more dangerous profession: vampire hunting. Over the course of GUILTY PLEASURES' 12-issue run, Laurell K. Hamilton and company explore Anita's journey from simple animator to full-fledged destroyer of vampires, a talent that earned her the nickname "The Executioner" amongst St. Louis' thriving vampire community. Meeting characters along the way such as the enigmatic vampire Jean-Claude and the evil Nikolaus, Anita has her hands and head full of all the undead action she can handle.

For those not familiar with the world created by Hamilton in GUILTY PLEASURES, Marvel has put together the GUILTY PLEASURES HANDBOOK, where readers can sink their teeth into any and all information covered by the author throughout the course of the story. Complete with informative bits like bios of all the dramatis personae, a glossary of terms and a list of creatures found in the books, this informative and entertaining resource is the perfect companion to the Marvel.com visual guide.

Anita Blake: Vampire Victim interior art

And due to overwhelming demand, Laurell K. Hamilton has created two all-new original stories to compliment Anita Blake's comic adaptation. First up is the eight-page original story featured exclusively in the ANITA BLAKE, VAMPIRE HUNTER: GUILTY PLEASURES VOLUME 1 collection, titled Vampire Victim. An even bigger treat for loyal fans comes in the form of THE FIRST DEATH, a two issue limited series penned by Hamilton recounting Anita's first meeting with Jean-Claude, her first serial killer case and more! Taking place a year before the events covered in GUILTY PLEASURES, THE FIRST DEATH is not to be missed.

Make sure to drop by this page frequently as every issue and every cover will find its home here, your place for Anita Blake comic book info on Marvel.com.

Added on 10/17/07: Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Guilty Pleasures Vol 1 HC 2nd printing Anita variant and Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Guilty Pleasures Vol 1 HC 2nd printing Jean variant


Other Visual Guides on Marvel.com:
Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter | Annihilation | Civil War | Dark Tower | Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America | Infinity Gauntlet | The Initiative | Marvel Zombies | Spider-Man: Back in Black | World War Hulk | X-Men: Endangered Species