Blood & Kisses was published by FantaCo in 1993. According to creator Leif Jones, the tale of Sapphire Vencava derives from a mystery woman that enchanted him from afar and related the story to him over dinner. It’s a vampire story unlike most other tales in the genre, utilizing an illustration style that is steeped in shadow and abstraction. Filling the pages with the sharp contrast between large areas of black and white (similar to Frank Miller’s approach in Sin City), Jones creates a world of gothic romance and obsession. Sapphire is consumed with the belief that she never truly came alive, and her taste for blood has led her to an apocalyptic decision that will forever damn her soul. Her journey into darkness is laced with erotic imagery, poetic recitation, and a desire to embrace the unknown with reckless abandon.