About

The Comic

The Closest Thing to Living is a queer gothic romance with horror undertones about finding yourself—and maybe love—in the underground unlife as a vampire.

At the turn of the 20th century, "Bellamy" wakes at the scene of their own murder turned into a vampire. Rather than being horrified, they feel liberated—finally able to freely express their true self in the fringes of human society after living a mundane, nihilistic life. They don’t particularly care to bring light to the questionable circumstances of their turning, but the past begins to catch up to them the more time they spend with the mysterious man who turned them…

CONTENT WARNINGS: substance abuse (alcohol), dubious consent, sexual themes, brief implied/referenced suicide, brief abuse/assault

read on Tapas

---

The Characters

da stars of da show

Bellamy she/they. 189cm. age at death: 31 A fledgling vampire who lived a frivolous, nihilistic human life. After death they affirmed their sense of self: to them, their freedom post-turning is what makes them whole (human or not). However, their complete lack of self-preservation makes them an unpredictable and dangerous individual.

Cassius he/him. 176cm. age at death: ~39 Bellamy's sire, a stoic man shrouded in mystery. A mentor/guide of sorts, he is generally highly regarded among younger vampires. He is always a bartender or in adjacent occupations.

Aster (Esther) any/all. 164cm. age at death: 14 An extremely reclusive individual whose primary motivations seem to be avoiding a certain person. Sometimes their aloof facade slips and they behave like a bratty, foul-mouthed child.

Daniela (Dani) she/her. 155cm. age at death: 24 A kind and very capable young woman from the south who runs a hostel for vampires and has a penchant for collecting the latest fashions. She becomes quick friends with Bellamy.

Ernest he/him. 172cm. age at death: 17 A brash yet cunning teen, like a brother to Aster. Always hungry for gossip.

---