A half-human, half-vampire hunter, an old fortress, and a vampire lord marching on the nearest city. Vampire Hunter D: Fortress of Blood, a new four-issue series from Dark Horse Comics, is billed as the first official comic series based on Hideyuki Kikuchi’s long-running Vampire Hunter D novels, and it arrives in December.
Vampire Hunter D: Fortress of Blood #1
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Story: Hideyuki Kikuchi
Writer: Chris Condon
Artist: Filipe Andrade
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Frank Cvetkovic
Cover Artist: Filipe Andrade
Release date: December 16, 2026
New to Vampire Hunter D? Here’s What You Need to Know
Vampire Hunter D began in 1983 as a novel series by Japanese author Hideyuki Kikuchi, illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano, the artist also famous for his Final Fantasy illustrations. It follows D, a dhampir, half-human and half-vampire, who travels a far-future world hunting vampires for hire. The series has grown to more than 40 novels, and Dark Horse has published them in English for years, including omnibus editions.
For many fans, the way in was the 1985 anime film, directed by Toyoo Ashida and based on the first novel. It was released in Japan on December 21, 1985, with Amano working as character designer, and it was one of the earliest anime films released in America, which made it a cult classic for anyone who loves Japanese animation. A second film, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, followed in 2000 from Madhouse, directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri and based on the third novel. The 1985 film also has a gorgeous soundtrack by Tetsuya Komuro, who also performed the ending theme, “Your Song,” with his band TM Network. Komuro is my favorite Japanese composer, so that film holds a special place for me.
So, What’s the Story?
A vampire lord has raised his forces and is sweeping toward the next human city, intent on wiping out everyone in his path. The only thing in his way is an old fortress, where a family of outcasts has to delay him so the city’s residents can get away. Traveling the same road is D, the hunter who is half-human and half-vampire.
This is not an adaptation of one of the novels. According to Dark Horse, it’s an original story idea from Kikuchi himself, written specifically for comics.
Who’s Making Vampire Hunter D: Fortress of Blood?
Chris Condon writes from a story by Hideyuki Kikuchi, Filipe Andrade draws, Jordie Bellaire colors, and Frank Cvetkovic letters, published by Dark Horse Comics.
Condon is the co-creator of the neo-Western crime series That Texas Blood at Image Comics, with artist Jacob Phillips, and its spinoff The Enfield Gang Massacre. He also wrote Ultimate Wolverine at Marvel. Andrade is a Portuguese artist known for The Many Deaths of Laila Starr and Rare Flavours at BOOM! Studios, both with writer Ram V, as well as Star and Captain Marvel at Marvel. Bellaire’s credits include Six of Us and Assassin’s Apprentice, and Cvetkovic has lettered Kingdom of Earth and Batman: Dark Patterns.
The covers are special too. Andrade provides the main cover, with variant covers from Riccardo Federici and from Amano himself, the original Vampire Hunter D cover artist, illustrator, and designer. Later issues will have covers from Emma Rios, Dan Quintana, and Eliza Ivanova.
Why We’re Watching This One
Part of the appeal is how closely this project is tied to the source. The story comes directly from Kikuchi, Amano is contributing a cover, and Dark Horse has been the English home of the novels, so this feels like a carefully handled debut rather than a quick licensing deal. It’s also an interesting team: Condon has proven himself with moody, genre-heavy stories like That Texas Blood, and we’re curious how Andrade’s art and Bellaire’s colors will bring out the gothic side of the franchise.
It also looks like a good time to jump in. Dark Horse is bringing Saiko Takaki’s Vampire Hunter D: The Rose Princess manga to English on June 29, 2027, so the franchise is clearly getting renewed attention.
Who Should Add This to Their Pull List?
Fans of the novels and the 1985 and 2000 films should have this on their list, and so should readers who like gothic dark fantasy and monster-hunter stories. It’s also a good pick for anyone curious about the franchise who wants a starting point that isn’t a 40-novel backlog. Note that Dark Horse lists it for mature readers (18+).
More Dark Horse We’ve Enjoyed
If you’re looking for more from Dark Horse, we’ve recently enjoyed The Smart Division, a sci-fi detective story; Devil on My Shoulder, a brutal supernatural revenge horror; and The Guy in the Chair, a spy-thriller romantic comedy.
Release Details
Vampire Hunter D: Fortress of Blood #1 (of 4) goes on sale December 16, 2026, from Dark Horse Comics, priced at $4.99 for 32 pages. Cover A is by Filipe Andrade, with variant covers by Riccardo Federici and Yoshitaka Amano.
FAQ
When does Vampire Hunter D: Fortress of Blood #1 come out? Issue #1 releases December 16, 2026.
Who is writing Vampire Hunter D: Fortress of Blood? Chris Condon, from a story by Hideyuki Kikuchi, the creator of Vampire Hunter D.
Who is drawing Vampire Hunter D: Fortress of Blood? Filipe Andrade, with colors by Jordie Bellaire and letters by Frank Cvetkovic.
What publisher is releasing Vampire Hunter D: Fortress of Blood? Dark Horse Comics.
Is Vampire Hunter D: Fortress of Blood a new series, limited series, or one-shot? It’s a four-issue limited series.
Is Fortress of Blood based on one of the Vampire Hunter D novels? No. It’s set in the world of the novels, but the story is an original idea from Hideyuki Kikuchi, written specifically for comics.
Who should read Vampire Hunter D: Fortress of Blood? Fans of Vampire Hunter D, gothic dark fantasy, and monster-hunter stories.
