Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1485934
The Fang Index Other than general community pest control, one might wonder why Bud is compelled to hunt and kill vampires? At the end of the opening fight sequence, Bud plucks a fang out of grandma's mouth. As he momentarily stares at the fang, a job-well-done "money" is voiced. That's right, vampire fangs are bought and sold like gold on the open market. This is the driving force for the story's maverick vampire hunter whose pool-cleaning day job does not afford him the money he needs to keep his family together. But individual vampire hunting is illegal and highly regulated by the union. So, if you have an unsanctioned kill and are in possession of vampire fangs, you have to sell them on the black market. In this case, the backroom of a Reseda pawn shop where Bud goes to visit his friend Troy, who buys and sells these fangs. (As well as a cache of all sorts of illegal wares, including hand-to- hand combat weapons, flame throwers, battle axes and the hard-to-find vampire killer silver-tipped wood bullets.) To better understand the value of a fang, JJ loved that value was determined by a process similar to the 4 C's diamond-rating system. Price could be assessed based on shape, quality, color, length and age. Once a general value was set, the final valuation would be determined by the global day trading fluctuations showing real-time market D. RESEDA PAWN SHOP BACKROOM. ILLUSTRATION BY JAMIE RAMA. E. FANG INDEX. GRAPHIC DESIGN BY WENDY STOKES. F. RESEDA PAWN SHOP BACKROOM. PRODUCTION STILL. G. RESEDA PAWN SHOP BACKROOM. SET PHOTO. D E F G