- "Let's hope the new sheriff plays ball. We don't need another coward like the last one."
- ―Donna Sikorski
| "Return to Barrow" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 30 Days of Night: Return to Barrow | |
| Title: | "Return to Barrow" |
| Volume: | 1 |
| Number: | 1 |
| Cover price: | $3.99 |
| Cover date: | March, 2004 |
| Publisher: | IDW Publishing |
| Credits | |
| Chief: | Jeff Mariotte |
| Writers: | Steve Niles |
| Pencilers: | Ben Templesmith |
| Inkers: | Ben Templesmith |
| Cover artists: | Ben Templesmith |
| Cover inker: | Ben Templesmith |
| Cover colorist: | Ben Templesmith |
| Colorists: | Ben Templesmith |
| Letterers: | Robbie Robbins |
| Assistants: | Brian Berling; Chance Boren |
| Editors: | Jeff Mariotte |
| Navigation | |
| Previous: | — |
| Next: | Return to Barrow #2 |
"Return to Barrow" is the first issue of the 30 Days of Night: Return to Barrow comic book limited series published by IDW Publishing. The story was written by Steve Niles with interior artwork and painted cover art by Ben Templesmith. It was lettered by Robbie Robbins and edited by Chance Boren and Jeff Mariotte. This issue shipped with a March, 2004 cover date and carries a cover price of $3.99 per copy (US).
Return to Barrow[]
It has been three years since Marlow Roderick brought his vampire brood to the north Alaskan town of Barrow for a mass feeding that left only nineteen survivors. Now, four days before the next month of sunless winter, Brian Kitka returns to the town of his birth as the new sheriff, along with his young son, Marcus.
Brian and Marcus move into the house once occupied by a former sheriff, Eben Olemaun, and his wife, Stella. Going to the mobile sheriff's office, he meets the town's sole deputy, Donna Sikorski. After dealing with his deputy's misplaced sense of humor, he goes ouside where he meets another survivor - grizzled trapper named John Ikos. Both Brian and John had family who were slaughtered during the vampire feeding. The two men converse with Donna and Donna gives Brian the journal of Eben Olemaun, which chronicled all of the mishaps from the previous event up until the time of his own demise.
John Ikos surprises both of them when he reveals the flayed corpses of two vampires that he found just beyond the ice ridge. He has no idea what could have happened to them.
Later, at the old Olemaun residence, Marcus is unpacking when he spots a black cat. He follows it into the attic where he finds a wedding album containing a photograph of Eben and Stella.
Featured characters
Supporting characters
Villains
- Werner (Behind the scenes only)
Minor characters
- Eben Olemaun (In a photograph only)
- Stella Olemaun (In a photograph only)
- William Kitka (Referenced only)
Organizations
Races
Locations
Items
Vehicles
Miscellaneous
Notes & Trivia[]
- This issue is reprinted in the 30 Days of Night: Return to Barrow hardcover collection, the 30 Days of Night: Return to Barrow trade paperback collection, the 30 Days of Night Trilogy hardcover collection, and the 30 Days of Night Omnibus, Volume 1 trade paperback collection.
- This issue shipped with a variant cover illustrated by Ben Templesmith.
- The events of this issue take place four days prior the thirty-day period of sunless night.
- This issue establishes that 443 people were killed in Barrow, Alaska during the initial feeding from 30 Days of Night, Volume 1.
- The ones responsible for the two dead and skinned vampires that John Ikos finds are revealed in Return to Barrow #6.