Dampyr #104 (2008) pages 5-6: Prague sightseers

First a brief announcement for my regular readers: After watching the film "Chinatown" recently, I realized that it would have been good to reference it when discussing the Nathan Never story "The Hidden Spring" since many of that story's plot elements come from the film. OK, now on to Dampyr.

Every comic book is someone's first, so this story begins with a couple of nameless tourists. Dampyr stories often take place in unfamiliar parts of the world, but this one deals with ongoing characters in the frequently used setting of Prague. Nevertheless, Dampyr creator Mauro Boselli squeezes in a little travelog at the start of this issue, for those unfamiliar with Prague and Kampa Island:

“Prague, one cold morning at the end of Autumn…”

“It's freezing cold! Why don't you take me to the Caribbean next time?”

“You were the one who wanted to go somewhere romantic.”

“Perhaps we misunderstood each other.”

“Here's Kampa Island. Shall we go down? (Reading from the guidebook) 'It takes its name from the Latin word "campus," because for centuries it was covered only with gardens and vineyards. The Devil's Stream separates it from the small neighborhood.' The guidebook doesn't say if there are any taverns.”

“Oh, is that it? I thought it was weird that you suddenly became so interested in culture. Really you're only think about getting wasted. And it seems even colder here. There's even fog.”

“Isn't it an almost magical atmosphere? Let's try this way. Bingo!”

In Dampyr stories, Kampa Island is the location of the magical Theatre of Lost Footsteps. In the universe of Tom's Cruise's "Mission: Impossible" films, Kampa Island was the setting of the first act of the first film (1996), the embassy infiltration sequence that goes wrong.