I remember applauding the marketing team for HBO’s hit show “True Blood” for their ingenuity at last year’s Comic-Con for advertising the delicious blood-replacement drink instead of directly touting the series. However, I also remember immediately scolding them for not having the balls to hand out free bottles of blood. When the lawsuits settled, that would have made a fantastic mark on the minds of the consumers. It’s not like I was advocating they go pitch the series in front of blood drives outside children’s hospitals. But now that I think about it – nah, children wouldn’t dig the almost-constant sex that goes on in the show.

Marketing or not, the show is a strong phenomenon – well-produced with some ridiculous storylines and compelling characters. There’s no doubt that rabid fans are awaiting Season 2 like a transplant recipient waiting for his baggie of AB negative. Luckily, The Hollywood Reporter has posted up some decent pictures from the next installment.

There’s a lot of serious, dramatic looks, what looks like a creepy religious camp, and a bunch of people doing the Monster Mash poorly. Some familiar faces and some new ones. These pics are not honestly all that exciting on your own unless your a super-fan, but I assume we have a few of those wandering around the website. Only one shot of some semi-serious vampires flashing their canines, but other than that, it looks like the serious is keeping it’s serious, yet ridiculous, tone.

The most interesting pictures are the ones of what looks like an odd sort of summer camp. I can only assume they are pushing the boundaries and politics of vampires beyond the town limits to see how the culture is integrating, fighting against, or accepting the newest citizens of the country.

What do you think? Are you eager to have the series back?