Essential Tomb of Dracula Vol. 3 Marvel Essentials Horror Book Review

  The TOMB OF DRACULA saga concludes with this volume. Behind the macabre yet, seductive cover by Gene Colan and Tom Palmer are tales that inevitably spell “finis” for our sanguinary count but what a way to go! A little bit uneven on the quality scale but these tales are still light years better than most horror comics, both past and present.


    This graphic novel starts with the guest appearance of Marvel Comics’ resident nomad, the Silver Surfer. It seems the Surfer has sensed the presence of great evil which he feels has to be eliminated. This turns out to be Dracula himself and the two soon engage in a typical Marvel slugfest. The story tends to fall flat as inexplicably, writer Marv Wolfman seems to abandon his own scripting style in an attempt at mimicking Stan Lee’s;perhaps in an attempt at giving the Surfer’s speech more authenticity. The result is that the Surfer sounds preachy, self-righteous and has us rooting for Drac by the time the encounter is mercifully finished!


    Wolfman and company soon regain their footing with the introduction of a mysterious stranger who has followed Dracula throughout his 500-year existence, appearing only when the Count is about to achieve some great, world threatening triumph! A being of immense power that has again emerged when Dracula’s pregnant bride is scheduled to give birth—

on Christmas Day! Who or what is this being whose eyes seem to glow with a heavenly light?


    This is the “Son of Dracula”  plot that literally leads the “Lord of The Undead” to face his own humanity, an admitted love for his wife, Domini and the upheaval within the lives of those who hunt him. A vigorous story arc which is unfortunately interrupted by lifeless interludes: Blade and Hannibal King’s pursuit of the “white haired vampire”, Deacon Frost; a lame solo-Blade effort that could have (and should have) been printed elsewhere and a remarkably un-funny one-shot with comic relief character Harold H. Harold. I usually skip past these but someone else might appreciate them.


  At the conclusion of the TOMB OF DRACULA, included in this volume are the short stories that were printed in the black-and-white format magazine with the same title. Writer Marv Wolfman and penciler Gene Colan contributed to the new magazine but they were without the services of inker\colorist, Tom Palmer, who sought his fortunes elsewhere. Other writers and artists are on deck, including legendary Spider-Man artist STEVE DITKO, in one of his finest “post-Spidey efforts”. However, the art in these stories has been edited for a general audience whereas in their original incarnation, they were meant for older readers. Neither horrifying nor engaging, their inclusion is more for curiosity’s sake than anything else.


ESSENTIAL TOMB OF DRACULA Vol. Three may contain some fat, but the lean makes for a satisfying, literary feast!