Legendary comedian creators Matt Wagner (Grendel) and Kelley Jones (Batman: Knightfall) have simply introduced that they’re going to be combining their notoriously brooding skills for a new graphic novel tackle Dracula. Much less a re-telling, the collection appears to be a bit extra of a prequel of types, exploring Dracula’s adolescence, and the way he got here to be the aristocratic monster that we meet in Bram Stoker’s well-known story.
This is how they’re describing the e book:
DRACULA—BOOK 1: THE IMPALER explores Dracula’s bloody historical past and his tenure at Devil’s legendary seminary of the darkish arts, the Scholomance. “The primary graphic novel explores what led Dracula to hunt out Devil’s tutelage and the way he turned the lord of the undead,” explains author Matt Wagner. “This challenge is an actual labor of affection for Kelley and I,” says Wagner. “We’re huge followers of Dracula and the numerous interpretations of his mythic story. Our model of Dracula is bloody, attractive, and monstrous; that is very a lot a horror story, with deep roots in Stoker’s novel. However this is not yet one more retelling of the novel in comics kind. We’re bringing you the never-before informed tales behind the story…the sinister tales hidden within the shadows of the unique novel.”
Over e mail, Wagner expanded a bit on his take:
“The unique Dracula, Vlad III, was Voivode (warlord) of a area often known as Wallachia, a part of Romania. Traditionally, fifteenth century japanese Europe was below fixed siege by the expansionist incursions of the Turkish Ottoman Empire. Confronted with sure defeat, Vlad resorts to subterfuge to flee from his enemies…however he has different plans past mere survival. Schemes that he hopes will garner him powers past human reckoning.
Any fan of Bram Stoker’s traditional novel is aware of how intriguing and mysterious the title character is portrayed. Exploring Dracula’s historical past and origins are concepts which have haunted my creativeness for years, and my longtime friendship with artist Kelley Jones has lastly introduced these untold tales to life.”
In different phrases: it is the creator of Grendel exploring the formative corruptions of Vlad Dracula? Signal me up!
This is an unique preview a few of Jones’ bone-chilling paintings the story, which appears prefer it may have yanked proper out of that legendary 90s Vertigo Comics oeuvre. Warning: there can be blood!
Whereas each Wagner and Jones labored on components of the Sandman: Seasons of Mist, this e book marks their precise first direct collaboration with each other, which can also be fairly cool. The primary chapter of their Dracula collection, titled Ebook One: The Impaler is now dwell on Kickstarter. There’s extra paintings to take a look at there, too, and oof, it appears superior.
DRACULA—BOOK 1: THE IMPALER [Matt Wagner & Kelley Jones / Kickstarter]
