Review: Dracula Motherf**ker!

This review was a challenge for a couple of different reasons. First, this book puts a clever new twist on the Dracula story. A new twist on such an iconic character can be grating just because it is new. With that in mind, I had to let this book sit in my mind for a while before I could digest it in it’s entirety. The second challenge was a personal one. For whatever reason, I’m not generally a fan of the color scheme or the time period this book is set in. That was another reason I needed to let the book sit for a moment. Why, you may ask. Simply put, I wanted to divorce my personal feelings from this review and give you an untainted critique of what is, certainly, a well crafted work of sequential art and storytelling. So, without further ado, let’s leave my personal hang-ups behind and get into the review.

Writer Alex de Campi (No Mercy, Dark Horse Presents) immediately sets the stage for this captivating horror/mystery when he departs from the usual Dracula mythos in the first few pages of the book. While the book begins in late nineteenth century Vienna, de Campi introduces his first twist with a plot device that instantly transports the reader out of the known and into unfamiliar territory. Fast forward eighty some years and our story is now rooted in 1970’s Los Angeles. Not only have we moved in time and space, there are a new set of antagonists as well. Additionally, the nominal hero? of the story is indeed a Harker, but a Harker in name only. de Campi brilliantly weaves the sex and sleaze of seventies Hollywood with a gripping tale of supernatural mystery. I wasn’t certain where the story was taking me until I got there and I found that quite refreshing. Furthermore, the denouement of the story is somewhat cliché but very satisfying. All things considered, this is the kind of story that might have been made into a movie in the seventies and one I would certainly watch now. It is a tale that takes some of the best elements of the past and shakes them up enough to present the reader with something new.

The artwork by Erica Henderson is absolutely beautiful. With incredible skill she mixes in minimalist panels of “modern” scenes with complex and breathtaking gothic scenes from the past. The tonal shift in the artwork really sets the mood and all of it is drawn to a very high standard. Similarly, the character design is very well done. It has a unique style that can be grating at first. However, as the book proceeds everything fits and, by tale’s end, you understand the choices Henderson made when rendering certain characters; Dracula especially. The color palette lacks subtlety but for all the right reasons. Henderson has colored this book to accomplish two goals. The first goal was to firmly plant this book in the story’s time period. Having lived through the seventies, the oranges and browns are most decidedly in character for what was popular during that time. Second, much of the story has a strange psychedelic feel to it and Henderson colors the book appropriately. As I said before, it isn’t visually appealing to me personally but it is most certainly effective and appropriate. You can’t ask more than that.

This is a very good book and one I’d recommend to anyone. The story is engaging and quickly draws you in. The artwork is beautiful and the color thematic and effective. All in all, this is a worthy addition to anyone’s collection if they are a fan of horror.

Writing – 5 of 5 Stars
Art – 4.5 of 5 Stars
Color – 4 of 5 Stars

Overall Score – 4.5 of 5 Stars

Written by Alex de Campi
Art by Erica Henderson
Color by Erica Henderson
Letters by Alex de Campi
Published by Image Comics

Author Profile

Nemesis

Nemesis is a poet, writer and author of the upcoming novel The Long Game. He is a writer of science fiction and supernatural thrillers. Besides novels and short stories he writes for UK based ASAP Comics developing new stories for Level 8 and OPSEC. Nem is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and tries to bring those experiences into his writing.

He lives and works out of his home in Riverside, California with his wife and three children. When not writing he enjoys reviewing comic books and graphic novels for ComicCrusaders.com and living the Southern California life with his family.