wktf
01-07-2010, 12:19 AM
Wktf’s Reviews
Siege #1 (of 4)
Marvel Comics
Written by: Brian Michael Bendis
Drawn by: Olivier Coipel
Cover by: Olivier Coipel
Variant Covers by: Gabriele Dell’Otto, Joe Quesada, Danny Miki & Richard Isanove
This is supposed to be the Marvel crossover event to end all events, literally. If Marvel’s to be believed, this story’s been brewing for the years since Avengers Disassembled hit. There’s even a Cup O’ Joe piece in the back of this book tracing the string of events leading up to this very moment (leaving out World War Hulk, for some reason). We already saw the Skrull in Avengers Disassembled so it’s pretty clear Secret Invasion was planned since Disassembled, and Secret Invasion led to Dark Reign and Osborn’s rise to power. Now we’re supposed to see it all come crashing down and the new Age of Heroes to kick off. But first we have Siege.
And, following all the intrigue and dark corners of the Marvel Universe through which the readers have had to navigate these last few years, I have to say that the slam-bang action of Siege (at least this first issue) feels like a nice palate cleanser to this superhero fan. Bendis wastes no time revving this story from second gear all the way to fifth in just a few pages. And if Bendis’ dialogue and story don’t make it clear who the bad guys are, we need look no further than Coipel’s depiction of Osborn and Loki. Two shadier and more monstrous characters have rarely graced a comic book page. Loki in particular looks his supernatural best and Bendis, who’s proven so masterful at showing how the god of mischief manipulates Osborn has Loki finally push Norman over the edge. Way over, much to the consternation of both his boss and now reliably present direct report. And, by the way he’s able to turn Ares’ point of view regarding attacking Asgard, Norman’s proven he's still at the top of his own manipulative powers. Gotta love Ares’ threat back to him, though.
This title has been billed as a massive superhero slobber knocker, where we learn who will live and who will die, and one that’s also the end of an era. With Bendis’ breezy and tight script, and Coipel’s typically stunning, panoramic and powerfully energetic art, this first issue has proved to be the comic book version of Hollywood’s best popcorn movies that brings the noise and, with it, the pain. To this last point, I almost felt physically sick by the take-down at the end, especially given the oft reprinted opening sequence with Volstagg deflecting the U-Foes’ attack at Soldier Field, but felt some cathartic satisfaction in seeing my anger reflected back at me on the very last page. No doubt, this book is my pick of the week.
Fall of the Hulks: Gamma #1
Marvel Comics
Written by: Jeph Loeb
Drawn by: John Romita Jr.
Cover by: Ed McGuinness
Variant cover by: John Romita, Jr.
This book came out last week, but my lcs got shorted its copies and there were none left on the shelf when I got there. No great loss, I felt, as I wasn’t planning to pick up the Fall of the Hulks storyline anyway. I read the first Red Hulk arc and bailed after that. I don’t care who the Red Hulk is and, primarily due to his work on The Hulk, now consider Jeph Loeb one of the single worst comic book writers this side of Grant Morrison. Seriously, what happened to the Jeph Loeb who brought us the heartfelt and beautifully written Superman For All Seasons, Spider-Man: Blue and Daredevil: Yellow? Or, for that matter, the Jeff Loeb who’s masterfully plotted and intricately wrote Batman: The Long Halloween?
It turns out, quite possibly, that he showed up right here for this very comic book. I’ll admit I mostly bought Fall of the Hulks: Gamma for John Romita, Jr’s art. Behind George Perez, JR JR is my favorite currently working classic comic book artist. He was the perfect choice to draw Jack Kirby’s Eternals a few years back as, more than most other artists, he does seem to channel the King sometimes. Also why his work was so strong on the post-Heroes Return Thor. But I digress. Rather than the more random and senseless action Loeb has been orchestrating lately, here we’re given a heartfelt and, dare I even say, gentle story that’s a memorial tribute to a fallen friend, or a fallen enemy, depending on your perspective. Despite the occasional action sequences the creators are obliged to give us, the team of Loeb, Romita Jr and Klaus Janson deliver a surprisingly quiet but powerful story that, frankly, caught me off guard.
One fun thing about this issue is that it’s packed with guest stars, from Steve Rogers (well, shucks, I guess he’s coming back, isn’t he…do we even need to pick up Reborn #6?), to The Avengers, The Fantastic Four and even the much aged Captain Savage (anyone else remember his books from a few decades ago?). But there are a couple of other characters, long thought gone, who resurface here and a partnership we all knew from the event advertising was coming. All that said, the biggest moment may also have been the quietest moment, a brief moment in a speech that reflects the writer’s own terribly tragic experience. For this long-time Hulk reader but who recently dropped the character altogether, I found this to be a surprisingly powerful read.
Rocket's Guest Review
Astonishing X-Men #33
Marvel Comics
Written by: Warren Ellis
Drawn by: Phil Jimenez
Cover by: Phil Jimenez
This issue of Astonishing continues the current storyline, Jimenez's first as regular artist on the book. We pick up the story with Whedon creation and Astonishing mainstay Abigail Brand debriefing the team on the Sentinel that appeared last issue and is wearing the skin of one of their deceased teammates. Yes you read that right. Wearing the skin of one of their deceased teammates. Now I should say here and now I was all for the arrival of Ellis to the book when Whedon sadly departed, but this issue was the first where I felt I just wasn't on board what Ellis was doing. The art of Jimenez crackles this month, and ironically fits the grittier tone of Ellis quite well, but exactly what it is Ellis is trying to do with the team is what I'm wondering.
I thought with his initial arc that he was abandoning the nostalgic element Whedon brought to the book, but the moment Wolverine reminds us he only refers to the recently resurrected Brood as "sleazoids" that doesn't seem to be the case, and the apparent tech-edge he had been building is all but non-existent now. So where is he taking us I wonder?
All of the other neccessary elements are present again. Armor continues her development as Jubilee Mark II, Cyclops continues his new hard line approach by threatening to kill whoever is responsible, and Emma chastises someone with the power of her mind. I do wonder though, how current developments in Fraction's Uncanny (Beast quitting the team) will filter through to the Astonishing team.
By issues end we have been reintroduced to the mutant Paradigm, well a version of him anyway, and it would appear the team is once more headed to the stars. Considering this was done recently in the X books both by Brubaker and Whedon in this very book, I wonder how Ellis will make it fresh, but will reserve judgment for now.
Wktf’s Trade Reviews
Tomb of Dracula Omnibus Volume 2
Marvel Comics
Written by: Marv Wolfman, with David Anthony Kraft and Steve Englehart
Drawn by: Gene Colan & Tom Palmer, with Virgilio Redondo
Marvel released this second of three promised Tomb of Dracula Omnibi with the unusual timing of late December, 2009. You’d think closer to Halloween, when the first volume was released the prior year, would have made more sense, but whatever. The important thing is that we now have this most excellent volume of some of the very best storytelling comic books of any era had to offer. By this point, where this volume picks up with ToD #32 out of the title’s 70 issue run, the core creative team of Marv Wolfman, Gene Colan and Tom Palmer had truly hit their creative partnership and storytelling stride, and managed to hold that stride all the way through to the title’s end. Because of their sheer size, these Marvel Omnibus titles always are awkward to hold and can be a little intimidating to crack. Now, granted, I was prepped for this book, having already read the first volume and having loved this series ever since I first read it as a teenager. But, when I opened this book up after getting it home I found myself joyfully reading it every night until I’d polished it off.
I simply can’t recall another title in which I’d developed such a huge emotional investment in its heroes as I did with this core cast of vampire hunters. The aged Quincy Harker, Dracula’s lead adversary throughout this series, had lost his wife and daughter to Dracula’s hands. The youthful, beautiful but distantly cold Rachel Van Helsing had lost her parents and nearly her life as a teen to Dracula as well. Frank Drake, Dracula’s own descendant, carries the guilt and anger of having revived Dracula in ToD #1 which, in addition to unleashing the vampire lord on the world, cost him his fiancé’s life. The odd man out but still core member of the team is Blade the Vampire Hunter whose own personal target is Deacon Frost, the vampire who murdered his mother as she was in labor with Blade. But Blade hates all vampires and, as a result, particularly despises the Lord of the Undead. In this volume we’re also introduced to the nerdy and hapless Harold H. Harold and stunning but ditzy Aurora Rabinowitz, the writer and secretary to a publishing firm that prints schlock horror magazines. Though they initially create some much needed comic relief they actually manage to become core members of our family of vampire hunters. In addition to our central cast, this volume contains a bevy of guest stars, including Dr. Strange, Brother Voodoo and even The Silver Surfer, all of whom either lend important aid to our heroes or battle the Vampire Lord themselves.
Of course, in a book where Dracula is the title character, the villains found here are pretty impressive as well. Dracula, of course, remains the charismatic, volatile and incredibly dangerous threat that carried this series for seventy issues. There’s a final, desperate battle with the disembodied brain of Dr. Sun, introduced in volume 1, who actually manages to slay Dracula and usurp his powers in order to dominate mankind. This leads Quincy and his team to have to choose the lesser of two great evils as they must determine whether or not to revive Dracula in order to successfully battle Dr. Sun. This kind of character depiction, moral ambiguity and personal conflict combined with desperate action is what makes this series so special. It seems that every action on the part of our team to destroy Dracula picks at and torments their very souls as well. In this volume the character of Dracula also substantially grows beyond the maniacal and vicious monster of the first volume. Dracula hatches a plan for dominate mankind but tries to do so by creating his own religious order, allowing him to spread his evil influence and power in far more difficult, subtle and malevolent ways. This effort brings him into conflicts even Dracula couldn’t possibly imagine, conflicts not only with his very nature but also with the very nature of evil itself, in the form of Satan who fears the vampire’s plans will disturb the natural order that makes Satan’s existence even possible. And this conflict with the fallen archangel, and Dracula’s subsequent struggles, force the normally arrogant and confident Dracula to question the value and nature of his own existence.
As mentioned, it’s so clear that the team of Marv Wolfman, Gene Colan and Tom Palmer just loved the work they were doing on this title. I can’t even imagine the flow chart Marv must have created to help him layer in every plotting and sub-plotting element into this series that enables the title to take its various twists and turns, always returning to seeds planted several issues prior. Gene Colan’s art is just stunning, from the quiet moments of Quincy pondering his next move in his office with his faithful German Shepherd, Saint, at his side to the frenzied battles with Dracula where the sweeping, cinematic motion and action of these scenes are portrayed as only Gene Colan can. One in particular serves as a great example of what I mean, from issue #46, when Dracula is thrown through a window by another monster he’s battling, only to change into a bat and swing back through the window to reengage in the battle, all in a single, fluid and dynamic panel. It’s all just fantastic comic book storytelling. From the torment the vampire hunters all feel as they relentlessly pursue the proud, unnervingly empathetic yet murderous Dracula, to the intricate and carefully woven storylines, to the moody but energetic art. Reading Tomb of Dracula, the reader discovers that the journey is every bit as satisfying as the destination itself. The only place where this book does fall flat is at the very end, the last few pages in fact, where you can tell Wolfman had to suddenly come up with an ending he wasn’t prepared to execute when Colan decided he wanted off the book. Nevertheless, whether you’re a 1970s Marvel monster fan or just a fan of great comic book storytelling, I highly recommend this massive nearly 800 page volume, collecting the five year run of Tomb of Dracula #32-70, Giant-Size Dracula #5 and Dr. Strange #14, even if you can only find it at the retail price tag of $99.99.
…and for those who might be interested in what the first Tomb of Dracula Omnibus might be like, representing it from The Mighty Reviewers’ Archives:
Tomb of Dracula Omnibus Volume 1
Marvel Comics
Written by: Gerry Conway, Archie Goodwin, Gardner F. Fox, Marv Wolfman, Chris Claremont, David A. Kraft
Drawn by: Gene Colan, Tom Palmer, Mike Ploog, Don Heck
Cover by: Neal Adams
Variant Cover by: Gene Colan
Have you ever been so happy that a comic book arc or series was collected that you felt like someone up there was looking down at you, specifically, when some reprint editor decided to publish a book? I felt that way recently when DC gave us Batman: Going Sane and, years back, as well when Marvel packaged Avengers Under Siege. But this! This glorious HC is in another category altogether! To steal a bit from Tom Field’s appropriately reverential introduction, Tomb of Dracula is the single greatest comic book series of the 1970s, bar none. The team of Marv Wolfman, Gene Colan and Tom Palmer cranked out 60 consecutive issues of this 70 issue series, making them the creative team for the 1970s that Lee/Kirby was for the FF in the 1960s and Bendis/Bagley was for Ultimate Spider-Man in the new century. From its rather shaky six issue start before Wolfman joined Colan, when the book changed writers no less than three times, Tomb of Dracula would become the standard by which comic book greatness would be judged and the model for other great series in years to come. Hyperbole? I think not. And to think, like all of Marvel’s greatest creations, we have Stan Lee to thank for its genesis. The Comics Code Authority, the power that killed EC Comics, forbade the use of sex, drugs and monsters like vampires and werewolves in comic books until Stan defied them with the famous Amazing Spider-Man #96, the 1971 “drug story,” published defiantly without the CCA seal, after which the Code was forced to revise their standards. Marvel and DC lost no time exploring the appeal of horror comics with the likes of Swamp Thing, Man-Thing and Werewolf by Night. A ”living vampire’ named Morbius was even introduced shortly thereafter in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man #101. But with Tomb of Dracula, which debuted in 1972, horror comics had found its brotherhood’s reining king!
First, what will you find in this first of what’s promised to be three glorious Tomb of Dracula Omnibi? Of course, you’ll read about Frank Drake, Dracula’s semi-hapless descendant, and his role in Dracula’s rising from the grave and stepping into the Marvel Universe. You’ll be introduced to the band of vampire hunters with whom Drake joins forces. Quincy Harker, the son of Jonathan Harker who’s first introduced in the final pages of Bram Stoker’s novel, and Rachel Van Helsing, granddaughter of the famous Abraham Van Helsing also from Stoker’s book, both make the core of this team. As well, this volume introduces Blade, the vampire slayer, and Hannibal King, the vampire detective. The big title bout of this package would have to be the two issue crossover where Dracula battles Jack Russell, Werewolf by Night. But we’re also introduced to the disembodied brain called Dr. Sun, the and, possibly, Dracula’s most dangerous enemy, his own daughter Lilith!
The actual tales told would not be as powerful as I’ve made them out to be without the manner in which they’re told. Most comics of the 1960s and ‘70s were either self contained or offered extended story arcs (as Stan did with his books) that had pretty clean beginnings and ends. Oh, sure, Stan would filter sub-plots into his Spidey, Thor and FF stories that would bear fruit in future stories but, for the most part they had jumping on and off points. In Tomb of Dracula Marv Wolfman evolved his characters and interwove such compelling, powerful and intricate sub-plots that reading this book felt like being sucked into a continually growing and building serial. Anyone who’s seen The Soprano’s or Weeds knows what I’m talking about. Add to this Gene Colan’s eerie, cinematic style and graphically violent art (lots of blood and people dying!), only enhancing the growing, tumbling and weaving storytelling, and soon Marvel had a cult following for a book that sported the most unusual protagonist in comics: a soulless, evil, undead monster. But the character of Marvel’s Dracula was one of the most commanding in all of the company’s 1970s line up. Proud and powerful, arrogant yet hunted, enigmatic but violent, predator extraordinaire but one you simply couldn’t help loving to read about. This Dracula is mythic, monstrous and hateful while also intelligent, cunning, desperate and a victim of his own nature. He’s an outstanding villain who I’d stack up against any of Marvel’s pantheon of villains AND who managed to hold his own title longer than any other Marvel monster or villain, including the far more famous Marvel villain, Dr. Doom. And the Wolfman/Colan/Palmer team’s over-the-top kinetic and desperate storytelling and pacing threatens to suck the very breath from your body as you’re reading these stories.
This Omnibus collects Tomb of Dracula #1-31, Werewolf by Night #15, Giant-Size Chillers #1 and Giant-Size Dracula #2-4. It also contains some awesome Gene Colan pre-production pencil pages and, for those like me who bought the non-variant edition, you still get the full color Gene Colan painted variant cover in the book’s back. The pages are faithfully remastered and colored on the usual Omnibus high quality paper stock, and having all these issues together in their full color glory is a complete joy! My one complaint, same as with the Frank Miller DD Omnibus, is that unlike with the FF and Spidey Omnibuses Marvel chose not to reprint the letters and Bullpen Bulletins pages. Have to admit, I was looking forward to rereading these as well (especially since I had a letter printed in one of these issues) to enhance my trip down memory lane. It’s a disappointment but not enough to seriously dampen my pleasure at owning this fine volume. At a retail price of $99.99, this 784 page tome is a big purchase in these trouble economic times, no question. That said, Amazon’s got it for about 40% off and I bought mine at DCBS for 50% off. There are bargains to be had out there. If you can find this book at a price you like, damn it, buy it!
Siege #1 (of 4)
Marvel Comics
Written by: Brian Michael Bendis
Drawn by: Olivier Coipel
Cover by: Olivier Coipel
Variant Covers by: Gabriele Dell’Otto, Joe Quesada, Danny Miki & Richard Isanove
This is supposed to be the Marvel crossover event to end all events, literally. If Marvel’s to be believed, this story’s been brewing for the years since Avengers Disassembled hit. There’s even a Cup O’ Joe piece in the back of this book tracing the string of events leading up to this very moment (leaving out World War Hulk, for some reason). We already saw the Skrull in Avengers Disassembled so it’s pretty clear Secret Invasion was planned since Disassembled, and Secret Invasion led to Dark Reign and Osborn’s rise to power. Now we’re supposed to see it all come crashing down and the new Age of Heroes to kick off. But first we have Siege.
And, following all the intrigue and dark corners of the Marvel Universe through which the readers have had to navigate these last few years, I have to say that the slam-bang action of Siege (at least this first issue) feels like a nice palate cleanser to this superhero fan. Bendis wastes no time revving this story from second gear all the way to fifth in just a few pages. And if Bendis’ dialogue and story don’t make it clear who the bad guys are, we need look no further than Coipel’s depiction of Osborn and Loki. Two shadier and more monstrous characters have rarely graced a comic book page. Loki in particular looks his supernatural best and Bendis, who’s proven so masterful at showing how the god of mischief manipulates Osborn has Loki finally push Norman over the edge. Way over, much to the consternation of both his boss and now reliably present direct report. And, by the way he’s able to turn Ares’ point of view regarding attacking Asgard, Norman’s proven he's still at the top of his own manipulative powers. Gotta love Ares’ threat back to him, though.
This title has been billed as a massive superhero slobber knocker, where we learn who will live and who will die, and one that’s also the end of an era. With Bendis’ breezy and tight script, and Coipel’s typically stunning, panoramic and powerfully energetic art, this first issue has proved to be the comic book version of Hollywood’s best popcorn movies that brings the noise and, with it, the pain. To this last point, I almost felt physically sick by the take-down at the end, especially given the oft reprinted opening sequence with Volstagg deflecting the U-Foes’ attack at Soldier Field, but felt some cathartic satisfaction in seeing my anger reflected back at me on the very last page. No doubt, this book is my pick of the week.
Fall of the Hulks: Gamma #1
Marvel Comics
Written by: Jeph Loeb
Drawn by: John Romita Jr.
Cover by: Ed McGuinness
Variant cover by: John Romita, Jr.
This book came out last week, but my lcs got shorted its copies and there were none left on the shelf when I got there. No great loss, I felt, as I wasn’t planning to pick up the Fall of the Hulks storyline anyway. I read the first Red Hulk arc and bailed after that. I don’t care who the Red Hulk is and, primarily due to his work on The Hulk, now consider Jeph Loeb one of the single worst comic book writers this side of Grant Morrison. Seriously, what happened to the Jeph Loeb who brought us the heartfelt and beautifully written Superman For All Seasons, Spider-Man: Blue and Daredevil: Yellow? Or, for that matter, the Jeff Loeb who’s masterfully plotted and intricately wrote Batman: The Long Halloween?
It turns out, quite possibly, that he showed up right here for this very comic book. I’ll admit I mostly bought Fall of the Hulks: Gamma for John Romita, Jr’s art. Behind George Perez, JR JR is my favorite currently working classic comic book artist. He was the perfect choice to draw Jack Kirby’s Eternals a few years back as, more than most other artists, he does seem to channel the King sometimes. Also why his work was so strong on the post-Heroes Return Thor. But I digress. Rather than the more random and senseless action Loeb has been orchestrating lately, here we’re given a heartfelt and, dare I even say, gentle story that’s a memorial tribute to a fallen friend, or a fallen enemy, depending on your perspective. Despite the occasional action sequences the creators are obliged to give us, the team of Loeb, Romita Jr and Klaus Janson deliver a surprisingly quiet but powerful story that, frankly, caught me off guard.
One fun thing about this issue is that it’s packed with guest stars, from Steve Rogers (well, shucks, I guess he’s coming back, isn’t he…do we even need to pick up Reborn #6?), to The Avengers, The Fantastic Four and even the much aged Captain Savage (anyone else remember his books from a few decades ago?). But there are a couple of other characters, long thought gone, who resurface here and a partnership we all knew from the event advertising was coming. All that said, the biggest moment may also have been the quietest moment, a brief moment in a speech that reflects the writer’s own terribly tragic experience. For this long-time Hulk reader but who recently dropped the character altogether, I found this to be a surprisingly powerful read.
Rocket's Guest Review
Astonishing X-Men #33
Marvel Comics
Written by: Warren Ellis
Drawn by: Phil Jimenez
Cover by: Phil Jimenez
This issue of Astonishing continues the current storyline, Jimenez's first as regular artist on the book. We pick up the story with Whedon creation and Astonishing mainstay Abigail Brand debriefing the team on the Sentinel that appeared last issue and is wearing the skin of one of their deceased teammates. Yes you read that right. Wearing the skin of one of their deceased teammates. Now I should say here and now I was all for the arrival of Ellis to the book when Whedon sadly departed, but this issue was the first where I felt I just wasn't on board what Ellis was doing. The art of Jimenez crackles this month, and ironically fits the grittier tone of Ellis quite well, but exactly what it is Ellis is trying to do with the team is what I'm wondering.
I thought with his initial arc that he was abandoning the nostalgic element Whedon brought to the book, but the moment Wolverine reminds us he only refers to the recently resurrected Brood as "sleazoids" that doesn't seem to be the case, and the apparent tech-edge he had been building is all but non-existent now. So where is he taking us I wonder?
All of the other neccessary elements are present again. Armor continues her development as Jubilee Mark II, Cyclops continues his new hard line approach by threatening to kill whoever is responsible, and Emma chastises someone with the power of her mind. I do wonder though, how current developments in Fraction's Uncanny (Beast quitting the team) will filter through to the Astonishing team.
By issues end we have been reintroduced to the mutant Paradigm, well a version of him anyway, and it would appear the team is once more headed to the stars. Considering this was done recently in the X books both by Brubaker and Whedon in this very book, I wonder how Ellis will make it fresh, but will reserve judgment for now.
Wktf’s Trade Reviews
Tomb of Dracula Omnibus Volume 2
Marvel Comics
Written by: Marv Wolfman, with David Anthony Kraft and Steve Englehart
Drawn by: Gene Colan & Tom Palmer, with Virgilio Redondo
Marvel released this second of three promised Tomb of Dracula Omnibi with the unusual timing of late December, 2009. You’d think closer to Halloween, when the first volume was released the prior year, would have made more sense, but whatever. The important thing is that we now have this most excellent volume of some of the very best storytelling comic books of any era had to offer. By this point, where this volume picks up with ToD #32 out of the title’s 70 issue run, the core creative team of Marv Wolfman, Gene Colan and Tom Palmer had truly hit their creative partnership and storytelling stride, and managed to hold that stride all the way through to the title’s end. Because of their sheer size, these Marvel Omnibus titles always are awkward to hold and can be a little intimidating to crack. Now, granted, I was prepped for this book, having already read the first volume and having loved this series ever since I first read it as a teenager. But, when I opened this book up after getting it home I found myself joyfully reading it every night until I’d polished it off.
I simply can’t recall another title in which I’d developed such a huge emotional investment in its heroes as I did with this core cast of vampire hunters. The aged Quincy Harker, Dracula’s lead adversary throughout this series, had lost his wife and daughter to Dracula’s hands. The youthful, beautiful but distantly cold Rachel Van Helsing had lost her parents and nearly her life as a teen to Dracula as well. Frank Drake, Dracula’s own descendant, carries the guilt and anger of having revived Dracula in ToD #1 which, in addition to unleashing the vampire lord on the world, cost him his fiancé’s life. The odd man out but still core member of the team is Blade the Vampire Hunter whose own personal target is Deacon Frost, the vampire who murdered his mother as she was in labor with Blade. But Blade hates all vampires and, as a result, particularly despises the Lord of the Undead. In this volume we’re also introduced to the nerdy and hapless Harold H. Harold and stunning but ditzy Aurora Rabinowitz, the writer and secretary to a publishing firm that prints schlock horror magazines. Though they initially create some much needed comic relief they actually manage to become core members of our family of vampire hunters. In addition to our central cast, this volume contains a bevy of guest stars, including Dr. Strange, Brother Voodoo and even The Silver Surfer, all of whom either lend important aid to our heroes or battle the Vampire Lord themselves.
Of course, in a book where Dracula is the title character, the villains found here are pretty impressive as well. Dracula, of course, remains the charismatic, volatile and incredibly dangerous threat that carried this series for seventy issues. There’s a final, desperate battle with the disembodied brain of Dr. Sun, introduced in volume 1, who actually manages to slay Dracula and usurp his powers in order to dominate mankind. This leads Quincy and his team to have to choose the lesser of two great evils as they must determine whether or not to revive Dracula in order to successfully battle Dr. Sun. This kind of character depiction, moral ambiguity and personal conflict combined with desperate action is what makes this series so special. It seems that every action on the part of our team to destroy Dracula picks at and torments their very souls as well. In this volume the character of Dracula also substantially grows beyond the maniacal and vicious monster of the first volume. Dracula hatches a plan for dominate mankind but tries to do so by creating his own religious order, allowing him to spread his evil influence and power in far more difficult, subtle and malevolent ways. This effort brings him into conflicts even Dracula couldn’t possibly imagine, conflicts not only with his very nature but also with the very nature of evil itself, in the form of Satan who fears the vampire’s plans will disturb the natural order that makes Satan’s existence even possible. And this conflict with the fallen archangel, and Dracula’s subsequent struggles, force the normally arrogant and confident Dracula to question the value and nature of his own existence.
As mentioned, it’s so clear that the team of Marv Wolfman, Gene Colan and Tom Palmer just loved the work they were doing on this title. I can’t even imagine the flow chart Marv must have created to help him layer in every plotting and sub-plotting element into this series that enables the title to take its various twists and turns, always returning to seeds planted several issues prior. Gene Colan’s art is just stunning, from the quiet moments of Quincy pondering his next move in his office with his faithful German Shepherd, Saint, at his side to the frenzied battles with Dracula where the sweeping, cinematic motion and action of these scenes are portrayed as only Gene Colan can. One in particular serves as a great example of what I mean, from issue #46, when Dracula is thrown through a window by another monster he’s battling, only to change into a bat and swing back through the window to reengage in the battle, all in a single, fluid and dynamic panel. It’s all just fantastic comic book storytelling. From the torment the vampire hunters all feel as they relentlessly pursue the proud, unnervingly empathetic yet murderous Dracula, to the intricate and carefully woven storylines, to the moody but energetic art. Reading Tomb of Dracula, the reader discovers that the journey is every bit as satisfying as the destination itself. The only place where this book does fall flat is at the very end, the last few pages in fact, where you can tell Wolfman had to suddenly come up with an ending he wasn’t prepared to execute when Colan decided he wanted off the book. Nevertheless, whether you’re a 1970s Marvel monster fan or just a fan of great comic book storytelling, I highly recommend this massive nearly 800 page volume, collecting the five year run of Tomb of Dracula #32-70, Giant-Size Dracula #5 and Dr. Strange #14, even if you can only find it at the retail price tag of $99.99.
…and for those who might be interested in what the first Tomb of Dracula Omnibus might be like, representing it from The Mighty Reviewers’ Archives:
Tomb of Dracula Omnibus Volume 1
Marvel Comics
Written by: Gerry Conway, Archie Goodwin, Gardner F. Fox, Marv Wolfman, Chris Claremont, David A. Kraft
Drawn by: Gene Colan, Tom Palmer, Mike Ploog, Don Heck
Cover by: Neal Adams
Variant Cover by: Gene Colan
Have you ever been so happy that a comic book arc or series was collected that you felt like someone up there was looking down at you, specifically, when some reprint editor decided to publish a book? I felt that way recently when DC gave us Batman: Going Sane and, years back, as well when Marvel packaged Avengers Under Siege. But this! This glorious HC is in another category altogether! To steal a bit from Tom Field’s appropriately reverential introduction, Tomb of Dracula is the single greatest comic book series of the 1970s, bar none. The team of Marv Wolfman, Gene Colan and Tom Palmer cranked out 60 consecutive issues of this 70 issue series, making them the creative team for the 1970s that Lee/Kirby was for the FF in the 1960s and Bendis/Bagley was for Ultimate Spider-Man in the new century. From its rather shaky six issue start before Wolfman joined Colan, when the book changed writers no less than three times, Tomb of Dracula would become the standard by which comic book greatness would be judged and the model for other great series in years to come. Hyperbole? I think not. And to think, like all of Marvel’s greatest creations, we have Stan Lee to thank for its genesis. The Comics Code Authority, the power that killed EC Comics, forbade the use of sex, drugs and monsters like vampires and werewolves in comic books until Stan defied them with the famous Amazing Spider-Man #96, the 1971 “drug story,” published defiantly without the CCA seal, after which the Code was forced to revise their standards. Marvel and DC lost no time exploring the appeal of horror comics with the likes of Swamp Thing, Man-Thing and Werewolf by Night. A ”living vampire’ named Morbius was even introduced shortly thereafter in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man #101. But with Tomb of Dracula, which debuted in 1972, horror comics had found its brotherhood’s reining king!
First, what will you find in this first of what’s promised to be three glorious Tomb of Dracula Omnibi? Of course, you’ll read about Frank Drake, Dracula’s semi-hapless descendant, and his role in Dracula’s rising from the grave and stepping into the Marvel Universe. You’ll be introduced to the band of vampire hunters with whom Drake joins forces. Quincy Harker, the son of Jonathan Harker who’s first introduced in the final pages of Bram Stoker’s novel, and Rachel Van Helsing, granddaughter of the famous Abraham Van Helsing also from Stoker’s book, both make the core of this team. As well, this volume introduces Blade, the vampire slayer, and Hannibal King, the vampire detective. The big title bout of this package would have to be the two issue crossover where Dracula battles Jack Russell, Werewolf by Night. But we’re also introduced to the disembodied brain called Dr. Sun, the and, possibly, Dracula’s most dangerous enemy, his own daughter Lilith!
The actual tales told would not be as powerful as I’ve made them out to be without the manner in which they’re told. Most comics of the 1960s and ‘70s were either self contained or offered extended story arcs (as Stan did with his books) that had pretty clean beginnings and ends. Oh, sure, Stan would filter sub-plots into his Spidey, Thor and FF stories that would bear fruit in future stories but, for the most part they had jumping on and off points. In Tomb of Dracula Marv Wolfman evolved his characters and interwove such compelling, powerful and intricate sub-plots that reading this book felt like being sucked into a continually growing and building serial. Anyone who’s seen The Soprano’s or Weeds knows what I’m talking about. Add to this Gene Colan’s eerie, cinematic style and graphically violent art (lots of blood and people dying!), only enhancing the growing, tumbling and weaving storytelling, and soon Marvel had a cult following for a book that sported the most unusual protagonist in comics: a soulless, evil, undead monster. But the character of Marvel’s Dracula was one of the most commanding in all of the company’s 1970s line up. Proud and powerful, arrogant yet hunted, enigmatic but violent, predator extraordinaire but one you simply couldn’t help loving to read about. This Dracula is mythic, monstrous and hateful while also intelligent, cunning, desperate and a victim of his own nature. He’s an outstanding villain who I’d stack up against any of Marvel’s pantheon of villains AND who managed to hold his own title longer than any other Marvel monster or villain, including the far more famous Marvel villain, Dr. Doom. And the Wolfman/Colan/Palmer team’s over-the-top kinetic and desperate storytelling and pacing threatens to suck the very breath from your body as you’re reading these stories.
This Omnibus collects Tomb of Dracula #1-31, Werewolf by Night #15, Giant-Size Chillers #1 and Giant-Size Dracula #2-4. It also contains some awesome Gene Colan pre-production pencil pages and, for those like me who bought the non-variant edition, you still get the full color Gene Colan painted variant cover in the book’s back. The pages are faithfully remastered and colored on the usual Omnibus high quality paper stock, and having all these issues together in their full color glory is a complete joy! My one complaint, same as with the Frank Miller DD Omnibus, is that unlike with the FF and Spidey Omnibuses Marvel chose not to reprint the letters and Bullpen Bulletins pages. Have to admit, I was looking forward to rereading these as well (especially since I had a letter printed in one of these issues) to enhance my trip down memory lane. It’s a disappointment but not enough to seriously dampen my pleasure at owning this fine volume. At a retail price of $99.99, this 784 page tome is a big purchase in these trouble economic times, no question. That said, Amazon’s got it for about 40% off and I bought mine at DCBS for 50% off. There are bargains to be had out there. If you can find this book at a price you like, damn it, buy it!