Ireland based publisher Hibernia Comics have produced another winner in the form of an 86 page collection of a classic strip from Scream! weekly. The Dracula File contains the complete run of the fondly remembered story from the 1980s written by Gerry Finley Day and Simon Furman and illustrated by Eric Bradbury and Geoff Senior.
Scream! was a horror comic for boys published by IPC but sadly cut short after 15 issues by a strike. Even though it was only around for a fleeting time the comic has its fans who remember it well. The Dracula File, featuring Dracula in present day England, was one of the best strips in the comic, notably for the atmospheric artwork by the late great Eric Bradbury. Egmont now own the rights to the strip but have allowed Hibernia to publish the comic by special arrangement.
The Dracula File collects all of the episodes plus material from the Scream Holiday Special and bonus features. It's available to buy now directly from the publisher. Check out their other books too. I highly recommend all of them:
http://www.comicsy.co.uk/hibernia
In 1972 the publishers New English Library, who brought us Target magazine the same year, launched Dracula comic in UK newsagents. With just 24 pages for 13p it was considerably more expensive than other comics. (Most IPC comics were 3p for 32 pages back then, whilst Mighty World of Marvel was 40 pages for 5p.)
However, this was no ordinary comic. Its contents featured Spanish strips translated into English, it was full colour throughout (at a time when most British comics were mainly black and white) and was printed on quality paper stock. Dracula was closer in format to the partwork magazines that were increasing in number around that time, and, like a partwork, page numbers continued from issue to issue. (eg: No.3 featured pages 41 to 60.) The comic was printed in Spain, so I'm guessing there may have been a Spanish edition over there.
It should be mentioned that Dracula... didn't feature Dracula. I suppose the name was considered familiar enough to convey horror, so was appropriate for a horror comic. The contents featured an anthology of short stories. The lead strip was Wolff, a barbarian warrior type pitted against sorcery and illustrated by Estaban Maroto...
Sir Leo, a Victorian investigator of the strange and unknown was a regular in later issues. Drawn by Jose Bea, the artwork was striking and eerie. A great artist for horror, he also draw one-off strips for the comic. Here's a selection of his pages...
Agar-Agar had a more science fiction feel, and a definite psychedelic aspect to the artwork by Alberto Solsona...
The comic always concluded with a complete horror story illustrated by Enric Sio...
I was 13 when Dracula was launched and simply too young to appreciate the sophistication of the stories and artwork at the time. After the first issue I rejected it in favour of Marvel comics and Lion, but now I respect the comic far more. To those of us used to traditional comics, the colour scheme of the strips in Dracula may seem garish but they're actually very effective. This was definitely a product of its time although perhaps it never found its audience as it only ran for 12 issues.
One has to give New English Library credit for trying though. Dracula was a beautifully produced horror/fantasy comic with stunning artwork and copies are well worth seeking out on eBay. I understand NEL also published a bound collection of all 12 issues.
Happy Hallowe'en!
Above: Two pages from Tomb of Dracula No.1 (1972).
Gene Colan, one of the truly original greats of American comics passed away at the age of 84 on June 23rd 2011. His career spanned from the mid 1940s to the present day, covering an incredible amount of work including mystery and horror strips, Iron Man, Daredevil, Doctor Strange, Night Force, Howard the Duck, and, perhaps his most highly regarded run on a title, illustrating all 70 issues of Marvel's Tomb of Dracula (1972-79).
A master of illustrating mood and shadow, Gene Colan's fluid and highly distinctive style won him countless fans and the respect of his peers.
News of the artist's passing has quickly spread on the internet and tributes are already springing forth. Marvel Comics will be featuring a tribute to him in the back of the relaunched Daredevil No.1 in July.
http://www.genecolan.com/
http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=32957
http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2011_06_23.html
http://www.comicsbeat.com/2011/06/24/gene-colan-1926-2011/
Above: Two pages from 'Slow Glass' (Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction No.1, 1975)
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