Dracula has returned from destruction many times on film, but Dracula The Return: Cult of the White Worm #1 is the “authentic continuation” of Bram Stoker’s novel! “Chapter One” of Cult of the White Worm is by Dacre Stoker, the great grandnephew of Bram Stoker, and Chris McAuley. He co-wrote with Stoker the graphic novel, The Virgin’s Embrace, adapting a Stoker story for the Stokerverse. This is a multimedia universe of stories from novels, comic books, audio books, and more! They are joined by artist, Chris Geary, the creator of Kora: The Complete Adventures #1 (2019).
The cover by Shane Chebsey has the head of the savage looking Dracula, a white triangle on his brow, soaked in blood with a background of darkness and skeletal remains! This is an adult title in content from Scratch Comics. It begins with the gun battle at the end of Dracula with the hunters, Jonathan Harker, Arthur Holmwood, Quincey Morris, and John Seward against the gypsies protecting Dracula! The crimson sky with the setting sun is great work by colorist Matt Soffe. Geary’s artwork has simple lines, reminiscent of Mark Wheatley’s pencils, but great detail of faces especially dying gypsies!
Dracula’s coffin is broken open, we see his greyish face shocked and vulnerable. Revenge is taken for Lucy Westerna and also Jonathan strikes for Mina cutting Dracula’s throat! He says, “You will never touch her again.” Dracula turns to glare at Jonathan. Then, he falls and begins to burn. A gruesome death with one eyeball rolling around as his face melts into a skull and then collapses in dust. Quincey, his face bloodied, and his torso mangled, asks if it is over. They are joined by Mina and Abraham Van Helsing. The scar from the sacramental wafer burned into Mina’s brow by Van Helsing fades. Her blue eyes return and Van Helsing reassures them that they are safe. We see the survivors in silhouette walking away.
A splash page shows the small post and note dedicated to Quincey and his knife in his grave as the others leave. Somber. As they leave, a closeup of the dust of Dracula, gathered up by mysterious hands! We see the spirit of Dracula descend into a cavernous hell with gloomy spirits below him. He is taken into tentacles belonging to elder gods. Very Cthulhu Mythos. We see the bodies impaled by spears and Dracula on his throne. He has commmuned with those elder gods that gave him power. In a splash page, we see a closeup of Dracula holding a globe as he struggles in whip-like tongues capturing him from some gaping mouth. Large shapes with eye-like shapes extend out the eldritch beast, the White Worm.
The Lair of the White Worm (1911) is a novel written by Stoker. A 1988 film adaptation was made by Ken Russell. A bust of Dracula is in front of the cultists as a ceremony is performed. A gypsy brings a cup of blood. There is the smiling face of what looks like Renfield, very Richard Corben in style. In massive panels the White Worm speaks to Dracula and says he failed the “Great Game.” He was helped by a woman, Mina, under his power and still lost. We see hands reach out of the coils of the beast. Then, a demonic woman with four arms bursts from it! The demon woman sees Mina throw out stakes from a train. Dracula, called “Little Dragon”, asks what he can give to them.
The cup is offered to Renfield and he pours out the dust while the crowd revels in the ceremony. The gypsy asks Renfield in his robe about the sacrifice and then realizes he is the sacrifice! He tries to say he is from the “line of Dracul”, but in a splash page, his throat is cut with a hand scythe! Dracula is seen by the elder god, a blooby face and wings. It says Dracula will eliminate their enemies and bring them to the dimensional plane. The White Worm says he has to give what is left of his mercy. The combination of the White Worm story with a touch of H.P. Lovecraft and Dracula is weird in the pulp tradition! Dracula the Return: Cult of the White Worm #1 has a dark ceremony that will bring Dracula back to take revenge on his enemies!
Five Stakes out of Five!
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