Comic-book creators Matt Wagner (Grendel, Mage) and Kelley Jones (Batman: Red Rain, The Sandman) have teamed up to flesh out some of the bloody backstory of horror's most iconic vampire with Dracula: Book II – The Brides – and we've got an exclusive excerpt for you to sink your fangs into today.
This second volume follows the huge success of Dracula: Book I – The Impaler, which filled in some of the mysterious gaps of Dracula's backstory that aren't included in Bram Stoker's seminal 1897 novel.
Wagner and Jones are once joined for 120 pages of sinister and sexy story (almost 30 pages longer than Book I!) by the stellar talents of José Villarrubia on colors and lettering by Rob Leigh.
Writer Wagner gives us a little more insight into what we can expect from this tale of bloodsucking beauties…
“One of the most eerie and memorable parts of the Dracula legend is the presence of his vampiric Brides […] In both the novel and the litany of screen adaptations, the appearance of these beautiful and seductive sirens is always an indelible part of the narrative. And, of course, this presents us with yet another dark and beguiling story to be told. Who were these women before they became part of Dracula’s sinister harem? How and why did he come to claim them as his undead paramours? And what role do they ultimately play in his ongoing saga?
“Again, our Dracula is an absolute monster […] His relationships with anyone are grounded purely in self-interest and conquest. Whenever I’m writing these stories, I’m always picturing how wonderfully Kelley is going to draw these scenes… how he’s going to take my descriptions and transform them into something even more dramatic and terrifying. And every time he delivers visualizations that are even better than I could have imagined. Readers who enjoyed BOOK I—THE IMPALER will be blown away by BOOK II—THE BRIDES. This volume is bigger, badder and bloodier in every way!”
Artist Jones adds:
“I was so freaking excited when Matt first told me that the second volume in our DRACULA epic would be titled THE BRIDES […] And, wow… the story he’s written is absolutely chilling! It’s a complex portrait of what, up until now, have only ever been gruesome pin-up versions of these three women. And, make no mistake… this isn’t an attempt to shoehorn a contemporary agenda into the story. One of the things I love about Matt’s scripts is the distinct lack of modernity. These tales all feel completely accurate to the time period in which they’re set.”
Below, you'll be able to read our gorgeously Gothic exclusive excerpt that reveals five full pages of the latest instalment of the Dracula saga, plus a cover reveal showcasing Jones' amazing artwork.
