Lucas Blogs About Dracula, motherf**ker!

Who says you can't judge a book by its cover?

So, what's this book's dea—wait, is it really called Dracula, motherf**ker!?

It is called Dracula, motherf**cker!.

See, this is why titles shouldn't end with punctuation marks.

Whatevs. The deal with Dracula, motherf**ker! is that it's a comic book written by Alex de Campi and drawn by Erica Henderson, who you may recognize as the original artist from The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and the co-creator of Assassin Nation. I'm not familiar with de Campi's work; but in addition to writing comics she's also a music video director. In any case, Dracula, motherf**ker! (yes, I am always going to type out the full title every time I mention it), is not — as you might expect from the title and cover — a 70's exploitation style sequel to Bram Stoker's novel (in fact, it can't even be in continuity with the novel). Instead it's an exploration of the characters of Dracula's wives — who receive short shrift in both the original story and most adaptations — using the aesthetics of seventies exploitation films with a little eldritch horror mixed in.

Isn't this the part where you usually give a brief synopsis?

It is, thank you, Hypothetical Reader. It begins in Vienna, 1889, where Dracula, depicted as a black and red void full of eyes and fangs, is murdered and staked to his coffin by his three wives (whose names are revealed to be Marishka, Aleera, and Verona), skip to the present day, or rather, a few decades earlier. In Los Angeles, 1974, aging starlet Bebe Beauland slips out of a party in her mansion where she frees Dracula, leading to a massacre. Quick to respond is Quincy Harker, a photographer who sells crime scene photos to local papers. Imagine his surprise when he's unable to sell photos of a very dead Bebe Beauland when a very alive Bebe Beauland holds a press conference about the murders in her home. Quincy finds himself a pawn in a game between the faceless terror of Dracula and the three brides who want to claim his power for their own.

How much of the story did you cover there?

Most of it, it's a pretty short book. If it were published as a monthly instead of a graphic novel it'd only be about three issues. The narrative is condensed, or maybe streamlined is a better word, for example, you only find out the original brides' names at the end where they include some character sketches. There's a noir-ish quality to the story-telling, like a Dashiell Hammett character, Quincy gets drawn into a story that's already nearly over. Despite being the protagonist, or maybe just the viewpoint character, Quincy is in over his head and is only barely resourceful enough to scrape by while the brides complete their revenge.

Wait, you said that the book explores Dracula's wives, but you also say that Quincy is the protagonist and that their names aren't even mentioned in the story itself.

Is there a question in there?

Doesn't it defeat the purpose of focusing on the brides if they aren't the central characters of the story?

Because it isn't just a story about the brides taking revenge on Dracula. Part of the point is what drew these women to a predator like Dracula in the first place and what would keep them around when he preys on other women. Bebe Beauland, for example, is promised eternal youth and beauty (and while it might seem vain, the diminishment of these qualities for an actress in the 1970s would impact her ability to earn a living), and is definitely non-plussed when he takes another new bride within a few days. 

Hold the phone! Now give the phone to me. Is this a metaphor?

I mean, aren't all monster stories metaphors?

Point taken.

But yes, explicitly yes. I mean, obviously the idea of vampires in the exploitation genre isn't new. After all, what do vampires do besides exploit others for their very existence. Also, exploitation films frequently depict characters who belong to marginalized groups within society, for example, Quincy Harker is black and two of the brides are women of color.

But what's the metaphor?

In the afterward, de Campi says that Dracula's brides remind her of the wives of wealthy, powerful sexual predators. What effect does being in that kind of relationship have on a person? What do you have to do to escape from it? The brides are depicted as both victims of Dracula and as victimizing others. Once Quincy has caught Dracula's attention they follow him and use him as a means of gaining access to Dracula. In the final confrontation, they reveal that they've beaten Dracula at his own game, essentially becoming like him in order to free themselves from his influence. It's a dark and ambivalent ending, which fits the genre and is honestly more thoughtful that I expected from a book titled Dracula, motherf**ker!. 

What'd you think about the art?

Well, as you know, I've always been enthusiastic about Henderson's work in The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, but I think she's only become a more interesting artist since her departure. As in Assassin Nation, Dracula, motherf**ker! sees Henderson pulling double duty as both the artist and colorist, (de Campi doubles as the letterer). While she maintains the simple, clear line drawings that characterized her work at Marvel, her use of color really makes her work in her creator-owned titles stand out. The colors here are bold and splashy. There are the naturalistic tones from candlelight in old Vienna which contrast with the green-hued fluorescent lights of newspaper offices and the washed out red of Quincy's darkroom. Something that Henderson talks about in her afterward was the layout process she was able to use. Since this was originally published as a graphic novel, she didn't have to worry about ads breaking the flow and was able to lay out everything as a series of two page spreads. That's something I didn't necessarily notice the first time I read Dracula, motherf**ker! but it did stand out re-reading it for this post. There's also the design of the vampires' monstrous forms which are genuinely unsettling. Anyway, Henderson's art continues to enhance the stories it tells. So, you know, it's good.

Well, once again it sounds like you'd recommend this. You know, you can tell people to skip some of the books you've read?

I know, but I'm on a hot streak. Anyway, you know the drill: if any of this sounds like your jam, check it out. If not, then don't. I'm a blogger, not a cop.

Dracula, motherf**ker! by Alex de Campi and Erica Henderson, Image Comics hardcover edition, October 2020, 72 pages, pairs well with wine? I never drink (distressingly long pause) wine.

Links:

Alex de Campi has a website and is on twitter, if you're into those kinda things.

Erica Henderson is on twitter, again, should that be the kinda thing you're into.