My Rating
“Death to a Vampire-Slayer”
Demons!
Count Dracula and Rachel Van Helsing’s faithful companion, Taj Nital, have been pulled through a mysterious Black Mirror and thrown into a dimension unknown. Before the vampire lord can gain his bearings, a horde of demonic creatures descends upon them.
The mute giant is powerful, but even Taj’s tremendous strength has its limits. The nightmarish monsters swarm from every direction, quickly overwhelming the vampire hunter. Dracula fares considerably better. Fangs, fists, and supernatural strength send the creatures flying, but for every demon the Count knocks down, another appears to take its place.
Even Dracula cannot fight forever.
More importantly, the vampire lord requires blood. If the battle continues much longer, his strength will eventually fail him. Dracula and Taj have little choice but to retreat deeper into this hellish dimension and search for another Black Mirror. Somewhere among the ruins must be a doorway home.
Back in London, Frank Drake and Rachel Van Helsing search the Strangway Mansion room by room for some way to reopen Ilsa Strangway’s mysterious mirror. Unfortunately, the woman who possessed the answers has been reduced to ashes. With Ilsa gone, there is only one person remaining who might know the location of the antique grimoire used to activate the portal.
The two vampire hunters awaken the Strangway family butler, Whitby. If Ilsa kept secrets inside this mansion, perhaps her longtime servant knows where to find them.
Meanwhile, deep inside the mirror dimension, Dracula discovers the crumbling remains of an ancient temple. Within its decaying walls stands exactly what the Count has been searching for—another Black Mirror.
Dracula speaks the incantation.
The glass comes alive.
But where does the portal lead?
Dracula considers his options and smirks. At this point, anywhere is better than here!
Will Rachel Van Helsing ever see Taj again? Can Dracula use the mysterious network of Black Mirrors to reach his homeland of Transylvania? What awaits inside the sealed red bottle resting within Castle Dracula?
Collect the series to find out!
Vampire Lore
- A weapon made from white thorn wood can permanently destroy a vampire if it penetrates the creature’s heart.
Reviewer Notes
There is a lot to unpack in this issue, and I don’t want to spoil the surprises for anyone who still plans on reading it. I’ll just say this: Dracula takes center stage, and the Count is pissed!
Now that Dracula understands the Black Mirrors can transport someone across great distances—and apparently through other dimensions—the possibilities have become much more interesting. The Count isn’t interested in exploring this discovery for the advancement of science, either. Dracula wants to get home, regain what belongs to him, and take revenge on everyone who has crossed him.
Review
Issue #5 also pushes Tomb of Dracula further into the supernatural. We aren’t dealing with just coffins, castles, stakes, and creatures of the night anymore. Demonic dimensions, ancient grimoires, magical mirrors, and forgotten artifacts are now part of the mythology. The world surrounding Dracula is getting bigger with every issue.
The artwork continues to be one of my favorite parts of this series. Gene Colan was born to draw Dracula. His heavy shadows and unusual perspectives give the story a dreamlike quality that works especially well inside the Black Mirror dimension. You never quite know what might be hiding beyond the edge of the panel.
There are also two interesting pieces of vampire lore revealed in this issue. Some of these old rules seem to have been forgotten—or at least pushed aside—in the modern Marvel vampire stories. That’s one reason I enjoy going back to these early issues. You get to watch Marvel’s vampire mythology being constructed one piece at a time.
Tomb of Dracula #5 has action, monsters, supernatural mystery, vampire lore, and one seriously angry Count Dracula. What more could I ask for?
I’m giving Tomb of Dracula #5 five out of five stars.
The series keeps getting better. Now somebody get Dracula his coffin before he really gets pissed!