My Rating
“Night of the Screaming House!”
Dracula has kidnapped Edith Harker, daughter of veteran vampire hunter Quincy Harker. Now Frank Drake and his motley crew of slayers must infiltrate the Count’s newest sanctuary—a mysterious estate known only as Whispering Hell.
As the vampire hunters race through the fog-covered outskirts of London, Dracula puts the next stage of his plan into motion. The Count has grown tired of being hunted. This time, he intends to bring his enemies to him.
The Call
A telephone call is made to Dracula’s newest adversary, Eric Brooks—better known as Blade. The message is simple enough, but nothing involving Dracula is ever that simple.
Unbeknownst to the vampire hunters, Edith has become bait in the Count’s latest scheme. Dracula knows his enemies will come for her, and Whispering Hell may be the perfect place to eliminate the entire lot of them in one bloody stroke.
Frank Drake, Rachel Van Helsing, Quincy Harker, and Blade have all become thorns in Dracula’s side. The vampire lord has finally decided it is time to start pulling them out.
Will Quincy Harker rescue his daughter before Dracula carries out his plan? What horrors await the vampire hunters inside Whispering Hell? Can Blade survive his next encounter with the Lord of Vampires?
Collect the series to find out!
Reviewer Notes
This issue was a bit confusing at times, but solid entertainment nonetheless. My biggest question is simple: Where the hell does this story actually take place?
I think Whispering Hell is supposed to be somewhere near London, possibly within the city itself. Then again, the house could be way out in the boondocks somewhere. Your guess is as good as mine. The geography gets a little fuzzy, especially when everyone seems capable of reaching wherever they need to be without much trouble.
The most entertaining part of issue #12 is the big reveal of Blade’s home. I think it’s supposed to be a mansion, although with Gene Colan drawing the book, just about every house looks enormous. Dracula could rent a one-bedroom cottage, and Colan would probably make the damn thing look like Castle Dracula.
Marv Wolfman, on the other hand, describes Blade’s home as a “slab and mortar building.” I’m not a native Londoner, so somebody please tell me—is that supposed to be a compliment? Either way, Blade apparently isn’t hurting for living space.
Gene Colan’s artwork remains one of the strongest parts of Tomb of Dracula. His use of shadows, fog, strange angles, and oversized Gothic architecture gives even an average chapter a wonderfully creepy atmosphere. Whispering Hell feels exactly like the sort of place Dracula would choose to set a trap.
Overall, I liked the story, but compared with some of the stronger issues leading up to it, Tomb of Dracula #12 feels like a transitional chapter. Dracula is moving his pieces around the board, Blade is becoming more involved, and the vampire hunters are being maneuvered toward the next confrontation. Important stuff, perhaps, but not quite enough to make this one stand alongside the best issues of the series.
I’m giving Tomb of Dracula #12 three out of five stars.
Not every trip to Whispering Hell can be a five-star vacation.