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“Enter: Werewolf By Night”
Note: You will need to read this issue of Tomb of Dracula before reading Werewolf by Night #15. The crossover event begins here!
Dracula has returned to his native Transylvania! Quincy Harker and his band of vampire hunters have destroyed the network of safehouses and coffins that once sustained the undead lord throughout England. For the moment, Dracula has been driven from British soil, and now is the time to retreat behind the ancient walls of his ancestral home and lay new plans. But first, the Count must dispose of two young meddlers who have dared approach the gates of Castle Dracula. No one shall trespass upon the sacred fortress of the vampire lord and live to tell the tale!
Paris, France — Deep within the catacombs beneath the bustling metropolis, Quincy Harker leans over the motionless body of the brash vampire slayer known as Blade. The half-vampire fell during a fierce battle over the last viable coffin in which Dracula could find sanctuary. Now Quincy faces a terrible decision. He must act quickly and drive a wooden stake through the Day-Walker’s heart. If he hesitates too long, Blade may rise again—not as the fearless hunter they once knew, but as a full-fledged creature of the night!
Meanwhile, Jack Russell and the mysterious sorceress Topaz have traveled to Transylvania searching for answers to the curse that has haunted the Russoff bloodline for generations. Somewhere within the forgotten archives of Jack’s ancestral home may lie the secret behind his lycanthropy—and perhaps even a way to end it. Unfortunately, their search has brought them dangerously close to another legendary monster whose family roots run just as deep through the Transylvanian soil.
What Next
Does Topaz possess enough mystical power to stand against the Lord of Vampires? Will Jack Russell uncover a cure for the werewolf curse hidden within the archives of his grandfather’s manor? And can Quincy Harker muster the strength to end Blade’s immortal suffering before it is too late? Collect the series to find out!
Review
Tomb of Dracula No.18 is a perfect example of how to keep several storylines moving without sacrificing pacing or action. Dracula’s return to Transylvania gives the issue a wonderfully Gothic atmosphere, while the confrontation surrounding Castle Dracula keeps the story moving at a frantic pace. There is very little downtime here, yet the action never feels rushed or thrown onto the page merely to fill panels.
Marv Wolfman was truly a master at juggling multiple storylines. One moment we are following Dracula, the next we are checking in with Quincy Harker and his vampire hunters, and somewhere in between Wolfman begins laying the groundwork for the crossover with Werewolf by Night. He could have easily made a living writing one of those wonderfully over-the-top 1970s soap operas. Everyone has a secret, someone is always in mortal danger, and just when one storyline reaches the boiling point, Wolfman cuts away to another. Somehow, he keeps all those spinning plates from crashing to the floor.
This is exactly the kind of issue that made Marvel’s Tomb of Dracula such an entertaining series. Great pacing, plenty of action, Gothic horror, and multiple storylines all advancing toward something bigger. Better yet, the cliffhanger makes it almost impossible not to immediately reach for Werewolf by Night No.15 to see what happens next. I give Tomb of Dracula No.18 a well-deserved five out of five stars.
