THE DRACULA FILE - Graphic Novel Review

Mwah ha ha haaaa.... and words to that effect. 'The Dracula File' came at us poor innocent souls back in the 1980's courtesy of Britain's first home grown horror comic 'Scream'. Not as nasty as those EC comics that caused all they hysteria in America (and ruined comics for a while), Scream was a brave attempt to try something new, so of course it didn't last nearly as long as it should have. In actual fact it only lasted a measly 15 issues, delivering macabre fun from a wet, windy March through to a no doubt just as wet and windy June of 1984.

We've already have the Alan Moore initiated 'Monster' in collected form, and once again Rebellion have used admirable judgement to bring another cracker kicking and SCREAM-ing (ahem) onto our bookshelves. The Dracula Files is not, as I thought, one off stories about vampires and other mythical munchers, rather it' a continuous saga featuring the bloodsucker of all bloodsuckers himself. Set during World War 2, we find Dracula being taken in by the British (dur) as a defector, and of course they bring him back to Blighty. Dracula isn't that grateful (who'da thunk it) and proceeds to create mayhem as he feeds. He does the old turning-into-a-bat trick as well as using puny humans as brainwashed servants, and as he gains a foothold a KGB vampire hunter gets ever closer until...

And that's it, gentle readers. You see, because Scream only pasted 15 issues the story was never finished. There's a few bonus strips from specials included, but we will never know just how long Gerry Finley-Day and Simon Furman intended to drag (drac?) out the story. My guess is 'as long as we can get away with', and I think it's safe to assume that Dracula would not get killed but would go into hiding and come back after a suitable rest of ten issues or so. Such is the way of comics.

The Dracula File is a blast, really, even if it was never finished. The glorious art by Eric Bradbury still impresses, and Finley-Day masterminds a rollicking yarn that manages not to repeat itself as Dracula is thrown into a world that, although unfamiliar, doesn't seem to faze him one bit. It's nothing ground breaking but instead a nice twist on a familiar tale delivered by talented people. Hats off to Rebellion (yet again) for buying up the rights to all these old classics and giving old and new fans the chance to discover or rediscover them. Fangs a lot guys (grone).

Released 18th October

Buy It HERE

MARNEY THE FOX - Graphic Novel Review

Blimey, this is an old 'un allright. Way back in 1974, Buster ran a dramatic nature serial for a couple of years, hidden amongst the silliness of the likes of Faceache and the title charater. 'Marney The Fox', however, was anything but filler, making a lasting impression on thousand of readers, many of whom will be delighted at this chance to revisit it.

 A collaboration between writer M Scott Goodall and artist John Stokes (who never met once whilst working on it), the strip takes the reader down to ground level as it follows the life of an orphaned fox cub named Marney. The first thing that anyone notices about it is always Stokes' art, which is pretty breathtaking for a weekly serial in those days. He admits that he took longer to do it than other projects even though the money was no better, and boy does it show. Marney's woodland world is brought to us in beautiful detail, helping bring the story literally to life.

Goodalls scripting is also of a high quality, but those expecting a fluffy nature romp will be sorely disappointed, as young Marney is shat on from a great height with alarming regularity. Orphaned in the very first episode, the poor little bleeder staggers from one near death experience to the next, only to escape and get another good kicking from life immediately after. It can genuinely be quite daunting to read, and as an animal lover I had to take breaks from Marney's almost unrepenting misery. Think more "Watership Down" than "Wind In The Willows".

 

That's not to say, however, that it's not a good read. Obviously Marney gets out of his many scrapes, as there wouldn't be a strip without him, and Goodall's inventiveness in not repeating himself is admirable indeed. Mankind naturally comes accross as mainly evil bastards, but it's good to see that Marney also encounters his fair share of kindly humans (and animals) to try and balance out the gits. There's not a lot of laughs here, and it's not as much of a page turner as "The Leopard From Lime Street" (also a Buster strip), but it's very hard not to reccommend "Marney The Fox" as it is a fine example of quality British comics that deserves to reach a wide audience.

Released on 5th October 2017

Buy It Here


2000AD Thrill Cast About The Book HERE