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Tomb of Dracula #22

Jul 1974
Marv Wolfman, Gene Colan

Tomb of Dracula #22 cover

Story Name:

—In Death Do We Join!


Synopsis

Tomb of Dracula #22 synopsis by Peter Silvestro
Rating: 4 stars

In a small village in Moldavia, U.S.S.R., a couple hear their daughter screaming as she is attacked by her late husband who is now a vampire trying once again to reclaim his wife… Petra and Gorna were married and only then did she learn what a cruel and abusive man he was, bragging about killing a man for merely talking to her. She prayed for his death and on his deathbed, he warned her that he would come back for her if she ever saw another man; she mocked him. He was buried and Petra began dating Maurice but Gorna, who had died of a vampire’s bite, returned and killed Maurice, and now wants Petra to join him—but her parents always drive him off….

Count Dracula arrives, seeking a coffin he had placed there years before, but finds Gorna denying him the use of the cemetery. Dracula commands him to leave but Gorna refuses; Dracula calls down lightning but Gorna sneers and departs. Dracula, unable to understand why he could not command Gorna, pursues him in bat form. Gorna once again heads to Petra’s house where he bites her but he is again interrupted by her father Peter who stabs him with a flaming stake, sending him fleeing in panic. Dracula arrives moments later and Petra fills him in on the story and now Dracula knows how to defeat his enemy….

In London, Frank Drake and Rachel van Helsing visit Quincy Harker and they bring each other up to date on their deeds….

Dracula challenges Gorna to battle in the cemetery. Gorna, his flesh now burned from his bones, calls down fire from the skies upon the Count—but Dracula stands unharmed, seizing his unfaithful minion by the throat he hurls him to be consumed by his own fire and departs as the dawn comes. A group from the city arrives to see Gorna’s end…and Petra is released from the curse of the past….


 

Review / Commentaries


Tomb of Dracula #22 Review by (December 15, 2020)

Review: Another offbeat issue, this one adding Dracula to a Russian case history with its rich background and horrific folktale trimmings and some lightning and fire. We never learn why Gorna was immune to Dracula’s commands and what Drac learned that enabled him to defeat his foe (possibly throwing him into his own fire?). But again, the story has such power that only a nitpicker would notice these things. [Smiley face emoji]

Comments: A note on the letters page reveals that this story is based on the actual case history of a Russian vampire. The Frank/Rachel/Quincy portion takes place somewhere in the middle of the main story from GIANT-SIZE CHILLERS #1, after Quincy has been attacked by Lilith. The title seems to be a riff on the wedding vow “Till Death us do part.”



> Tomb of Dracula comic book info and issue index

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Main/1st Story Full Credits

Gene Colan
Tom Palmer
Linda Lessmann
Rich Buckler (Cover Penciler)
Tom Palmer (Cover Inker)
Tom Palmer (Cover Colorist)
Additional Credits
Letterer: John Costanza.

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