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Tomb of Dracula #41: Review

Feb 1976
Marv Wolfman, Gene Colan

Story Name:

Re-Birth!

Review & Comments

Rating:
4 stars

Tomb of Dracula #41 Review by (June 29, 2021)

Review: This issue’s big mystery? Why were the two kids trick or treating included in the story? I mean, really, why were they there? It can’t be just a lame Halloween tie-in because two Halloweens have gone by with nary a mention by Marv Wolfman during his run, so what? Second biggest mystery: why does no one comment of Aurora’s virginity? This may be due to the Comics Code as I can’t think of anything to say that wouldn’t sound smutty. Which brings us to the issue itself. Jumping over the rather convenient resurrection of Drac, we see Dracula’s first attempt at being a team player and it’s pretty grim. Drac starts by killing an innocent woman and telling Harker and company that they are responsible; talk about passive aggressive. It’s the most disturbing part of the story as Marv W likes to give the victims names, backgrounds, and fates; this woman has a boyfriend who will be her first victim. Drac also berates himself for referring to himself and the good guys as “we.” Meanwhile, Blade has a fight with his conscience, similar to Quincy Harker’s last issue and again, he sides with Dracula. Doctor Sun sounds like a talkative supervillain (and a fairly one-dimensional one) which will make it easier to cheer for his defeat next time around.

Comments: Blade was last seen in a flashback set several years earlier in issue #30; his last contemporary appearance was in #24. His recent history was in MARVEL PREVIEW #3, one of Marvel’s black-and-white magazines.





 

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Tomb of Dracula #41 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

The vampire hunters, Quincy Harker, Rachel van Helsing, and Frank Drake, are looking through Harold H. Harold’s extensive library on the occult, seeking a means of returning the ashes of Dracula to life. Harold finally discovers one: the blood or tears of a virgin can reanimate the ashes of a vampire. That doesn’t sound too promising—until Aurora Rabinowitz, weeping over Dracula’s demise, accidentally drips a tear into the urn. With an explosion and a fire, Dracula is restored to life. The vampire asks for an explanation and all Quincy has to do is mention Doctor Sun and Dracula is ready to take his vengeance. And for having saved his life twice, Dracula promises Aurora his protection. Then Dracula takes off to prey on a young woman for her blood, leaving Quincy Harker to have her death on his conscience. But as he is drinking his fill, he is discovered by Blade; Dracula tells him that he and Harker are combining forces against Doctor Sun and invites him back to the apartment…

…where Quincy tries to justify his decision but Blade doesn’t buy it and he is still annoyed at having been framed for murder by vampires working for Dracula. Blade ridicules their thinking that Dracula can be trusted and warns Aurora that she’s next. Rachel tells him to leave and they get down to business. Dracula goes out to scout Sun’s hideout in bat form, unaware that Blade is following him….

Interlude: a couple of neighborhood kids go out trick or treating, a boy as Spider-Man and a girl as a witch….

Dracula, plotting to kill Rachel and Quincy once he has destroyed Doctor Sun, watches from a rooftop as Sun marshals his (hypnotized) troops for his plan of world conquest, pronouncing his foe a madman. Dracula enters as a mist, overpowers various guards, and comes face-to-face (sort of) with Doctor Sun. They are interrupted by the doorbell ringing and Blade steps forward to join Dracula. Meanwhile, the trick or treaters decide no one is coming and go home….



Gene Colan
Tom Palmer
Tom Palmer
Gene Colan (Cover Penciler)
Tom Palmer (Cover Inker)
Tom Palmer (Cover Colorist)
Letterer: John Costanza.

Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

> Tomb of Dracula: Book info and issue index

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