Comic Browser:

#54
#55
#56
#57
#58
#59
#60
#61
#62
#63
#64
#65
#66
#67
#68
#69
#70
Selector

Tomb of Dracula #59: Review

Aug 1977
Marv Wolfman, Gene Colan

Story Name:

The Last Traitor!

Review & Comments

Rating:
4.5 stars

Tomb of Dracula #59 Review by (November 16, 2021)

Review: Violent epic is genuinely thrilling with the plot to assassinate Dracula playing out as it did. The issue also has a couple of exceptional moments, first the interlude with Miss Arthurs, the latest of Marv Wolfman’s episodes of making Dracula’s victims into real people with lives outside the manner of their deaths. Here, we have a woman being sexually harassed (to use the current term) by a brutish student and her rescue. But Dracula vampirizes her and offers her the chance to take vengeance against her attacker for some off-panel justice. The other surprising bit is Domini’s climactic appeal to the Prince of Evil to reconcile with Christ. It’s unlikely that a dead man can repent as death seems to lock people into their destinies in Christian theology but it’s a nice thought that would have definitely changed the direction of this series.

Comments: Final appearance of Anton Lupeski, one of the more obnoxious characters in the title.  Marv Wolfman is credited with colors alongside his wife Michelle.





 

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Tomb of Dracula #59 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Cult leader Anton Lupeski approaches Quincy Harker, Rachel van Helsing, Frank Drake, and Harold H. Harold and supplies them with guns loaded with silver bullets so they can join his plan to assassinate Dracula. The vampire hunters do not like or trust Lupeski and suspect his motives but they want Dracula dead and agree to hear him out. Lupeski suggests killing Dracula at he upcoming feast to celebrate the birth of Dracula’s son Janus….

Meanwhile, Dracula returns from an unexplained absence (the hospitalization in issue #57). He tells Domini he is looking forward to the upcoming feast to strengthen his bond with his son and to undercut Lupeski, who fancies himself the head man….

At a Boston College night class, teacher Miss Arthurs is troubled by a student named Barry forcing his attentions on her. Dracula yanks him off and chases him away. He then preys on Miss Arthurs, telling her that at next week’s class she can make Barry her first victim….

The Sunday evening feast arrives with celebration for the newborn Janus. The vampire hunters arrive outside waiting for the chanting to begin, the signal for them to burst in and slay Dracula. They still have reservations for acting as Lupeski’s pawns, though. Little do they know that Dracula is waiting for the changing for that will be when he kills Lupeski. The chant begins and the heroes enter and begin firing at Dracula, Lupeski first of all. Dracula turns to mist allowing the bullets to fall from his body; as he rematerializes Lupeski fires a shot that passes through him and strikes and kill Janus in his mother’s arms. Everyone freezes…then Dracula grows angry and fierce and seizes Lupeski and proceeds to slowly crush his head, making him suffer to the end. The sight sickens all who witness it. Dracula turns on his longtime enemies but Domini, staring at the portrait of Christ, begs Dracula to let them go and the Lord of the Undead allows it. She tells him it was Christ’s command and she begs Dracula to repent of his evil and submit to Christ. But he cannot and flies away as a bat….



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

Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.


Plus: Domini, Janus Tepes (Son of Dracula).

> Tomb of Dracula: Book info and issue index

Share This Page


Elektra