The 13 Frights of Halloween: Dracula, Motherf**ker!

Welcome to The 13 Frights of Halloween, the series where I share 13 comics that are spooky, creepy, unsettling, and much more. This edition brings us to the 2020 Neo-noir graphic novel, Dracula, Motherf**ker! from Alex De Campi and Erica Henderson.

A Modern Update of A Classic

Dracula, Motherf**ker! borrows elements from Bram Stoker’s Dracula and gives it a modern twist. The story centers on Quincy Harkness, a 1970’s crime scene photographer, who manages to capture images showcasing the return of Dracula from his defeat centuries ago at the hands of his Brides.

With Dracula back to the realm of the living, vampire attacks increase in the city.

Quincy struggles to confront the vampiric horde before encountering the Brides of Dracula, who seek to end Dracula once and for all. The journey along the way is moody and psychedelic one as the true nature of Dracula and vampires is revealed.

A Neo-Noir Beauty

Henderson’s art is the total tone setter for the comic. She embraces the graphic novel format (and the lack of ads) to its fullest extent by playing around with two-page spreads and reveals.

The art creates a brisk pace to the action but also sets the mood for the entire novel. Be it in the color palette and the use of solid colors to create visually distinct scenes that ooze vibrant emotions and dread.

Or it could be in the character designs, especially for the otherworldly and demonic looking Dracula. Or it could be the emotional body language in the characters.

 Either way, Henderson’s art is STELLAR and positively haunting. It is so gorgeous to look at that I could just look at the pages for hours.

Turns out, Dracula? Not a Great Guy.

Henderson’s art is also complimented by De Campi’s sharp writing. The story plays on elements of power and the unbalanced nature of relationships and age. The dynamic between Dracula and his Brides is an interesting one as it paints Dracula as the abuser that he truly is.

Henderson presents Dracula as something surreal and beyond this reality and De Campi gives him a personality that is decidedly toxic and evil. This isn’t the suave Dracula that attempts to seduce his victims, at least not with his looks. This is a Dracula that promises power and life eternal, but only to snatch it from those he abuses. The dynamic is unlike most other Dracula adaptations I have come across.

Final Thoughts

Dracula MotherF**ker is a bloody and violent good horror comic to check out. I found the art and writing to be firing on all cylinders and a delight to read. De Campi and Henderson make a great duo and I would love to see more.

Check it out on ComiXolgy, Hoopla, or your local bookstore. I highly recommend checking it out.

For more of The 13 Frights of Halloween, click here.

Hey, be sure to follow me on Instagram and BlueSky for more comic coverage and the like.

Subscribe!

Hey, if you like Extremely Uncanny but don’t want to check out the page for updates, subscribe and get blog posts as a Newsletter. It’s what all the kids are doing, or so I am told.