Dracula and other Stories
by Bram Stoker!

Graphic Classics: Stoker/$11.95 and 141 pages/from Eureka Productions/various writers and artists/available in book stories, comics shops, and at www.graphicclassics.com.

If he had only written Dracula, Bram Stoker would have been a master of horror. Thankfully, he wrote other shivering horror stories as well, and Dracula and six additional Stoker classics are featured in the seventh volume of Graphic Classics.

All are well adapted by various scribes, which may be the saving grace of this issue. If there is any criticism of the Graphic Classics series of comic adaptations, it is that too many stories requiring a realistic approach to art feature a minimalistic or “cartoony” approach instead. This collection is no exception.

Should you invest in Bram Stoker if you don’t care for simplistic doodles as does this reviewer? You betcha!

This reviewer’s favorites include Dracula (adapted by Tom Pomplun, art by Hunt Emerson), The Judge’s House (adapted and drawn by Gerry Alanguilan), Torture Tower (adapted and drawn by Onsmith Jeremi) and Lair of the White Worm (adapted by Tom Pomplun, art by Rico Schacheel). Favorite artists include Gerry Alanguilan and Rico Schacheel.

Why does horror require realistic art?

A major tool of a horror writer is atmosphere, i.e. the subtle anticipation of crippling damage or even death. It is tough to garner fear with stick figures.

Nevertheless, Graphic Classics: Bram Stoker is recommended. The publisher recommends the collection “for ages 12 to adult”. MV agrees.

Archie Holiday Fun Digest #12/$2.49 and 82 pages from Archie Comics/various artists and writers/sold lots of places and at www.archiecomics.com.

Deck the halls with boughs of Holly, and Archie, and Betty, and Veronica! ‘Tis the season for a holiday scrapbook of “photos” and ten stories of Christmas cheer and lessons learned. These are all well- packaged with excellent art and story for the young and the young- at-heart. MV

Check out Dreams and Visions #35 for a new Vance short story: www.bconnex.net/~skysong/dream.htm

Interested in the exciting Oklahoma Cartoonists Collection and Toy and Action Figure Museum? Go to fourcolorcommentary.blogspot.com & www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCARtM5BvvU.

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