Ok, one more Dracula before we move on to something else.Since Neal Adams did such a bang-job job in the previous issue, Marvel was smart enough to tap him to do this wonderfully dramatic, iconic cover. Just look at those gargoyles!
The magazine opens with "Lord of Death...Lord of Hell!" by Marv Wolfman, John Buscema, and Sys Shores, which is part two of the quasi "Secret Origin of Dracula" tale started last issue. Drac takes on a giant of a man named Nimrod, and when he proves to be his better, the people rise up in support of their new ruler, Dracula. Lots of blood and sex in this tale, which of course makes it so much cooler.
"The Vampire Man" is a reprint tale, uncredited, which takes the true-life Jack the Ripper story and runs with it. Doug Moench contributes an article all about Bela Lugosi--too bad poor Bela didn't live to see this huge new generation of new fans.
"Castle of the Undead" by Roy Thomas, Alan Weiss, and the Crusty Bunkers, is a Solomon Kane tale where he takes on Dracula, and features a wonderfully-executed swordfight. I always dug Solomon Kane--he seemed like a real badass, and this story underscores that.
"I Was Once a Gentle Man" is a piece of fiction written by Van Helsing, aka Chris Claremont, and featuring lots of stills of the late, great Peter Cushing. Next is "Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble", another reprint tale, drawn by someone named C.A. Winter, and is a riff on Macbeth.
"Shadow in the City of Light!", by Gerry Conway and Alfonso Font, is a tale set in the modern day(looks weird, sometimes, to see Drac go after women in mini-skirts), and is very well-rendered by Font, in a more sketchy tale not typically seen in a Marvel mag.
All in all, a solid issue. Marvel had found its footing with Dracula Lives!, and each issue was a fun mix of gothic horror and fanboy enthusiasm, courtesy guys like Moench, Thomas, and Claremont.
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