Marvel Time Warp

Life After Undeath

THE TOMB OF DRACULA — Issue no. 64, February 1978

Book: The Tomb of Dracula

Issue No.: 64

Published: February 2, 1978

Title: “Life After Undeath”

The cover promises “This is the big one! Dracula — face-to-face with Satan!” So that got my interest! The actual execution isn’t that compelling. At the start of the story, Satan has captured Dracula and a young woman named Topaz, and both are now trapped with him in hell. Apparently Satan fears Topaz because she will one day manifest some power that will destroy him. We know this because Satan likes to talk. And talk. And talk some more. And if Dracula tries to get a word in edgewise, Satan tells him to shut up. After several pages of talking, we get a scene of Dracula’s enemies on earth, and they talk a lot. Then back to hell, where Topaz does… something. And then the book ends with Dracula back on earth but without his fangs, the implication being he isn’t a vampire anymore. I’m thinking this isn’t the best “jump on board” issue of Tomb of Dracula. Oh well. Maybe the next one will be more my speed.

Three panels from this issue. Panel 1 shows a man in a blue jacket. The Devil, unseen, says, “But what manner of hell should be fashioned for such a man? We wished to play on his endless insatiable hunger. His unfathomable lust for wealth. Therefore, Arthur Tweed has been trapped in a moment of time. He reaches out toward an uncountable wealth just beyond his grasp. For such a ludicrous mortal, that is hell absolute!” Panel 2 shows Dracula. Dracula says, “I haven’t patience to hear fairy tales. Why have I been summoned here? Have I not served your cause?” The Devil says, “Silence, Vampire! Speak only when we ask you to speak! You have existed five hundred years. We have survived since the dawn of creation. Heed our words and interfere not.” Panel 3 shows the Devil. He says, “You believe in power! You believe because you are strong you survive! Your beliefs are lies! Power is nothing! Your power is less than nothing... for our power is greater than yours — and even our power is nothing!”

All that said, I do dig the artwork by Gene Colan and Tom Palmer. And though I didn’t love this story, writer Marv Wolfman was responsible for DC’s New Teen Titans, one of my favorite comic books when I was a (non-titanic) teen.

Next time — Super-heroics with the masked stuntman known as the Human Fly!

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