Tomb of Dracula #54
Published and © by Marvel, March 1977
Title: “ ’Twas the Night Before Christmas”
Synopsis: Rachel Van Helsing and crew race to stop Dracula before his son is born on Christmas Eve.
Writer: Marv Wolfman
Penciler: Gene Colan
Inker: Tom Palmer
Review: How better to spend Christmas Eve than with the birth of a special child – Dracula’s son?! That’s how Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan spent the holiday in 1976, offering up a twisted little story that couldn’t possibly have made the Christian faithful happy. To be honest, this reviewer hasn’t read much Tomb of Dracula yet, but one quickly gets a sense this book is full of rich characters and complex interplay. The shadowy rendering of Gene Colan fits nicely, and it gets fine support from the inks of Tom Palmer and the muted palette of Michele Wolfman.
Grade: B
Cool factor: Wolfman’s complex character dynamics.
Not-so-cool factor: Colan’s odd panel shapes.
Collector’s note: According to MyComicShop.com, there is a Mark Jewelers variant of this issue.
Character quotable: “But tonight … tonight is a night for peace.” – Dracula, lord of the vampires and proud papa
Editor’s note: This review was originally published by Comics Bronze Age on Dec. 24, 2009.
