After fleshing out Bram Stoker's iconic bloodsucking character like never before in Dracula—Book 1: The Impaler, Matt Wagner and Kelley Jones are now shining a spotlight on Dracula's bloodthirsty brides in Dracula—Book II: The Brides, and with the graphic novel now on Kickstarter, we caught up with Matt and Kelley in a new Q&A feature!
Kelley and Matt, thank you for taking the time to answer questions, and congratulations on Dracula—Book II: The Brides! You previously fleshed out the backstory of Bram Stoker’s iconic bloodsucker like never before in Dracula—Book I: The Impaler, and now you’re giving the same insightful treatment to Dracula’s Brides. What was it about the Brides in particular that made you want to further explore their stories in Book II?
Matt Wagner: Well, as with so many aspects of Dracula’s history, persona and villainy, much of the overall narrative only provides enticing hints about the reality and backstory of his vampiric brides. Whether it’s the original novel itself or the many various film and comic adaptations ever since that historic publication, the presence of these sinister and blood-thirsty Brides of Dracula form an absolutely indelible presence. Much like the original graphic novel, we took what Stoker outlined and expanded that into a sweeping storyline that covers centuries of time. Stoker provides very little in regards to the actual lives and histories of his vampiric brides…which leaves us the opportunity to fill in these dark and grisly tales…with a blood-thirsty glee!
Kelley Jones: The Brides themselves have always been very interesting to me and there's nothing about who they were and how Dracula came by them. It's got to be a great story and it wasn't told in the novel. When Matt said that the follow up to the first book would focus on those stories, I just flipped. I knew Matt would write them as more than just props and when he told me what he had planned, I thought it even better than Book One. I know that's a big statement but damn if Matt didn't pull it off. The Brides are all different and all so wonderfully bloody!
Kelley, do you have any favorite cinematic or literary interpretations of the Brides that influenced you while working on this graphic novel?
Matt Wagner: The cinematic interpretations are always interesting. In the original 1931 version, starring Bela Lugosi, the brides are portrayed as ethereal and ghostlike. Christopher Lee never really had a harem of brides in his many onscreen portrayals of the Count but the second film in the Hammer Studios series, which is titled BRIDES OF DRACULA and doesn’t star Lee, the vampire women are depicted as very feral, with grinning mouthfuls of huge teeth and a wild-eyed hunger. The brides that feature in the well-regarded BBC adaptation, COUNT DRACULA starring Louis Jordan are almost catlike, teasing and playing with their prey before pouncing. And, of course, the brides seen in Coppola’s BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA are highly sexualized, actually materializing out of the bed to drag Johnathan Harker down and prey on him. At one point, one of them is greedily licking Harker’s bare nipple as it sprays a stream of blood up into her mouth! I really like the moment when Dracula appears to cast them off his guest and all of three of them transform from these seductive beauties into horribly freakish creatures. I like all of these interpretations of the brides for a variety of different reasons.
Kelley Jones: Matt’s story of each of these women was so original I decided to follow that lead and looked at nothing but his script’s depictions. I also based all three of them on women I know in real life!
You reteamed with colorist José Villarrubia and letterer Rob Leigh to bring this story to undead life. How important was it for you to bring José and Rob back for Book II and maintain that visual consistency established in the first book?
Matt Wagner: Oh, it was an absolute must! We want this series of graphic novels to ultimately be seen as a cohesive whole…and to be considered one of the canon renditions of the world’s most famous literary character. The creative talents you outlined are who we both think of as “Team Dracula”! Both José and Rob are incredible talents and they really bring their A-games for this project. It definitely wouldn’t feel the same without them. And of course there’s Kelley who, as we’ve outlined previously, saw this as te not only the ultimate collaboration between me and him…but also his most powerful, personal and perfect work of his entire career. We both feel like this is THE project that Kelley Jones was born to draw. I’m not kidding…and neither is he! That’s still my reaction every time Kelley turns in new pencils and inks on this project. Takes my goddamn breath away!
Kelley Jones: Jose and Rob are more than just great collaborators, they are artists in their own right. We’re so lucky that they are all on board for this. Both bring the best of that artistry to the project and it's stunning.
Book II is nearly 30 pages longer than Book I, giving horror fans even more to look forward to this time around. How long did it take you to write Book II, and did you find that there was more ground to cover with three characters as the main focus in the second book?
Matt Wagner: Well, one of the identifying motifs of the original novel is that it’s epistolary. Meaning that it’s told all in the form of journals, letters and other bits of personal correspondence. That meant the narrative was very connected with the characters who are telling their stories therein. The only voice missing from that multi-textural narrative…is DRACULA himself! We seek to rectify that sinister discrepancy…our books are narrated by the vampire lord—unfiltered! That said…there are tantalizing few clues as to the identities and personas of his three vampire brides. There’s some indication that one of the brides is somewhat aristocratic or at least of a higher social class than her sisters since the other two defer to her going first to feed on their victim. We took what little information we had…and constructed a narrative for all three of Dracula’s vampire brides that treats them all as individual and completely different women. And Dracula himself also has a completely different motivation for attaining each of his brides. Of course, he’s an imperious monster so the ultimate reasoning is for his own gratification…but what he’s seeking to achieve with each new pairing varies from bride to bride. And…BIG SHOCKER…it turns out there might’ve been a fourth bride in Dracula’s harem!
Book II is nearly 30 pages longer than Book I, giving horror fans even more to enjoy this time around. How long did it take to create the artwork for Book II, and do you have any favorite visual moments in particular that you’re excited for readers to experience?
Kelley Jones: The story just flows. It's longer but its pacing is amazing. There’s just so much in here that it’s hard to pick favorites. I have several scenes that are just so erotic and gruesome…I just love it. I can't wait for our readers to see this one!
Dracula—Book I: The Impaler was hugely successful on Kickstarter, becoming one of the top 20 all-time successful campaigns for a graphic novel, and Book II is also being crowdfunded on Kickstarter. What types of ghoulish goodies can supporters of this Kickstarter look forward to?
Matt Wagner: Well, we didn’t want to get to broad with our offered rewards with our first book because we were fresh out of the gate to this and, let’s face it, there are more than a few Kickstarter campaigns that don’t pan out very well in regards to both coming to fruition in a timely manner and the ultimate fulfillment of the backer’s orders. We knew we had to first establish Orlok Press as being reliable and our product had to live up to the hype. As Kelley said a bit earlier…response to Book I—The Impaler had been universally great and so now we’ve got a rep that we can justifiably rely upon. And so, this time around, we’re offering merch! We’ll have a nice array of t-shirts available and, hopefully, a few hats as well. So this is a great opportunity for our backers to not rep some Orlok Press buzz but they can, quite literally, get their DRACULA on!
Kelley Jones: Matt and I are coming up with some very fun stuff! It’ll be a bit different than the rewards for Book 1.
Which characters do you plan to spotlight next in your Dracula graphic novel series?
Matt Wagner: We’re not ready to reveal anything about BOOK III as of yet. But, as with the other two volumes thus far, we will strictly adhere to the specifics of Stoker’s novel…without providing yet another comics adaptation of the novel’s narrative, of which there are many already. So we won’t be seeing Harker’s journey to Castle Dracula, no Van Helsing, no Mina or Lucy, etc… There are still plenty of stories to be told in the shadowy recesses of the novel’s original terrifying tale.
Kelley Jones: A whole slew of characters that never got any screen time in the novel, but get major roles in our telling! I can’t really say any more than that just yet.
What advice would you give to comic book artists who are just getting started?
Matt Wagner: Consume and practice. There’s an old adage that says you can’t be an effective writer unless you’re a voracious reader. And I really think that’s true. The more stories you read, the more you’ll come to understand the concepts of structure, character, theme and staging. And I always tell young artistic wannabes who come to see me at shows that the key to becoming a better artist is to practice…daily! You seriously have to draw every day, not just when you feel like it. For one thing, comics involve an intense amount of drawing. Every young artist knows what goes into rendering and completing one drawing…it’s alway a lot of effort. Now imagine having to do anywhere from two to sixes drawings of the same caliber on a single page of comic book art. And imagine having to do 20+ pages of comic book art for each and every issue…usually in the space of one month! It’s an intimidating amount of work…but obviously, it’s achievable if that’s what you really want to do. And I always point out that, if they were an athlete, they’d fully understand that they’d need to train every day. And if they were a musician, they’d need to practice their instruments every day. Consume and practice…you can’t make it without adopting those habits.
Kelley Jones: Draw constantly. Get all the bad art out of you. Be honest about your stuff yet don't obsess over it. It will get better faster than you think. Make your own rules and do it sincerely. The goal is that readers will know it's your art even without seeing your signature. The rest will take care of itself.
In addition to Dracula—Book II: The Brides, do you have any other projects coming up that you can tease?
Matt Wagner: I’m currently working on a lengthy storyline for my long-running creator-owned title from Dark Horse Comics—GRENDEL. The overall storyline is titled DEVIL’S CRUCIBLE and the first 4-issue section of that epic is subtitled DEFIANCE and it’s in stores now. There will be a new 4-issue series every summer for the next three years that will complete the saga.
And I also recently drew a one-off story written by Marcus Parks from LAST PODCAST ON THE LEFT. It’s about the mysterious death of Nancy Spungen, the notorious girlfriend of Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious. This should be published early next year in the fourth issue of LAST COMIC BOOK ON THE LEFT from Z2 Comics.
Both of those projects are colored by my son, Brennan Wagner.
Kelley Jones: Just Dracula…and, oh man, that’s enough!
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Below, we have the official press release with additional details, and to learn more and support Dracula—Book II: The Brides, visit:
Press Release: In 1897, Bram Stoker’s classic novel introduced the most famous literary character of all time—the terrifying vampire lord, DRACULA. Yet much of this iconic monster’s background and origins are only hinted at in the course of the original narrative, leaving Dracula’s backstory both intriguing and mysterious. Legendary comic-book creators Matt Wagner (Grendel, Mage) and Kelley Jones (Batman: Red Rain, The Sandman) have teamed up to fill in these tantalizing gaps in the undying centuries of Dracula’s blood-drenched biography. After the resounding runaway success of their first volume DRACULA: BOOK I—THE IMPALER, these legendary masters of the comic-book arts are returning to the story of the count with DRACULA: BOOK II—THE BRIDES!
“One of the most eerie and memorable parts of the Dracula legend is the presence of his vampiric Brides,” said writer Matt Wagner. “In both the novel and the litany of screen adaptations, the appearance of these beautiful and seductive sirens is always an indelible part of the narrative. And, of course, this presents us with yet another dark and beguiling story to be told. Who were these women before they became part of Dracula’s sinister harem? How and why did he come to claim them as his undead paramours? And what role do they ultimately play in his ongoing saga?”
“I was so freaking excited when Matt first told me that the second volume in our DRACULA epic would be titled THE BRIDES,” said artist Kelley Jones. “And, wow… the story he’s written is absolutely chilling! It’s a complex portrait of what, up until now, have only ever been gruesome pin-up versions of these three women. And, make no mistake… this isn’t an attempt to shoehorn a contemporary agenda into the story. One of the things I love about Matt’s scripts is the distinct lack of modernity. These tales all feel completely accurate to the time period in which they’re set.”
“Again, our Dracula is an absolute monster,” added Wagner. “His relationships with anyone are grounded purely in self-interest and conquest. Whenever I’m writing these stories, I’m always picturing how wonderfully Kelley is going to draw these scenes… how he’s going to take my descriptions and transform them into something even more dramatic and terrifying. And every time he delivers visualizations that are even better than I could have imagined. Readers who enjoyed BOOK I—THE IMPALER will be blown away by BOOK II—THE BRIDES. This volume is bigger, badder and bloodier in every way!”
The first volume of Wagner and Jones’s DRACULA saga was a runaway hit, breaking the Top 20 in Kickstarter’s all-time most successful graphic novel campaigns. DRACULA: BOOK II—THE BRIDES presents 120 pages of sexy and sinister story and art, almost 30 pages longer than BOOK I. Wagner and Jones are once joined for this creepy foray into the shadows of Castle Dracula by the stellar talents of José Villarrubia on colors and lettering by Rob Leigh. This campaign is the only source for these beautiful, European-album sized hardcover editions of this book as well as the exceptional rewards tiers to be revealed after launch.
Here’s what people are saying about Wagner and Jones’s DRACULA:
“It is no easy thing to update the most famous horror story in history while staying totally true to the source material, but Wagner & Jones’ DRACULA does it in glorious, horrific, Lovecraftian style. The book evokes the classic elements and themes of Bram Stoker’s original while bringing an entirely new layer of eldritch terror to its most mysterious character, Vlad Dracula himself. I absolutely feasted upon the art and story alike.”—Ryan Condal (co-creator/showrunner, THE HOUSE OF THE DRAGON)
“A horror icon gets a new origin story from two legendary comic creators.”—IGN
“With stunning otherworldly visuals, two vastly experienced creators, and an iconic character, Dracula is a must-have for any comic collector or horror enthusiast!”—COMICS BEAT
“A unique take on Stoker's legendary character… Writer Matt Wagner and artist Kelley Jones flesh out the iconic bloodsucker's story like never before.”—DAILY DEAD
“Matt Wagner and Kelley Jones doing Dracula? Take my money.”—NEWSARAMA
“It's the creator of Grendel exploring the formative corruptions of Vlad Dracula? Sign me up! … Jones' bone-chilling artwork the story, which looks like it could have yanked right out of that legendary 90s Vertigo Comics oeuvre. Warning: there will be blood!”—BOING BOING
“It’s Dracula like we’ve never seen him before and more familiar than ever — a character study of a creature who has terrified and tantalized audiences for decades.”—AIPT
“Wagner and Jones approach their version of Dracula with a classic sense of dark fantasy, not unlike the kind found in the pages of older horror magazines like Creepy and Eerie. It’s apt, and it creates a richly textured stage for Dracula to play in as he seeks Satan’s tutelage in the dark arts.”—COMICS BEAT
“Wagner and Jones have—brilliantly, terrifyingly—filled in that crucial gap in the history of the Voivode Dracula: how he transformed from a monstrous warrior into an actual monster! Wholly convincing, totally canonical—don’t read this without a LOT of garlic and crosses at hand!”
—Leslie S. Klinger, editor, New Annotated Dracula
The pre-launch page for DRACULA—BOOK II: THE BRIDES is now live on Kickstarter. For updates, follow Matt Wagner on Facebook and X and Kelley Jones on Instagram and X.
About the writer:
Matt Wagner has enjoyed a career in comics for over forty years and is best known for one of comicdom's most respected creator-owned titles—the centuries-spanning epic, GRENDEL and for his other, more personal, allegory, MAGE. As both a writer and an artist, Matt has also worked on a wide variety of established characters over the years which include several landmark projects starring DC Comics icon, BATMAN including two crossovers series with GRENDEL. His other mainstream work includes; SANDMAN MYSTERY THEATRE, DR. MID-NITE, GREEN ARROW, TRINITY, MADAME XANADU, ZORRO, GREEN HORNET; YEAR ONE, THE SHADOW; YEAR ONE, THE SHADOW: THE DEATH OF MARGO LANE, THE SPIRIT RETURNS, and DJANGO/ZORRO, which he co-wrote with renowned film-maker Quentin Tarantino. Matt recently returned his roots to pen the final arc in his acclaimed fantasy trilogy, MAGE: THE HERO DENIED.
Praised for his character-driven stories and his obvious love of world history and mythologies, Matt’s efforts have won multiple Eisner Awards. He has also enjoyed the distinction of being one of the only writer/artists to team his own creation with one of DC's flagship characters in two successive BATMAN/GRENDEL crossover publications. He later continued the same motif in another critically acclaimed crossover event, writing and drawing GRENDEL VS THE SHADOW.
His most recent work has been a new GRENDEL series, DEVIL’S ODYSSEY.
About the artist:
Kelley Jones was born in 1962 and as soon as he could recall he was held spellbound by strange things and stories. This made him perfect to enter the world of comics and bring shadows and the sense of the unknown to everything he touched.His eerie and evocative version of Deadman was an award-winning hit at DC, and led him to the legendary run of stories on Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, notably 'Dream of a Thousand Cats' and 'Seasons of Mist'. He followed these up with the now classic Batman graphic novel 'Red Rain', wherein Batman confronts....Dracula! This and a run of stunning covers for Batman and Detective for the 'Knightfall' epic led editor Denny O'Neil to assign Kelley the monthly Batman title which in the three years he drew it cemented him as one of Batman's greatest creators and a comic art legend. He has continued his trailblazing style with SWAMP THING with Len Wein and the award winning series 'Batman Kings of Fear' and 'Gotham after Midnight'. And now with Dracula, Kelley shows he still walks in the world of shadows and the unknown.
Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.
When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.
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