Comic Book Reviews

Comic Book Review: Dracula Vs. King Arthur #3

By Patrick Luce Dec 23, 2005, 13:52 GMT

The comic series is written by Adam and Christian Beranek with art by Chris Moreno and covers by Moreno and Jay Fotos. In previous issues, the creators set a strong story and slowly began building to the action that breaks loose in #3, and leads to a cliffhanger that will leave you drooling until the fourth and final issue comes out.The first issue saw Vlad Tepes, of the Dracul Order, make a pact with the devil to help his empire that was being overrun by an advancing Turkish army. The pact turned him to Dracula, the first vampire, and forced him to go back to the days of Camelot to destroy the shining realm and its hero King Arthur.

The second issue of the series quickly picked up where the first ended and cranked up the action and the story. The story focused on the beginning stages of Camelot’s downfall, and Arthur’s quest for the Holy Grail. While Arthur takes his knights in search of God’s holy cup, Dracula plotted from a distance and set his destruction in motion. The issue also saw Lancelot begin a separate quest to rescue Queen Guinevere – who had been taken by the evil Dracula.

Arthur and his knights face defeat at the hands of Dracula’s forces

Lamorak leads the Knights of the Round Table against the mysterious Black Knight and his vampire army, but his forces are quickly overrun and slaughtered. After holding their own against the forces of darkness and sending several heads flying in the process, the knights are forced to take shelter in a church.As that battle wages, King Arthur races home to protect Camelot and its people, and quickly launches into the battle. Not fully understanding his enemy, Arthur faces defeat at the hands of the Black Knight and is taken prisoner. He is taken to face Dracula and learn the fate of his wife Guinevere, Lancelot, and many of his good knights.

The issue ends with a great cliffhanger as King Arthur facing the ultimate betrayal from his closest friend and fellow knight. Left defeated and in the hands of Dracula it is going to take more than a miracle for Arthur and Camelot to survive this invasion. It also promises that the fourth and final issue of the series is going to be one hell of a ride for comic readers.Although the title may leave you wondering if the book is a joke, Dracula Vs. King Arthur is a GREAT book and is well-written with enough action to satisfy any fan of the fantasy or horror genre.The creators have crafted a well-written story that builds with each issue and leaves you counting the days until the next chapter in the story hits the stands. The comic is fast paced with enough references thrown in to keep King Arthur fans and Dracula fans happy. Both literary characters are handled with enough detail to really help the story work, and the crossover has more to offer than you might suspect – if judging simply by the title.I highly recommend the comic series to anyone who enjoys good fantasy or good horror. The comic has well developed characters, good art, and a plot that leaves you craving more. It will surprise you if you are willing to take a chance on it, and you will quickly get hooked.

The third issue has Arthur learn the fate of his Queen

Dracula Vs. King Arthur #3 (ISBN: 0-9752582-5-7) is on comic stands now and retails for $2.95. The first two issues of the series (#1 - ISBN: 0-9752582-2-2 and #2 - ISBN: 0-9752582-3-0) are still available. Visit Silent Devil for more details on this and other available titles.