Read our review of Universal Monsters: Dracula #4 from Skybound and Image Comics, written by James Tynion IV with art by Martin Simmonds.
We reviewed the book on the Stack podcast. But in the interest of highlighting more about the title, here’s a summary of the conversation with our thoughts. And if you prefer the longer audio version, that’s below as well!
Powered by RedCircle
Universal Monsters: Dracula #4 Review:
A bit of clarification here before we get into it: this is, as our hosts discovered before the last issue, a straight retelling of the classic monster movie; versus a new riff, or something happening between the scenes. Which explains why we’ve spent four issues going “why is this just a straight retelling of the classic monster movie?” Anyway.
“This whole series has been odd in what it’s covering,” said host Justin Tyler. “It’s been so much of Renfield and him being like, free me. I love my prison, my blood prison free from this blood prison. And so it’s this is a Renfield story where Dracula is this mythic sort of creature haunting at the edge of the frame. Beautiful art. I like the elements here, but for me, just as narrative, it never really came together.”
Pete LePage disagreed, saying that while he felt similarly for the first three issues, “this last issue landed the ship… The start was great and the end got sweet… So I was happy that at least it landed on this, and felt a little bit more original and kind of fun. And I understood why we went on this journey by the end of it. A good ending can save a series, and it did here.”
Alex Zalben added, “Love this team. James Tynion IV, absolutely killing it across the board. Martin Simmonds, incredible art. As I said with previous issues, the real reason for this series was Martin Simmonds’ art which is stunning, beautiful panels. Having Dracula in here looking absolutely terrifying. Everything with Renfield. And the coloring where he used a wash of white is great as well. But in terms of the pacing… I’m not totally familiar with the original Dracula movie. So maybe it’s like this. But it felt like three issues of not much happening, and everything happened to this issue. And then it wrapped up very quickly. So it sped up a little too much for me here to enjoy it. But to your point Pete, where it ended I thought that was poignant. Renfield is a good character. I almost wish they had focused exclusively on him for four issues because that was the stand-out.”
Universal Monsters: Dracula #4 Official Synopsis:
The final confrontation between Dr. Seward, Van Helsing, and Count Dracula is here!
