Blacula isn’t as famous as Dracula, but he has a great deal more to be angry about. The star of the 1972 blaxploitation horror hit was an 18th-century African prince who asked Dracula’s help to end the slave trade. Instead, Dracula turned him into a vampire, killed his wife, and imprisoned him under his castle. Eventually, he awoke to star in two horror classics (Blacula and Scream, Blacula, Scream) in the ‘70s. But now his hunt continues thanks to a stunning new graphic novel.
Written by Rodney Barnes with art from Jason Shawn Alexander, Blacula: Return of the King isn’t just a new chapter for the cult classic vampire, it’s also absolutely gorgeous. Gizmodo is more than delighted to give you a giant preview of the graphic novel, coming later this month.
Here’s how amazing this comic looks: I’ve never even seen Blacula before but now I want to watch the movie and read Return of the King. Here’s the official synopsis, by the way:
“Los Angeles — the City of Angels. Two souls, one is looking for vengeance and one is looking for the truth. They share one thing in common, they are both searching for the legendary vampire Blacula. Tina Thomas is a reporter for the blog Dark Knights, which chronicles all things unnatural, uneasy, and undead. She meets a young man named Kross whose family was forever changed by the vampire. Kross asks Tina to help him kill Blacula. Blacula too is on a mission, he is searching for the one who forever changed his life centuries ago. His name is Count Dracula.”
Blacula: Return of the King comes to comic shops Tuesday, January 18, and regular bookstores the next day.