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! DRACULA—BOOK II: THE BRIDES is now live on Kickstarter.

“One of the most eerie and memorable parts of the Dracula legend is the presence of his vamipiric 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.

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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

DRACULA—BOOK II: THE BRIDES is now live on Kickstarter.