Matt Wagner and Kelley Jones are back for the fourth and final chapter in their epic series of original graphic novels about the the world’s most famous vampire with Dracula: Book IV-The Undead.
Wagner and Jones’ faithful, and expanded, take on Bram Stoker’s original story continues past the novel’s climax in Book IV (now available to back on Kickstarter) and delves into even more vampire lore and terror.
We were lucky enough to speak to the two creators once again at the final stages of their journey into Transylvania and beyond in this exclusive interview.
Throughout the entire series so far, you have been sticking close to Bram Stoker’s blueprint, but with Book IV you go beyond the novel’s end to continue the original story. How was this exciting for you and were there also aspects that were intimidating?
Matt Wagner: By this point in our overall project, there’s not much about Dracula as a character or his cultural legacy that I find intimidating…I’ve got a firm handle on his unrepentant persona and his narrative voice. But the excitement over getting to work with such a literary icon hasn’t waned in the least. What has been important throughout our entire series of OGNs has been to accurately maintain the character and mood of the original narrative. Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel was something of a lighting in a bottle achievement.
The Irish author wrote many other novels and short stories over the course of his career but none of them were well-received or remembered into the current day. Only Dracula stands as this indelible literary accomplishment…a novel that has never been out of print in its 120+ history. I really feel like we were able to do all that and provide a lasting addition to Dracula’s incredible legacy.
Kelley Jones: For the fourth book I wanted to concentrate on Dracula’s malice. His evil drew itself and was more virulent than his supernatural aspects.
Kelley recently stated that “this volume is probably the most evil one of all!” How do you think this aspect is displayed in Book IV, especially after all of the carnage so far?
Wagner: That’ll be completely evident to anyone who reads this volume. I don’t want to reveal any spoilers but we began with the assumption that Dracula survived the attack of Stoker’s band of heroes at the end of the novel. There are too many things that don’t add up in the novel’s climax; the heroes don’t attack and “kill” the vampire lord in the methods that Van Helsing has described, his apparent defeat happens just as the sun is setting when he will regain all of his vampiric might, and after being attacked and stabbed (not fully impaled nor decapitated) his body fades into dust…which is one of his many supernatural powers.
So, with that assumption as our premise, we had to imagine…what would this blood-thirsty and immensely powerful monster do next? How would the brutal warlord react and what vengeance would he seek out on those who, for the first time in over 400 years, had defeated him? As Kel said…it’s evil.
Jones: For Dracula in this last volume, it’s all personnel for him. Vlad Tepes more than Count Dracula.
Which of the ways to destroy the vampire were most intriguing to you and ones that you had to incorporate into the last entry in your series?
Wagner: Well, like I said, what intrigued me the most was that the band of British heroes didn’t use any of the traditional methods of destroying a vampire in the novel’s climatic moments. That said…we do see a bit of further vampire hunting in this volume and we’ve added a few new elements that I think will delight readers and yet still fits firmly into the established narratives. But when it comes to an opponent as long-lived, canny and battle-trained as Dracula…you’re not gonna catch much off guard a second time.
Jones: I try to make all the ways a vampire dies painful.
What did you both learn about your process and each other’s process after the three previous graphic novels?
Wagner: I’ve said this in many other interviews but I’m thoroughly amazed at how seamlessly our working methods gelled. In so many ways, it felt like we’d already been working together for years…and we fell into that level of sync pretty much from the get-go. There’s a litany of writer/artist teams throughout the history of comics who’ve just clicked in such harmony and they always produce some of the best work, not only of their careers, but also as part of the medium’s legacy. Whether we ever get recognized as being part of this rarefied roster of dream teams doesn’t even matter…we feel it so intrinsically and that’s enough. I think the results seen in our Dracula saga support that.
Jones: Matt and I are fellow travellers, it’s just we were on different roads until we met back up on the Borgo pass. This has been the most fun I’ve ever had.
You have both worked on so many characters across so many universes and brands. Is there one that you would point fans towards who may have discovered your work through the Dracula series that you are particularly fond of?
Wagner: For me, of course, it’s Grendel. That’s, in fact, the title for which I’m most known and anybody who liked the dark and challenging aspects of Dracula will find all that and more in the pages of Grendel. It’s a grim, centuries-spanning, multi-generational saga that helped establish the indy comics scene way back in the 1980s. It comprises thousands of pages of material, all available in hefty omnibus editions. And there’s currently a Grendel series on the stands right now, the second 4-issue chapter in a longer 4-part epic–Devil’s Crucible.
Jones: I suppose Deadman and any Batman stuff. I enjoyed doing Swamp Thing as well. Those stick out off the top of my head.
Future plans after Dracula?
Wagner: We will definitely continue working together. Again, it’s all too much fun and just so smooth and almost effortless. We’ve been discussing what comes next after Dracula and, just the other night, in a restless bout of sleeplessness…I was suddenly struck with a tidal wave of inspiration and I came up with the basic concepts for what will most likely be our next project together through Orlok Press. The whole concept is so fresh, I haven’t even gotten to a stage where I’m comfortable sharing it with Kel just yet. But I’m pretty sure he’s gonna love the hell out of it…just like he did with Dracula!
Dracula: Book IV-The Undead is currently available to back on Kickstarter (in the Kickstarter exclusive European-album sized hardcover edition) until Halloween night.
You can also check out our previous interviews about Book II and Book III right here and here.
