The Secret History of Dracula Comes to London in Legendary Comic Creators Matt Wagner and Kelley Jones’s DRACULA: BOOK III—THE COUNT

Bram Stoker’s classic 1897 novel of gothic horror created the most famous literary character of all time: the terrifying vampire lord, DRACULA. And now acclaimed comic-book creators Matt Wagner (Grendel, Mage) and Kelley Jones (Batman: Red Rain, The Sandman) are reuniting to produce an all-new chapter in their epic series of DRACULA graphic novels. DRACULA: BOOK III—THE COUNT takes place in the shadows of the original novel and tells the familiar and horrifying tale from Dracula’s own point of view. The project is now live on Kickstarter.

“Anyone who’s familiar with Stoker’s original novel knows that once the action shifts to England, the title character is basically all-but unseen for the remainder of the narrative,” says writer Wagner. “A sinister, charismatic and scheming vampire lord set loose on the streets of London… and it’s so frustrating because we never get to see him! Well, he’s definitely up to something most foul… and now Kelley and I are finally unveiling what he was doing during that terrifying period. We’ll see him exploring and planning to exploit his new home, this grand and modern British Empire, a vast realm on which, it was said, the sun never set.”

“From our very first discussions of this project, this was the part I thought would be the trickiest to pull off,” says artist Jones. “But it was also the part I was looking forward to the most! What Matt does so beautifully is to combine literary and historical accuracy with an utterly compelling story that keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. Every time I read one of his scripts, I find myself so fully engaged in how the story unfolds… I almost forget that I’m the one who gets to draw this incredible tale!”

“One of the distinctive aspects of Stoker’s original novel is that it’s epistolary… told exclusively in the form of journal entries, letters of correspondence and news articles,” added Wagner. “The only voice missing from these various narrations is the most crucial one of all… Dracula himself! So our version of these events is narrated by Dracula himself… from inside the mind of an unrepentant monster. As Kelley said, this volume was the most challenging in regards to accuracy as the events of the original novel are well-recorded, analyzed and annotated. And Kelley has absolutely brought his A+ game to this narrative. If you thought his work of BOOKS I & II was spectacular, wait’ll you see how he brings Dracula to life (er…undeath) on the foggy streets of Victorian London! I’ll say it again… this is the story that Kelley Jones was born to draw! And I’m the lucky bastard who got to write it!”

The first two volumes of Wagner and Jones’s DRACULA saga were smash hits—Book 1 broke the Top 20 in Kickstarter’s all-time most successful graphic novel campaigns—and this newest chapter promises the same level of high quality. DRACULA: BOOK III—THE COUNT again presents 120 pages of sinister story and art in a beautiful, European-album sized hardcover edition. Wagner and Jones are once again joined for this macabre foray into the shadows of Dracula’s schemes by the stellar talents of José Villarrubia on colors and lettering by Rob Leigh.

Here’s what people are saying about Wagner and Jones’s DRACULA:

"Wagner, Jones, and Villarubia have done the impossible. They’ve found a way to take one of the most well-known and beloved horror icons and breathe glorious, terrifying new (undead) life into him and his whole mythology. This isn’t just the story of Dracula — this is the story of Vlad the Impaler and the shocking, twisted and gripping tale of how he becomes the vampire we all know and love and fear. This is the epic of Dracula told in all its glory, by two legends and masters, with incredible writing and art both. As someone who has read a lot of Dracula takes, believe me when l tell you that this stands up with some of the very best ever. A new favorite of mine. Prepare yourself for Vlad the f**king Impaler!" 

— Scott Snyder (Absolute Batman, The Batman Who Laughs)

“It’s a perfect fit—Dracula is a preeminent character in the horror hall of fame and Kelley Jones is a preeminent artist in the comic book hall of fame. I have been a fan of Kelley’s and Dracula’s for years, and this third book is the apex of the Count’s legend, primarily told from Dracula’s point of view. The writing by Matt Wagner has been astonishing. This book is a horror lover’s delight. Enjoy!” —  John Carpenter (Halloween, The Thing, The Fog)

“You may think you know Dracula, but Wagner and Jones show us a whole new perspective on those fateful weeks in London and Transylvania! Brilliantly done—not to be missed!”

—Leslie S. Klinger, editor, New Annotated Dracula

“Wow—in a good way, and I’m a Dracula snob so that’s saying something. This is a wild ride that sails well beyond Whitby and the Borgo Pass—and I believe this may well be the book Kelley Jones was born to draw. Here is all the mood and horror I would expect from him, but also a level of crazy (good crazy) that I’ve never seen from him before. And a huge nod of the bloody severed head to Matt Wagner, because somebody has to come up with all that crazy in the first place. And a big thank you to both of these guys for showing impalement (in all its anatomical glory) done correctly.”

—Mike Mignola, creator of Hellboy

“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

DRACULA—BOOK III: THE COUNT will be funded via Kickstarter. For updates, follow Matt Wagner on Facebook and X and Kelley Jones on Instagram and X.