From its very beginning this did not seem like a fair fight.  On the one hand is a relatively new character introduced into a fantasy realm, and on the other hand one of history’s and literature’s most fearsome villains.  Though various versions of the character of Dracula exist, from the mostly historical version to embellished versions of him in unconventional genres, be that in X-Men comics or fighting Billy the Kid in 1960s B-movies.  He is an easy character to cheer against, as he is the embodiment of pure evil.  The problem with this series has not been his evil, but that of Elizabeth the Blood Queen.  Even against the evil of Dracula she is not really a sympathetic character, with her own designs for conquest and power, in this case going directly through the famous famous vampire.

This third issue picks up in the wake of the failed assassination attempt by Elizabeth’s men against Dracula.  While there are a few potential directions in which this could have gone, the one taken here is novel enough, as Elizabeth is faced with a sequence of her own entourage, who are either acting as undead messengers for their new lord, or straight out trying to kill Elizabeth themselves.  Some of these encounters end quickly and others are drawn out.  As Elizabeth deals them a true death oen after the other, it sets the stage for her showdown with Dracula himself, carefully hovering in the shadows until he is ready to strike.

While the approach is interesting enough, there is also not as much to keep the reader interested.  This ends up being simply a sequence of one on one melees, most of which end quickly and in relatively similar ways.  Of course, this issues sets up the series for what is undoubtedly the sole concrete concept in the entire series, and that is to face off the two eponymous characters against each other.  In that, this issue succeeds in thrusting them together, but equally it leaves the impression that this alone is not sufficient enough to base a short series around.  Perhaps there are greater plans for the series which involve the occasionally-seen Ottomans, but after this issue the series seems to be more forgettable than it had been previously.

Story: Troy Brownfield  Art: Kewber Baal  
Story: 7.2 Art: 7.2 Overall: 7.2 Recommendation: Pass

Dynamite Provided Graphic Policy with a free copy for review.