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• Price: $3.99
• Rated: MR
• Pages: 34
• On Sale: April 11, 2018
• Writer: Cullen Bunn
  
• Artist: Mirko Colak
  
• Color: Maria Santaolalla
• Letterer: Simon Bowland
• Publisher: Aftershock Comics

From the Publisher – The legend of Vlad the Impaler is the stuff of nightmares. The inspiration for the most iconic of monsters—Dracula—Vlad tortured and murdered thousands of victims. But what turned him into such a depraved killer? The truth lies in his teenage years, when Vlad and his brother Radu were held hostage by the Ottoman Empire. During this time, the brothers learned many things—archery, riding, the art of combat, matters of court…and how to stalk and slay vampires. 

Our We Talk Comics WeView – In the opening to Brothers Dracul, Radu travels home through the snows of Romania until he comes across the base of his family’s castle. There he unexpectedly finds impaled corpses littering the field. Taking in the horror, he says of his brother Vlad… “What have you done?”.

We’ve all heard of the historical and fictional versions of Dracula. But to think that he may have had a reasonable brother who could not condone his brutal legacy is an interesting twist to the mythos.

In this first issue we’re provided with the backstory to the Dracul family. It’s here we learn how they were torn apart by a manipulative Sultan who demanded the servitude of the brothers Radu and Vlad.

Abandoned and feeling like prisoners in the Sultan’s army, the brothers find themselves training for a terrifying quest in the mountains. It’s no wonder then that Vlad grows up to exhibit extreme tendencies. And it’s those extreme tendencies which in turn play out against his enemies in battle. By letting the crows peck at the open skulls that surround the family castle, Vlad is technically still fighting past tragedies that haunt him.

The only regret I had with this single issue is that while it touched upon so many emotional threads and subplots, it was over too soon. Judging from the closing panel, the story just became more gruesome and intense. I will certainly be returning to this series as I hope this talented team will take the time to flesh out more of the back story before tossing us into the looming horror to come.

Rating: Very Fine- (VF-) or 7.5/10

Review by DJ Rat Bastard

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