Art by: Tom Mandrake
Colors by: Sam Mandrake
Lettering by: Simon Bowland
Review: Will Dubbeld
Lest we forget, they’re also jam packed with Hammer Glamour girls...
The Mummy comic had none of the above.
Upon hearing about this Captain Kronos book, however, my spirits lifted a bit. Captain Kronos was and is one of my favorite Hammer films. It’s a ridiculous vampire-hunting romp across the European countryside with the titular character and his two sidekicks. The Captain is an ex-military man turned swashbuckling bane of the supernatural and is accompanied by Professor Gorst, a wise bespectacled hunchback with a wry wit.
Rounding out the trio is Carla, a dark haired, fiery-eyed gypsy beauty who was rescued by Kronos from the village stocks.
Her crime? Dancing on the sabbath...
The comic chronicles the further adventures of Captain Kronos and company and opens with the three facing down a vampire and his hypnotized minions.
After having dealt with that particular undead, the next adventure takes the cast to a plague-ridden village infested with more (you guessed it) vampires.
Kronos, Carla, and Gorst are on the hunt and next issue promises more undead slaying and teases the arrival of the main vampire baddie.
Because there’s always a main vampire...
There’s no wasted pages in this book; no dead air.
Abnett is at the top of his game here, writing tight scenes of combat and dialogue both. Exposition takes place in flashback form, keeping the focal point of the story at the fore and avoiding unnecessary lag.
I’m most impressed with the development of Carla’s character. In the film she was never a damsel in distress per se, serving only as a beautiful set-piece to be rescued, but rather an active, useful member of the team. Unfamiliar with the supernatural and low on martial skill in the film, Carla is now learning the ways of the vampire hunter and is a terror in combat.
High kicks and punching vampires in the face with brass knuckles come to mind.
Mandrake is in top shape in the pencils department, complimenting the script with classic rendering I’d find right at home in a ‘70s-‘80s supernatural horror/action comic like Conan or Solomon Kane...or Warlord.
Maybe that Beowulf comic DC had for something like 8 issues...
I recall Tom Mardrake’s art from the Ostrander run on Spectre, and he’s kept the same high caliber intact.
It’s grand work, in any case, giving a good shot of nostalgic art all around; pencils, inks, colors, the lot.
Top marks for all involved parties.
This is the comic I wanted to read instead of that godawful Mummy book. The Hammer Horror aesthetic is intact and makes me want to rewatch the film.
Flipping the pages brought back memories of, “4 p.m., Saturday, only on Sci-Fi!”, and I hope it’s a sign of things to come in the realm of Hammer Horror comics.
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