—Frank DrakeI'm impressed, but then I get turned on by electric pencil sharpeners.
Appearing in "Night of the Death Stalkers!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Edith Harker (First appearance)
- Quincy Harker (First appearance)
- Saint (First appearance)
- Taj Nitall
Antagonists:
- Dracula (Main story and flashback)
- Clifton Graves
- Legions of Doom
- Teddy (Mind Controlled)
- Numerous unnamed children (Mind Controlled)
Other Characters:
- Abraham van Helsing (Referenced)
- Mr. Caukins
- Lord Dering
- Lady Dering
- Jonathan Harker (Only in flashback)
- Lucy Westenra (Only in flashback)
- Buckley Grainger (First appearance; dies)
- Anne Milligan (Referenced)
Races and Species:
- Vampires (Main story and flashback)
- Wolves (Referenced)
- Humans (Main story and flashback)
- Bats (Illusion or holographic simulation) (Main story and flashback)
- Rats
- Dogs
Locations:
- Earthspace
- Earth
- Europe
- England (Main story and flashback)
- London (Main story and flashback)
- Big Ben (Mentioned)
- Harker Estate (First appearance)
- Surrey (Mentioned)
- English Moors
- Dering Manor
- London (Main story and flashback)
- Transylvania (Mentioned)
- England (Main story and flashback)
- Europe
- Earth
- Hell (Referenced)
Vehicles:
- London Express
Synopsis for "Night of the Death Stalkers!"
Dracula has returned to London on a snowy night, seeking out a fresh victim in his bat form under the cover of snow. Dracula would happen upon Edith Harker, who unknown to Dracula is the granddaughter of his old foe Jonathan Harker. When Dracula attempts to attack the girl, he finds that she is wearing a crucifix. Unable to feed upon her, Dracula knocks her out and summons rats to feast on her as he goes out to seek a new victim elsewhere. Edith is rescued by her father, the wheelchair bound Quincy Harker and his dog Saint, who fight off the legion of rats and take Edith home. Quincy decides to get in touch with Rachel van Helsing to tell her that Dracula has returned to London.
Elsewhere, Dracula returns to his hideout, where his slave Clifton Graves waits for his masters return. Dracula surmises that his foes Frank Drake and Rachel van Helsing will find him soon, and when Graves offers his aid Dracula angrily strikes him away calling him a coward.
Dracula's anticipation turns out to be correct, as Rachel, Frank and Taj receive a telegram from Quincy Harker at the home of Lord and Lady Dering and head into London immediately. On the train ride in, Rachel explains Quincy Harker's family background and how both the Harkers and van Helsing's have been working together to fight vampires over the years.
Arriving at Quincy's home, Frank is introduced to the crippled vampire hunter, who shows Frank and the others the various devices he uses to hunt vampires even though he is confined to a wheelchair. Quincy explains his family's legacy fighting Dracula, and asks Frank if he will join their fight to vanquish Dracula once and for all. Frank agrees, telling Quincy that he will fight with them until the end.
That night, in Dracula's hide out, Clifton goes to awaken Dracula, who angrily pushes the slave away and begins his next plot against the vampire hunters that seek to destroy him. Going out into the town, Dracula comes across a group of children playing ball and uses his hypnotic powers to put the children in his thrall, intending to use them as an army of assassins against his enemies. Dracula takes them back to Clifton's residence intending to use them later.
Later in the evening as a drunk man stumbles home from the pubs, Dracula has an army of rats herd the man to where he can attack and feed upon his hapless victim. The mans dying screams alert Quincy Harker and the others, who go out looking for Dracula. Quincy's dog Saint finds Dracula first and soon, the other vampire hunters are upon the vampire king as well. Their attack fails to stop Dracula who turns into mist and escapes in bat form. They all pile into Quincy's car, to chase after Dracula, leaving Edith behind to man the radio in case they need back-up.
Chasing Dracula back to his hide out, the vampire hunters wait for Dracula to retire for the coming dawn and break into the mansion. Finding Dracula's coffin they attempt to put a stake through Dracula's heart when they find him apparently sleeping in his coffin. However, this turns out to be a trick as they soon find Dracula standing behind them laughing how easily he fooled them with a dead body disguised to look like himself.
Dracula then calls forth his army of hypnotized children to attack Quincy and the others, and escapes. Before Dracula can get away however, Quincy manages to strike him with a wooden dart laced with a lethal poison. Dracula does get away, leaving the heroes to deal with the children who now prepare to attack them.
This story is continued next issue...
Notes
- This is the first issue of Tomb of Dracula written by Marv Wolfman, who would continue to write the series until the series' cancellation.
