Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter #1
Titan Comics
Written by Dan Abnett
Art by Tom Mandrake
32 pages for $3.99
Solicit: IN THE DEPTHS OF EASTERN EUROPE, THE LEGENDARY VAMPIRE HUNTE R, CAPTAIN KRONOS AND HIS TWO ASSISTANTS, GROST AND CARLA ARE CALLED UPON TO HELP RID A TOWN OF ITS VAMPIRE PLAGUE. HOWEVER, BENEATH THE SURFACE OFTHE BELEAGUERED TOWN A MALEVOLENT FORCE FAR MORE EVIL AND DEADLY IS AWAKENING AND IT MIGHT JUST BE THE MATCH OF KRONOS…
This is the first issue in Titan’s new Hammer Horror line. For those of you under the age of 50 or not obsessed with old school horror like myself, Hammer film productions was a British company that pumped out horror for the thinking man as opposed to the mindless American slasher and monster flicks that dominated theaters in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.
Hammer focused more on traditional folklore themes like witches werewolves and vampires. Captain Kronos was Hammer’s Vampire hunter, equal parts Van Helsing and Sherlock Holmes. Kronos works with his sidekick Grost, a peg-legged researcher and Carla, a young fiery red-head that’s quick with her blade and her temper. In the movie Carla was more of a main-squeeze for Kronos but Abnett does the character a huge favor and makes her a vamp hunter in training.
Tom Mandrake was made to draw a comic like the adventures of Kronos and does a wonderful job channeling horror great Bernie Wrightson with his scratchy black work and menacing point of view.
The last page is a splash that all but screams Wrightson featuring a horde of vampires and their hunched over, terrifying lord. I’ve been a fan of Mandrake in the past, most notably his work on Martian Manhunter with John Ostrander back in the late 90’s, but at his core Mandrake is a horror artist. And that’s what he delivers here, classic cheesy vampire hunter vs monster horror as drawn by student of classic silver age EC horror masters.
I loved this from start to finish and it’s easy to pick up on Dan Abnett’s love for the source material. Captain Kronos is a love letter to the original Hammer film executed by a creative team with the utmost respect for cheesy British horror.
Rating: BUY IT!
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Matt Baum is the producer, co-founder, and co-host of the Two-Headed Nerd Comic Book Podcast. He is short and loves to talk.
