DRACULA: SON OF THE DRAGON PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 1st, 2013
WHAT IS DRACULA: SON OF THE DRAGON:
The most exciting new independent comic is not coming from Marvel, DC
or even Image. Instead, two creators with works in print from nearly
every publisher have decided to self-publish and are seeking fans help
to do it. DRACULA: SON OF THE DRAGON is a new Kickstarter from two
high-profile indie creators.
Created by writer Mark Sable (TWO FACE: YEAR ONE; GRAVEYARD OF EMPIRES)
and artist Salgood Sam (THEREFORE REPENT, SEA OF RED, Warren Ellis’
GHOST RIDER 2099), DRACULA: SON OF THE DRAGON serves as a prequel to
Bram Stoker’s DRACULA. Part historical fiction, part horror fantasy, it
chronicles the transformation of Vlad Dracula from Impaler to vampire
Count.
WHY KICKSTARTER?
Why has Sable, whose recent work includes Image’s GRAVEYARD OF EMPIRES
and Boom! Studio’s UNTHINKABLE – both of which have been optioned as for
film production, with Sable writing the screenplay for the former -
chosen to go the Kickstarter route?
“With comics becoming an increasingly disposable medium, we wanted to
create something unique. Not just a collectors item – although our
print editions will be exclusive to Kickstarter backers – but an
artifact,” said Sable. The two most popular incentives are hand bound
leather and leatherette editions, designed to evoke the kind of tome
that one might have found in Vlad The Impaler’s time.
Sable and Salgood also wanted to involve the readers in the process of
creation. “All backers will receive access to an exclusive behind the
scenes ‘making of” blog. But we’re also literally offering a readers a
chance to be a part of the story", noted Salgood, who is drawing cameo
appearances for select backers.
Backers can have stories created for themselves. Sable, who will be
teaching at SVA’s new visual narrative MFA program, is offering script
evaluations. He's also agreed to write the first chapter of a very
generous backer’s graphic novel, which Salgood will provide the cover
for. Both Sable and Salgood have created custom pledge tiers at backers
requests, and will continue to do so. Prospective backers are only
limited by their imagination.
A little over a week into the drive, backers seem to be responding.
DRACULA: SON OF THE DRAGON has reached one third of it’s goal.
HOW DO WE KNOW SABLE AND SALGOOD WILL DELIVER?
The success of Kickstarter projects like The Veronica Mars movie shows
that Kickstarter has some life on it. But some worry that corporations
like Warner Brothers will crowd out more independent projects. Others
worry that many comics projects still remain unfulfilled despite
reaching their goals months ago.
Salgood Sam feels confident that they’ll get the book in backers hands
in plenty time. “I’ve been self-publishing for a long time, most
recently with my autobiographical comic Dream Life.” Serialized in his
quarterly REVOLVER anthology after a successful Indiegogo fundraiser, it
has consistently been on time. Salgood points out they’ve been
“conservative” in what they’ve asked for and how much time they’ve asked
for completion and delivery.
The goal of the Kickstarter is to fund the creation of the first of
four DRACULA: SON OF THE DRAGON graphic novels, the first of which will
be available in 2014. But 10-15 page chapters will be released through
Salgood Sam’s revolver, available digitally or in print as early as July
of 2013.
WHY DRACULA?
Is there room for another vampire comic? “I was asked the same
question about zombies with GRAVEYARD OF EMPIRES”, Sable said, referring
to his sold out Image mini-series about Marines and Taliban teaming up
to take down zombies in Afghanistan. “They are both incredibly powerful
metaphors, much like superheroes. In GRAVEYARD, the zombies were
representative of the unstoppable forces of an unseen insurgency.”
In DRACULA: SON OF THE DRAGON, Sable and Salgood mine vampirism as a
way of extending life, an addictive drug and an ancient weapon of mass
destruction, spreading a vicious plague. Just as GRAVEYARD was known
for extensive research and edgy political relevance, so is DRACULA: “It
may be set over 500 years in the past, but SON OF THE DRAGON deals with a
misguided war against Islam, with terror used as a weapon on both
sides.” Sable compares it to 300 and FROM HELL in terms of historical
fiction.
But there’s still
plenty of room for the fantastic. “Bram Stoker was very vague about how
Dracula became a vampire,” Sable points out, but adds “there are
clues.” One such clue is The Scholomance, which Sable describes as a
legendary school of dark magic, a kind of “Evil Hogwarts”. Sable is
surprised no one has picked up Stoker’s hints, but is thrilled to have
the chance to offer a unique take on Dracula that’s faithful to both
history and the novel.
HOW CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT DRACULA: SON OF THE DRAGON
Mark Sable has been updating his website -
marksable.tumblr.com – daily with inspiration for the series, a preview of the backmatter included for the book.
Both can be reached on twitter at @Marksable & @Salgood,
For those in the Los Angeles area, Mark Sable will be hosting a LIVE
event in conjunction with The Original Drink and Draw Social Club on
Thursday, April 11th 2013 from 8PM onward at Casey’s Irish
Pub in Downtown LA. Artists professional and amateur alike are welcome
to drink and, well, draw their own versions of Dracula for a chance to
appear as pinups in the book alongside guest artists such as Paul
Azaceta, Nathan Fox and Robbi Rodriguez (and more). Sable will
live-tweet any art created at the Drink and Draw event, and more
importantly, buy as many drinks for contributing artists as he can
afford.
SEX #1, the attention-grabbing first issue of a new Image Comics series by Joe Casey and Piotr Kowalski,
has sold out of its second printing at the distributor level the same
week as its release and will immediately receive a third printing, to be
in stores on May 1.
Ominous Odes is a collection of published short stories as well as
never before seen new releases. The stories tell tales of the dark and
eerie that always lurks just outside of human perception, fleeting upon
the cusp of vision. A dark lottery ticket, a future serial killer, a
tragic female legend and a detective on the trail of a killer all reside
within. This collection is available in both hardback and digital form
on Amazon and can be purchased at 
San Diego, CA (April 1, 2013) – At WonderCon, IDW finally unveiled the creative team that will be re-launching the legendary THUNDER AGENTS this August.
LAZARUS, the upcoming Image Comics series by the Eisner Award-winning creative team of Greg Rucka (Whiteout, Queen and Country, Gotham Central, Wonder Woman) and Michael Lark (Daredevil, Gotham Central, Scene of the Crime)
is set in a dystopia where society has reverted to a feudal state — the
elite Families who control the wealth control every aspect of the
world, and those without are their vassals and serfs. Serving these
powerful Families are individuals called their "Lazarus” — lethal
protectors of their families' interests. The Lazarus of the Carlyle
Family, which controls the world's genetic research and development, is a
young woman
called Forever. Her story starts the day she is killed.
