GVN Interview: Dracula: Book III – The Count With Writer Matt Wagner & Artist Kelley Jones (Kickstarter)

Almost a year ago, ahead of their Kickstarter campaign, we spoke to iconic comic creators Matt Wagner and Kelley Jones about the 2nd book in their Dracula series, Dracula Book II: The Brides. Since then, the talented collaborators have been plowing full steam ahead into their third book: Dracula Book Three: The Count. An excitingly different approach to the Dracula saga, looking through the eyes of the man himself.

Once again, they’re bringing their book to Kickstarter, which will surely be another massive success. In advance of the October 1st Kickstarter launch, we caught up with the pair once more to discuss this third installment of their four-book series. So, let’s welcome back Matt Wagner and Kelley Jones to GVN Talking Comics.

Continuing on the Third Book of the Series

GVN: Thank you both once again, Matt and Kelley, for speaking with us. It has been a year since we discussed the Kickstarter campaign for the second volume of your Dracula series, entitled Dracula 2: The Brides. Just like the first volume, Dracula Book 1: The Impaler, “The Brides” was incredibly well received and sparked readers’ anticipation for the next chapter. Matt, how soon after the campaign for the second installment did you begin to focus on the third installment, or was that already in progress before the campaign?

Matt: I’ve had a general outline of the first four books in this series in mind ever since I first conceived of it. In my discussion with Kelley, when I was first pitching him on this idea that I thought was absolutely perfect for both of us, I was able to convey the basic story for each volume and the thought processes that had led me to want to explore these hidden aspects of Dracula’s legend.

I had wanted to deal with Dracula and try to do a take on the character for quite some time but I was generally stymied in trying to come up with a new take on this very well-trodden material. I knew I didn’t want to do yet another adaptation of the novel itself. That’s been done to death (or is that un-death?) at this point. And then I hit on the concept of telling the tales that aren’t unveiled in Bram Stoker’s classic 1897 novel but that are rather generously hinted at throughout. Thus, the story arc from BOOK I, which covered Dracula’s origins and his attending Satan’s seminary of the dark arts—the Scholomance.

In the novel, Professor Van Helsing actually mentions this fact twice, that when he was alive Dracula was trained there as a necromancer. That’s such an amazing detail and is just ripe for development as a narrative…I just couldn’t believe no one had ever done anything with that before!

And then BOOK II gives us the history of Dracula’s unholy harem of brides, who make such an indelible albeit short-lived appearance in the novel. Again, this was a deep and rich vein for story-telling, concocting the individual tales of these three women, what make each of them unique and what first drew Dracula to want to possess them.

So all of that leads us to BOOK III—THE COUNT, which in many ways is the point we’ve been working towards from the very beginning. Because this volume takes place at the same time as the original novel. Fans of Stoker’s classic tale know that one of its frustrating aspects is that once the action shifts from Transylvania to Victorian London, Dracula is basically off-stage for the remainder of the tale. He’s presented as more of a shadowy menace rather than a physical villain. So…what’s he doing during all this time?

Through the research and efforts of Stoker’s band of heroes, we get some insight into his movements but these details are pretty brief. Kelley and I are unveiling how Dracula goes about exploring and adapting to this sprawling and incredibly modern metropolis, so utterly different from the Carpathian highlands that had been his hunting grounds for the past four hundred years. His plans are sinister and grand…yet he’s also a tactician and knows to be cautious and clandestine in approaching his goals. This is the tale that Stoker only hinted at…brought out of the shadows and presented to our readers for the very first time.

Focusing on Vampires

GVN: So, Kelley, it seems like only last year that we talked about the second book of the Dracula series, “Dracula: Book II, the Brides.” Since it has literally been a year, let’s start with what you have been up to. Are there any other challenging projects you took on besides your collaboration with Mr. Wagner?

KELLEY: Dracula has been my main and only focus. I have no time for anything else really. I’m pouring everything into these books and just want to stay focused.

Bringing Matt’s Vision to Reality

GVN: I asked this in our last interview, Kelley, and it is just as relevant now (perhaps even more so). You have created two stellar Dracula books, raising the stakes with your art at its most fierce. Now here you are again with this latest chapter DRACULA: BOOK III—THE COUNT. Did you feel any pressure to measure up to the level of art you had put out in the first two?  

KELLEY: With Matt’s story for the third volume, he took that pressure off of trying to maintain and exceed the first two because it’s such a change of venue and a fuller character dive into Dracula. The events propel the art. I couldn’t really compare what I did in the third to the first two which makes the art for this book unique because the tone is so different. It’s been a joy to draw.

Trusting in the Brilliance of Kelley

GVN: Matt, with the first two books (as I mentioned to Kelley), you’ve set a very high standard in both the storytelling and Kelley’s artwork. Do YOU ever think about how to surpass what you’ve already created in the series, or is your main focus simply on telling the best story possible, with quality being a natural outcome of that effort?

MATT: Writing for Kelley is an absolute joy and I always know his art is gonna rock the castle at its very foundations! Seriously, I’m constantly writing scenes specifically aimed at Kelley’s strengths and as I’m typing away I’m thinking, “Ohhh, man…Kel is gonna kill it on this!” And then his pencils show up in my inbox and, holy shit, they’re always even better than I could’ve imagined! And I’m an artist so what I’m imagining is pretty goddamn great…and he always exceeds it!

So, yeah, the quality isn’t really a concern if the story is great. And, like I said, I’d been brewing on these tales and this project for over a decade so I’m confident we’ve got that aspect covered as well. Kel says these are the best scripts he’s ever gotten from a writer and I think, with no sense of exaggeration, that these books feature the finest art of Kelley’s career. And, holy shit…that’s saying something!

I was telling him the other day, there’s just a level of focus and emotional intimacy in his art for DRACULA that effortlessly transcends his previous work. I really feel like this is the story that Kelley was born to draw. He claims the story is so good that it all just comes naturally to him…that the story just draws itself. Okay, so that is an exaggeration because I don’t think anyone could be doing such an amazing job on this as he’s producing. I’m blown away by our collaboration here.

Looking Through Dracula’s Eyes

GVN: I have read some of your comments about “Dracula: Book Three: The Count,” and I noticed that you are telling the story from Dracula’s perspective. This is an exciting twist on Stoker’s original narrative, which focused on accounts OTHER than Dracula. Were you looking forward to exploring things from his point of view, and did you find this to be as big a challenge as it seems?

MATT: The original novel is written from a very Victorian standpoint…and it’s epistolary, which means there’s no omniscient narrator but rather is told in the form of letters and private journals and such. I always felt like the one voice missing from this narrative style was Dracula himself. Of course, I understand why Stoker chose to write his classic tale this way; it firmly plants we the readers on the side of the heroes and serves to make Dracula a threatening “other” presence and thus more sinister and shadowy.

But, after more than a century of time since the novel’s original publication, I thought it was time to give the devil his due (“Dracul” is Romanian for both “dragon” and “devil”). The fun part was making sure that we didn’t try to soften or have the readers sympathize with Dracula; in our version, he’s a fucking bastard through and through.

But, c’mon…I created and have written GRENDEL for over forty years so I do have some experience in voicing unrepentant villains. And yet our presiding mantra was to keep this all in-canon, to stay true to the novel’s details and depictions in all regards. One neat detail along these same lines…the logo we use on our books is the same design as the title that was featured on the original 1897 hardcover edition of the novel.

Doing Something “Unique and Original”

GVN: How about you, Kelley? With Matt taking that slightly different approach than Stoker by focusing on events from Vlad’s point of view as opposed to others’ accounts, was this a challenge for you to bring that narrative to life, and how long after the 2nd book did you start working on this one?

KELLEY: That Matt took on the idea of Dracula’s exploits rather than just another adaptation of the novel was electric to me. I love Dracula the book and it never occurred to me what he was up to during those times that he’s offstage. From the moment Matt told me that angle a few years ago I couldn’t wait to draw this book. Everything led to this. I’m still in awe that no one has done that in the one hundred twenty some odd years since the novel’s release. Matt did something wholly unique and original and I’m so happy to be a part of it.

Kickstarter Round Three

GVN: So, this is for both of you. With the third book launching on Kickstarter, like the first two, have you become comfortable with what a campaign entails after experiencing the first two?

MATT: To a great degree yes…and yet there always seems to be a mad scramble just before the launch goes live, making sure that everything is ready to go and that all the PR and interviews are lined up and in place. I think it is just the way things work in general…I’m sure it’s the same on opening night for any play or concert or such.

KELLEY: Matt and I learn as we go and we try to stay in the zone of what we’d want as fans. Number one is be on time! But there will be some great stuff for the campaign.

Behind the Creative Scenes

GVN: Speaking of which, the first two books provided great bonus insights into Kelley and your creative process as you developed the stories. Will this continue in the third book?

MATT: We haven’t yet finalized what exactly will be included in the Extras section of BOOK III, as the actual final design and production stages of the book don’t happen for several months yet. But, yeah…readers always love to see behind the scenes and how the creative process works. I know I do…so we’ll definitely try to include more of the same this time around.

Dracula Book III: The Count – The Campaign

GVN: I want to thank you both again for sharing some information about this exciting next chapter in the Dracula saga. Before I let you go, please share one last time about your upcoming Kickstarter and what fans might find when visiting the campaign.

MATT: For BOOK III—THE COUNT, as per usual, we’ll have our standard three editions of the book itself; one with Kelley’s main cover, one with my variant cover and a limited signed & numbered edition. We’ve also tried to offer a different variety of rewards with each campaign, including a range of products and costs. One of the special aspects is that it offers a premium level of reward with each campaign that involves original art.

Most people don’t know that Kelley doesn’t sell his original art all that often so demand for his originals is always high. And for this volume, we’re offering something really special…a true collaboration between Kelley and myself! We are producing 10 original pieces, sized 8.5×11” that are pencilled and inked by Kelley and then color-painted by me! These are really beautiful pieces (if I do say so myself) and they will almost certainly sell out quickly…again.

There are only ten color originals and, needless to say, they will be priced at a premium cost. So interested buyers should visit the prelaunch page for BOOK III—THE COUNT and sign up to be notified as soon as the campaign goes live. But, there’s also an option for those who either can’t afford such a high-tag reward or who just don’t manage to get their pledges in on time to nab one of the originals.

We’re also producing a full-color portfolio featuring plates of all ten pieces. The folios will come with a signed & numbered certificate of authentication, signed by both Kelley and myself. And, of course, backers can still access many of the various rewards we offered with the first two campaigns, including the B&W portfolio from BOOK I, the gicleé-style print from BOOK II and the various merch. If this is your first time hearing about our epic DRACULA project, you can still claim copies of the exclusive hardcover editions of BOOKs I & II from Orlok Press. And, as I mentioned earlier…there’s at least one more book in this series yet to come. DRACULA: BOOK IV…the title of which will have to remain hidden in the shadows for now. BOOK III—THE COUNT launches live on October 1!

Revisiting Swamp Thing

GVN: Since Matt has covered most of it pretty well, Kelley, please feel free to share anything you have coming up. Although I know you’ve been focused on these incredible Dracula books.

KELLEY: I have a nice hardcover deluxe edition from DC of all of Swamp Thing stories I did with Len Wein, as well as all the other stories I drew with Swamp Thing coming out this Halloween.

Visiting the Campaign

The Kickstarter campaign for DRACULA BOOK III—THE COUNT by Matt Wagner, Kelley Jones, and Jose Villarrubia has now launched. You can visit it here. If you missed the first two books in the series, as Matt has said, you can obtain them in the campaign. Be sure to check them out!