MadCap's Comic Reviews - "X-Men #1: X-Men vs. Dracula"

The X-Men. The ultimate Marvel team...besides the Avengers.  Defenders of a world that hates and fears them...for reasons that really don't make sense when you starting looking at them in relation to the rest of the Marvel Universe.  Heroic champions of the downtrodden mutant people...who have, between them, probably caused close to if not equal the amount of damage caused by those who they are trying to stop and thus damage the reputation of mutants even further.

...yeah, totally sets you in the mind of a Halloween story, right?

Apparently, this was exactly what Chris Claremont was set on in 1993, as he crafted this tale (which, according to cover date, came out in December - oops), that had the children of Professor Charles Xavier face the Prince of Darkness himself, Ozzy Osbou-I mean, Dracula.  That's right, Dracula is an has been a character in the Marvel comics universe for many years - even since the 1950s. In his time he has battled such heroic forces as Doctor Strange, the Silver Surfer, and - as you can see here - the X-Men.

Our story, however, does not begin at the iconic School for Gifted Youngsters, but indeed a bit further to the north at a liberal arts college.  There, Professor Rachel van Helsing laughs off notions that there is any fact behind Bram Stoker's novel concerning half of our comic's title. However, privately, she muses upon the real truth, and her belief that the Lord of the Vampires is truly dead forever.  Needless to say, she is more than a little surprised when an unexpected and unwelcome visitor has come to call upon her...

Meanwhile, at the Xavier Mansion, the young Katherine "Kitty" Pryde is most distressed at the news that her parents are getting a divorce.  The team does their best to console her, but she has none of it, rushing up to her room.  Later that night, she is bitten by Storm, who has suddenly an inexplicably taken on the abilities of a vampire, and proceeds to drain the entire team of their lives...until it is revealed to have all just been a nightmare of hers.

Apparently, in an earlier issue, Dracula attempted to make Storm one of his vampiric brides and failed. However, he seems to have failed to release his hold upon her, which gave her the dream.  Leaving to go and confront him, she fails to notice that Kitty is once more awake...and has sudden interest in getting a bite to eat with Colossus...

But what is the reason that Dracula has broken his word?  Why has Kitty undergone such a startling change in tone?

No spoilers here, but just remember that the Van Helsing family isn't the only one with a screwed up lineage...

This is not a particularly horrific tale beyond the superficial trappings of the Dracula mythos. Yes, it's Dracula, yes you have the darkened castle and the vampire bride, but it's not particularly a horror tale beyond Ororo's struggling with Dracula's hold on her. I would say that it revels in the sheer cheesy glory of "X-Men vs. Dracula", but it really doesn't.  It's trying to be serious and it does have a very dark tone, to give it full credit.  But I find the X-Men and Dracula to be a bizarre fit...and not a particularly good one at that.

And I mean, c'mon, as if even the X-Men with all their might could defeat Dracula?

The X-Men are men and women born with strange and wondrous powers. They've done amazing things, saved the Earth so many a time, and continue to struggle against the darkness that surrounds them.  In the end, however, they are just men and women...

But Dracula...is forever...

"X-Men #1: X-Men vs. Dracula" is brought to us from Marvel Comics.

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