Reviews of graphic novels and comic book collections every Tuesday and Thursday.


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Renfield: A Tale of Madness by Gary Reed
Too often in comics, horror means gore and mayhem. Just because there are vampires and zombies roaming around does not mean that you have a horror comic. Horror should have real suspense. It should make you feel uncomfortable as you read it. Most of all, it should scare you long after you put it down. Renfield: A Tale of Madness (1995, Caliber Comics, Amazon listing; a new edition from Image Comics available later this year) does all of these things.

Renfield, the fly-eating, insane asylum inmate from the horror novel Dracula, is the featured character. Rather than creating a whole new story around the character, author Gary Reed explores and expands the events of the novel. Think of Renfield as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, except not funny and very spooky. It is to Reed's credit that it is almost indistinguishable where Stoker's novel leaves off and the graphic novel begins. They are intertwined seamlessly. Despite being set in the nineteenth century, the story reads modern, and isn't a chore to read like the original Frankenstein. Stoker's novel and Reed's story are engaging throughout.

The story shows Renfield preparing for his master Dracula and delving deeper and deeper into madness. To Renfield, Dracula is a Messiah that he worships and is willing to do his bidding. But as the story moves on, it is clear that how Renfield wants events to unfold is very different from what Dracula has in mind. Once Renfield senses he is being used and that Mina will suffer because of his action, he undergoes a change.

Despite knowing where the story is heading, the unique perspective keeps the reader turning pages. This is due in large part to Reed's writing, but just as much to artist Galen Showman's art. Black and white art suits period horror stories, but is hard to do well, particularly with a subject--vampires--that many readers have vivid images of in their imagination. Showman's approach relies on what is not seen almost as much as what is seen. Combined with Renfield's visions, the claustrophobic nature of the asylum cell, and the continual uses of eyes as a motif, the art adds to the intense nature of the book.

So while there might be some people who read this book and want more death and blood, mature readers will come away spooked by this intelligent book and applaud Reed and Showman's approach to a familiar story told in an all-new way.

Renfield: A Tale of Madness 4 stars (out of 5)
posted by Sean McGurr at 8:00 AM