In COUNT DRACO: KNUCKLEDUSTER #1, available from Scout Comics on August 11th, 2021, the malignant techno-sorcerer, Count Draco, begins a ruthless hunt for a girl with the power to grant him immortality.
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The Details
- Written By: Peter Goral, Joseph Schmalke
- Art By: Joseph Schmalke
- Colors By: Peter Goral
- Letters By: D.C. Hopkins
- Cover Art By: Joseph Schmalke
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: August 11, 2021
Was It Good?
Well, well, well. This was an unexpected treat.
The name of this title sounded a bit goofy and the cover art did nothing to change my mind about that, but once the story gets going, I was pleasantly surprised.
This story leans fully into the space serials of the 1940s ala Buck Rogers and King of the Rocket Men with a healthy dose of Star Wars for good measure. The costumes look intentionally cheesy to project a feeling of melodrama, but the writing (both story and dialog) plays the material completely straight and with utmost sincerity.
What keeps this story from falling into the camp territory is just that – treating the story with total seriousness. There are no winks/nods to the audience or eye-rolling jokes to tip you off that the creators are secretly laughing behind the scenes. In other words, this story works because it’s treated seriously.
The art plucks at your nostalgic heartstrings by filtering the pages to give them a weathered, newspaper texture, and the art design borrows from the best of classic pulp cartoon strips from the early 20th Century.
This first issue looks authentic, tells a fun pulpy story, and is a perfect homage to classic sci-fi serials.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Count Draco is a villainous techno-sorcerer who ruthlessly experiments on helpless prisoners on his quest to become truly immortal. One of his lieutenants reports he’s found a child with immense power that could aid the Count in his search.
The Count orders his lieutenant, Starkiller, to return to the ship and to bring the child to him. However, Starkiller veers off course at the last minute, forcing the Count to begin a search on the nearby planet.
The Count soon learns the child is a key, spoken of in ancient texts, that has a special heart that will allow the Count to cast an immortality spell. Unfortunately, Starkiller has developed a friendship with the child and chooses to run rather than give her up to the Count.
The last third of the issue is a cat and mouse game with a cliffhanger ending that begs you to come back for more.
Final Thoughts
COUNT DRACO: KNUCKLEDUSTER #1 is a prime example of classic sci-fi serial storytelling from the 1930s and 40s. Everything from the texture of the pages to the design of the costumes feels authentic to the era, and the writing plays for maximum drama. This is a strong recommendation for lovers of classic sci-fi serials.
Score: 9/10
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