CULT OF DRACULA #2 – An Honest Review

In CULT OF DRACULA #2, available from Source Point Press on April 28th, 2021, the story of the cult’s demise unravels as Mina Murray’s news crew sees more than shadows in the night, and Lucy Westenra is chosen for ascension.

The Details

• Written By: Rich Davis
• Art By: Henry Martinez
• Colors By: Trevor Richardson
• Letters By: Ed Dukeshire
• Cover Art By: Gyula Nemeth
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Release Date: April 28, 2021

Was It Good?

It was tragic in the best possible way. This series has its bloody grindhouse moments so far, but where it rises above superficial shock is in its building sense of unavoidable doom. There’s so much pain and loss with the individual characters that you can’t help but feel some sympathy for the troubled lives they carry with them. The cult isn’t some excuse to show vampiric demons killing people. It’s the inevitable end of each character’s journey, and your heart bleeds for them.

What’s It About?

[SPOILERS AHEAD]

We begin with Mina Murray interviewing Renfield, the cult “leader.” In his sing-song speaking style, Renfield frustratingly evades directly answering Mina’s questions about the cult. Are its members prisoners? Are the cult members brainwashed? Why is Renfield considered their leader?

Toward the end of the interview, Renfield begins to spiral into incoherence and he sees the vampire brides singing a lullaby of sorts. It’s unclear if they’re really there and Renfield is the only one who can see them or if it’s all in his warped mind.

Back to now and the detective is questioning members of the clergy who knew Abraham van Helsing before he was removed from the priesthood. In some ways, van Helsing was commended for his obsessive search for the truth. But in other ways, the priesthood frowned on some of the dark pathways he took to get at the truth. Van Helsing wasn’t willing to accept God sometimes hid the truth for our own protection.

Back before the massacre, Mina and the crew are shown their sleeping quarters for the night. As a trope that somehow works in this setting, they’re warned not to go outside after dark… for their own protection. When Mina peeks out into the dark, open fields, she sees moving shapes that don’t resemble anything natural.

Inside the main house, Lucy is heading to the sanctuary with a baby in her arms. Arthur is waiting in a hallway with a packed bag. He begs her to come away from this place but Lucy refuses as she believes she feels she’s where she’s accepted and belongs.

What makes this scene so powerful is its reflection of the romance between Lucy and Arthur in the original Dracula. The setting and context are completely different, and yet, this scene captures the spirit of Arthur’s deep love for Lucy and his desperate need to save her from the darkness he’s powerless to stop.

Mina wakes up from a nightmare about the three brides bringing sacrifices, men in chains, to their master, a winged demon sitting on a throne.

Outside, Lucy walks up to the front doors of the church building holding the same baby from earlier. She meets Renfield outside and explains the baby belongs to another female member of the cult and Lucy stole it to bring here as her first sacrifice. Renfield praises her for taking the last step on her journey, and he tells her it’s time to accept the calling.

As Lucy enters the church, Renfield turns the baby over to the three brides and their demon master for feeding.

We conclude the issue with Lucy taking the next step in her journey with the cult, and it’s terrifying.

How Does It End?

Lucy submits herself to the brides. Arthur contemplates his next steps. Mina sees her “mother.”

Final Thoughts

CULT OF DRACULA #2, available from Source Point Press on Aril 28th, 2021, is a careening freight train of damaged people with troubled lives heading for the proverbial cliff. The story is as heartbreaking as it is monstrous, and the art doesn’t shy away from displaying every gory detail.

Score: 8.5/10