Woodstake

Woodstock is an event that has passed into folklore. Like Spike Island, I imagine that every eligible person the right age claims to have been there. Who is to say that they were not? These events are massive, you can lose yourself in the crowd, but other things can hide to. Would anyone notice a few kids going missing? Would they notice a vampire feeding on those who have turned on, tuned in, and dropped out?

Whilst humans live, Dracula sleeps. With the ability to hibernate in a den of his home soil, the vampire can last for decades waiting for the right moment. In Upstate New York he rests, until the opportunity presents itself in the biggest counter-culture event that ever happened, Woodstock. With the likes of friends, musicians and journalists all gathering in one place to partake in music and a good time, Dracula will feast.

Extending the Dracula myth into Woodstock seems like a fever dream of an idea, but in Woodstake by Darin S. Cape and Felipe Kroll, they manage to succeed. This is done by building a foundation to the story itself before the concert begins. We read a prologue and meet some of the locals. There is an established reason for Dracula being present and those descended from Van Helsing, who may be able to stop him.

This is not just a tale of old enemies; we also meet new characters in group of counter-culture kids who have travelled across America to see their heroes and interview the great Jimmy Hendix. On the way they come across a scene that leaves them wanted by the police and hunted by the undead. Can they hide themselves within the crowds at Woodstock?

As a story, it has a nice pace and is thrilling. There are up and downs, as well as a few surprises. It sticks to the rules of Vampire lore but is also as much about the era it is set. Spending some time at the beginning to establish the various characters really helps as it allows the action to make more sense and increase the impact later on. This means that the pacing is slower than some graphic novels as it acts like a novel first and a comic book second.

The art style of Kroll is a realistic one, using photo-realistic imagery. It works well in the lighter scenes but can be a little uncanny with some of the clothing particularly not feeling like it fits. Having a realistic look means there is as an uncanny valley feel to some frames were the littlest oddity stands out. Also, as a large part of the book is set at night, some of the darker frames make it hard to differentiate characters.

There are many elements of Woodstake to commend, the story works, which is impressive when you think what a bizarre idea it is. The structure was designed well and there are hints of a continuation. I do think that some of the frames were dark and that the art style will divide opinion, but for fans of graphic novels that have a true start, middle and end, then this is a full experience.