Spike vs. Dracula, Part One

The subject of this article is non-canonical.
While created as part of licensed material, it has not been confirmed as part of the "real" Buffyverse continuity.

Spike vs. Dracula, Part One

Publication

March 15, 2006

Length

22 pages

Spike vs. Dracula #1

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First issue in the series.	Spike vs. Dracula, Part Two

Cover artist(s)

Joe Corroney
Zach Howard
Sean Murphy
Eric Wight

Inker(s)

Joe Corroney
Jeff Dabu

Colorist(s)

Thompson Knox

Letterer(s)

Robbie Robbins
Tom B. Long

Spike vs. Dracula, Part One is the first issue of the Spike vs. Dracula comic book miniseries. Written by Peter David and illustrated by Joe Corroney, it was originally published on March 15, 2006 by IDW Publishing.

Synopsis

Presenting the first chapter of a five-part Spike saga spanning centuries! A hundred and twenty years ago, a tribe of gypsies inflicted a terrible curse upon the vampire known as Angelus... a curse that brought a terrible vengeance upon the tribe in the form of Angelus's family: Darla, Drusilla, and most notably, William the Bloody, a.k.a. "Spike." But the gypsy clan has a dark and powerful supporter: Count Dracula. Outraged over the slaughter of the gypsies, Dracula seeks revenge upon the three vampires... and thus begins a rivalry between Spike and Dracula that will cover decades. A rivalry steeped in blood... honor... and eleven quid.^[1]

Summary

In October 1898, Dracula writes in his journal. He tells of Magda, a Romanian sorceress he had learned of; a powerful woman who was skilled in transfiguration and hypnosis, and could command the very elements. Dracula sought her out, and became her willing pupil. The girls' clan was initially wary of him, but quickly realized that having Dracula as a protector had notable benefits. For years he protected the clan, and watched Magda grow old. She constantly refused his offer of the "gift" of immortality. One night, Dracula visited the Clan Kalderash, only to find everyone dead. Dracula found Magda's body, and swore revenge on her killer. He saw that she left an image of the attacking vampires in a crystal ball: Drusilla, Spike, and Darla.

In a London bookstore, Spike is marveling at a copy of Dracula. He observes that the book contains detailed information on how to kill vampires. Drusilla remarks that it's convenient; Spike argues that it's very inconvenient for them. The shop owner demands eleven pounds for the book, as it is signed by the author. Spike thinks this price is ridiculous, but Drusilla asks for the book, so Spike pays.

As they walk the streets of London, Spike tries to convince Drusilla to forget about Angelus; since the incident with the Kalderash, he believes, they should consider him gone. Elsewhere, Darla is approached by Dracula. Dracula offers to remove Darla's pain if she'll come with him, and Darla, under Dracula's hypnotic thrall, agrees.

Darla takes Dracula back to her townhouse. Dracula is trying to convince Darla to be his bride, when Spike and Dru arrive. Spike confronts Dracula, who is amused by Spikes name. He announces his own name, and Spike produces the novel he had purchased, saying he has a bone to pick. Dracula calls the novel "fabricated rubbish," and throws the book into the fireplace. Darla interjects, telling Spike that accepting Dracula as their new leader is a good way to move on after the loss of Angelus. Spike resents the implication that he'd be an inadequate leader, and demands his eleven pounds from Dracula. Dracula begins to take Dru under his thrall, and Spike angrily attacks. Dracula effortlessly grabs Spike by the throat and throws him into the fire. In flames, Spike leaps from the townhouse window and into the nearby Thames. Later, Drusilla and Darla depart in a carriage with Dracula to be his brides, unaware that Spike is hiding beneath the coach.

One November night, Dracula summons his brides to him. When they arrive, Drusilla begins to speak of a "party" and says that many people are coming with unpleasant gifts. Dracula presents the girls with gifts of his own: two wooden stakes. Using his hypnotic powers, he orders them to pick them up, saying that it is the only way to end the pain of losing Angelus. Just as Dracula is ordering the girls to kill each other, a flaming arrow crashes through the window. A mob is raiding Dracula's mansion, and the girls are able to escape. Dracula finds a letter from Spike left in their place, saying that he had attacked the village and let the angry mob to the mansion. He concludes the letter: "P.S.: You still owe me eleven pounds."

Continuity

After Dracula's description of Magda's youth, the story takes place in the year 1898, in the days October 27, November 29, and November 30.
The story is based on the premise that Spike had met Dracula before, were old rivals, and Dracula owned Spike eleven pounds, as revealed in the episode "Buffy vs. Dracula."
Magda is the Kalderash woman who performed the Ritual of Restoration over Angelus in "Becoming, Part One."
Dracula discover the Clan Kalderash having been massacred by vampires, which happened in the episode "Darla."
Spike mentions having attended a the same presentation of Giselle by the Blinnikov World Ballet Corps, along Angelus eight years before, as also mentioned by Angel in "Waiting in the Wings."
Dracula mentions how Bram Stoker wrote his novel based on him, as he would complain again in New Rules, Part Three.

Appearances

Individuals

Angelus (Only mentioned)
Darla
Dracula
Drusilla
Magda
Spike
Tompkins (Only mentioned)

Organizations and titles

Blinnikov World Ballet Corps
Clan Kalderash
Three Sisters (Only mentioned)
Whirlwind

Species

Locations

England
- London
  - Bookstore
  - River Thames
- Whitby
  - Dracula's mansion
  - The Slaughtered Lamb
Romania
- Carpathian Mountains (Only mentioned)
Russia (Only mentioned)

Objects

Stake

Death count

An entire branch of the Clan Kalderash, killed by Darla, Spike, and Drusilla (only mentioned).
Magda, bitten by either Darla or Drusilla (only mentioned).
Unidentified ballet attendee, neck broken by Spike.

Behind the scenes

Production

Both photo covers feature promotional pictures taken for Angel season 5.

Distribution

Spike vs. Dracula, Part One was the 150th best selling comic issue in its publishing month, with 14,108 sales in March 2006 at comic specialty stores.^[2]

Collections

Spike vs. Dracula
Spike Omnibus

Goofs

The first dialog box on page 15 with one of Dracula's journal entries is dated 30 November 1989, but it should be instead the year 1898, with only one day passed since his previous entry.

When the issue was originally released, due to an error in editing/printing, page 21 was missing its dialogue. Spike's monologue is as it follows:^[3]

Panel A: "Because our lord and master, Count Dracula, is living up on the mansion on the hill! Yeah, that's right! The head vampire himself! You thought he was just a pretend bloke in a book?"

Panel B: "Think again!"

Panel C: "This is going to be a vampire town in no time! Because as long as the Count's in residence, everything's ducky! Because he knows that you people wouldn't have the stones to... oh, I dunno..."

Panel D: "Form an angry mob and go storming his place! Right now! Right this very minute! With pitchforks and flaming arrows and torches. But you won't! 'Cause you're spineless!"

Panel E: "So there!"

Pop culture references

Spike buys Drusilla an autographed copy of Bram Stoker's novel Dracula (1897). Dracula criticizes the author's choice on having him defeated by its fictional character Abraham Van Helsing.