Brothers Dracul #2, by Cullen Bunn, opens up with a bloody death scene that looks like it came straight out of a movie. As prisoners of the Ottoman Empire, brothers Radu and Vlad Dracul have the exhausting job of protecting Mehmed, the Sultan’s son. As the three of them enter a cave filled with death and destruction, the trio soon realizes they are not alone. Using the training they were given, Vlad and Radu quickly battle the vampires that are lurking within, while Mehmed could do nothing but stand by and watch. When Mehmed tells them there are more vampires around that need to be killed, Vlad gets angry and accuses him of using him and his brother as a way to entice the vampire. Will the brothers be able to protect not only Mehmed from the vampires, but the entire Ottoman camp? And if they do survive, will they ever truly be safe from these blood suckers?
I enjoyed learning a bit more about whom Vlad and Radu are as people. Vlad lays down his pride in this issue, and it really shows off who he is as a person. He also isn’t afraid to speak his mind and let others know how he feels. Radu shows his continued loyalty towards his brother and shows great courage as he works with Vlad to kill the vampires, even though it is easy to see he is scared to death. It is Radu who decides to go deeper into the cave to make sure they save any of the villagers who might have been mistaken for dead. This shows his compassion and caring nature for others.
The illustrations by Mirko Colak are truly magnificent. The expressions portrayed are realistic and intense, and I love the graphics for the battles in particular. The colors that Maria Santaolalla combines with the drawings are vivid and bright, pulling the reader in with each page. The battle segments are brilliantly animated and I especially liked the death scenes, more specifically, the decapitation of one of the vampires. It was fun to see the facial expression on the vampires face as the head falls to the ground. If you find horror pleasurable to you, I highly recommend this comic. I look forward to seeing what the future episodes hold for our heroes. Brothers Dracul #2 is available for purchase May 23, 2018.
-Amy Walker-LaFollette