Titan Comics has wrapped up their latest venture into the world of Hammer Horror with Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter #4. Consistently solid writing and art throughout every issue have made this book one of the best reads of 2017. ComiConverse contributor Mitch Nissen breaks down the details.
Review: Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter #4
In just four short issues Titan Comics draws this new adventure of Captain Kronos’ to a close. Captain Kronos’ creator, the late Brian Clemens, had said that he’d always intended for the Captain’s adventures to continue much like the saga of James Bond. He wanted each film in the series to be a new self-contained story chronicling Captain Kronos’ crusade against vampires.
Writer Dan Abnett embraces this idea and delivers a beautiful story neatly wrapped up in four issues. Tom and Sian Mandrake continue providing outstanding artwork from point to issue, the whole book looking gothic and gritty from beginning to end. If this team of creators should return for another stab at Captain Kronos, they’d be most welcomed.
The Synopsis
Carla, Grost, and Kronos find themselves beset by hordes of vampires on their way to the vampire lord’s lair. Barely escaping, the trio comes face to face with the master, Slake. If they can kill the master, all the other vampires should die. In a moment of daring they lay Slake to rest. To their horror the other monsters are unaffected. The mystery deepens, and the fight for their lives continues.
The Breakdown
The final chapter of this four issue mini-series contains a high action quotient. Dan Abnett doesn’t have to do much except let the climax play out naturally. Abnett throws in one last head turner to keep the story from going into the realm of the expected. This plot twist helps the narrative stand out from being just another vampire story.
In the spirit of Brian Clemens’ vision for Captain Kronos, this series delivers a new adventure for the titular character but refrains from changing the attitudes or the status quo. Dan Abnett displays the qualities of the three heroes expertly, displaying how wonderful these characters are. And the writer shows how exciting the world of Captain Kronos can be.
Tom Mandrake’s art is energetic and exciting. For this final issue, Tom has the bulk of the heavy lifting. There is a lot of action on display. The staging of the sequences and overall art direction of Mandrake’s keeps the adrenaline pulsing and the heart racing. The work never falls flat nor does it ever fail to impress.
Perhaps Tom Mandrake’s greatest strength is in the rendering of the vampires. These characters look terrifying, from their physical appearances to their posture. Slake is incredibly imposing, worthy of a master vampire. I’d love to see what Mandrake could do with more of Hammer’s classic monsters.
Sian Mandrake continues using a somewhat dirty and drab color pallet which is perfect for the subject matter and old world setting. With this choice of color, the instances of blood are striking in contrast and powerful. Sian Mandrake’s coloring compliments the pencils and writing wonderfully.
This final issue maintains the series high-quality marks and will hopefully lead to another teaming of Dan Abnett and Tom and Sian Mandrake in the future. And probably for more adventures of Captain Kronos, Professor Grost, and Carla. If not, I look forward to Titan Comics next venture into the world of Hammer horror.
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Mitch Nissen is a Contributor to ComiConverse. Follow him on Twitter: @NinjaMitche
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