Review: King Dracula #4
From Zenescope
The final part of this mini-series is out this week from Zenescope Entertainment. Here are my thoughts on King Dracula #4.
With Dracula sacrificed, the Vampire God rises, wreaking mayhem wherever it touches. And the Vampire Lords who helped bring it to life realize they have made a terrible - and terminal - mistake. Now, Dracula must rise again to save his allies - and his enemies - from a monstrous deity that wants nothing less than the destruction and enslavement of all life.
Writer: Joe Brusha, Artwork: Massimiliano La Manno, Colours: Jorge Cortes, Letters: Taylor Esposito (Of Ghost Glyph Studios), Editor: David Wohl, and Production & Design: Christopher Cote
King Dracula #4 delivers a thrilling conclusion to the current storyline while also laying the groundwork for a very different future for Dracula. The issue wastes no time getting into the action, pushing the story forward at a relentless pace and giving the finale a real sense of urgency from beginning to end. At the same time, it leaves readers with a fascinating new status quo that could completely reshape Dracula’s role in the series going forward.
From the outset, Dracula is in an incredibly vulnerable position, hovering dangerously close to death while the seemingly unstoppable Vampire God continues to dominate everything around it. The threat level feels enormous throughout the issue, making it clear that even Dracula himself may not be powerful enough to survive what is coming. That sense of desperation adds a lot of tension to the story, especially as the remaining vampires — alongside the ever-determined Van Helsing — realise they have little choice but to stand together against a godlike enemy. Their efforts to hold the line and buy Dracula enough time to recover and confront the Vampire God himself create some of the issue’s most intense moments.
The action begins almost immediately and barely lets up. Vampires are constantly clashing with one another, whether over survival, power, or loyalty, and the chaotic nature of the battles makes the whole issue feel dangerous and unpredictable. Every confrontation carries weight because the characters are fighting not just to win, but simply to stay alive. The pacing reflects that desperation perfectly, as the story moves rapidly from one brutal encounter to the next without losing momentum.
What makes the issue especially effective is its relentlessness. There is very little downtime, which suits the escalating conflict and helps maintain the pressure throughout the story. It is only towards the closing pages that things finally slow down slightly, allowing Dracula a rare moment of reflection after everything he has endured. Those quieter scenes stand out because they hint that the events of this storyline may have changed him in important ways. Dracula faces major decisions, and the possibility of Van Helsing being involved in his future adds another layer of intrigue. Their complicated relationship remains one of the most interesting aspects of the series, and the ending leaves plenty of room for that dynamic to evolve further.
The artwork plays a huge role in making the issue work as well as it does. The battle scenes are energetic and intense, with the creative team doing an excellent job of handling fights in tight, chaotic environments. Despite the cramped settings, the action remains clear and easy to follow, which helps the fast pacing tremendously. The various attacks, supernatural powers, and defensive moments all come across with strong visual impact, while the colouring adds extra atmosphere and energy to the story's darker, blood-soaked tone. The art captures both the brutality of the combat and the supernatural horror elements extremely well.
Overall, this issue serves as both a satisfying conclusion and a major turning point for the series. It wraps up the immediate conflict in dramatic fashion while also effectively rebooting Dracula’s direction moving forward. With such a significant shift in place for Dracula and the supporting cast, it will be very interesting to see where the story goes next and how these events continue to shape the future of the series.
