Customer Reviews

Dracula: A Symphony in Moonlight & Nightmares

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4 star:		(1)
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This is not just another Dracula story. Jon Muth tells the tale of the imfamous vampire through the writings of the characters Dracula encounters, in their diaries, logbooks, and telegrams. There is also standard prose, as in a regular book, and snatches of dialogue in script format. But the best reason to own a copy is Muth's beautiful watercolour renderings of the story. There is page after page of the watercolours telling the story, with no interruption with print or word balloons as in a regular graphic novel. This allows the reader the opportunity of filling in the story himself, partially making up what the action is. Believe me, this is not a drawback, as you may suppose! The book only fails in one respect, that being a relatively short length. I certianly would have loved the opportunity to see more of Mr. Muth's watercolours!

The only major drawback I have with this story is that is a retelling of the original story of Dracula. Some of the events and characters and their relationships are changed. For example - In the original novel, it was Lucy Westrena who became Dracula's victim. In this book, it's Mina Harker. Also, there's no mention of the first part of the book in which Jonathon, Mina's Fiancee', goes to Translyvania to meet with the count and to arrange his move to England. In fact, there's little mention of Jonathon at all.
Basically, don't read this with the expectation of it being an adaptation of the Stoker novel. Think of it as more a reimagining, an alternate reality version of the story.
The artwork, as always, is just simply gorgeous...ethereal, dreamy, moody, haunting... I've been a fan of Muth since the 80's when he did work for Marvel Comic's Epic line: Moonshadow and Meltdown: Havok and Wolverine. I reccomend this book highly. Muth's art doesn't disappoint.

Just don't read it too fast. As a previous reviewer pointed out, Muth's "Symphony" is not a graphic novel. It is more like a script to a play or movie, alternating with a page-sized illustration or two.

Muth decorates the borders of the text pages with curls and strokes and little illustrations (which are not always the same as those on the pages before), evoking some Victorian text. (Epic Comics did not keep this is mind when choosing the daffy modern typeface, however.) The painted pages are not just accompaniments to an otherwise complete story either. They take the place of the script. These paintings are all watercolor washes, the only style I've seen him do; and do them well he does.

Really this book is a fascinating experiment in montage; one large image after another with the viewer's mind passively working to find a recognizable narrative as fast as possible. That is a powerful tool--and could used as a creative technique for any person who itches to tell a story visually. Film students and studying cartoonists might find this book interesting reading.

I am a lousy writer, so I am helpless to communicate exactly why this book is so interesting to me. But all I can say is, don't read it too quickly. He only got 48 pages to work with and he deserves a chance to have a project experienced on its own terms. Muth's art, as always, is astonishing.

I almost forgot--the book rocks as a graphic novel.

I used this as an art book, for inspiration when exploring similar themes of darkness, sensuality, control, glamour, and sex.