Renfield, A Tale of Madness
11/14/2007

Name: Renfield: A Tale of Madness
Publisher: Desperado Publishing/Image Comics
When Released? November 2006
Writer: Gary Reed
Artist: Galen Showman

Website: www.garyreed.net
Overviewed by: Paul Dale Roberts, Publisher www.jazmaonline.com

Comments: Wow! This is incredible!

Gary Reed takes a insignificant character from Bram Stroker's novel Dracula and makes him the centerpiece character! The character is Renfield. Since this graphic novel is not on the stands yet, I am not going to give that much away.

First off, let me tell you about the artwork. I love it! Galen Showman is a true showman (no play on words) in his artwork and he makes Dracula look very, very scary, I even had a hard time looking at Dracula's eyes in this very cool graphic novel! Galen uses dark tones exceptionally well!

Okay, now back to Renfield who is the barometer of Dracula's coming and goings. We all know Renfield as the consumer of bugs. You will find out why he consumes bugs, why he was selected as the chosen one for Dracula, how things progressed to his first encounter with his master Dracula. Renfield, we all know is Dracula's lackey. Why him? In the beginning of this story, Renfield is reciting a poem from American Walt Whitman, as he describes every unit of the body from fingernails to intestines. Renfield is intelligent, but he is also insane. Renfield enters The Purfleet Asylum for the Insane, where spectators can observe crazy people for a price. One character named Glouchester holds his tongue, because he thinks he is going to swallow it. Hey...maybe I can take a insignificant character like Glouchester and write my own graphic novel around this guy, if Gary Reed would let me.

Gary Reed creates some very unique and unusual characters that may only have a minor role, but they stand out considerably. Way to go Gary!

There are all kinds of clippits, like diary notes, records and letters that you can read by the main players of this story. Jonathan Harker and his fiancee Mina are part of this story and Mina will have a very important part to this story as the story progresses. Renfield is hypnotized, so they can locate his dreams and analyze his dreams. One of his dreams, or should I call them nightmares is of 3 vampire women dancing in the moonlight, that is one scary vivid image. Kind of gave me the creeps, but they were so alluring, I had to continue on with my gaze.

You will learn that Count Dracula of noble blood is a descendent of Atilla the Hun. You will learn about flies being consumed by spiders, spiders being consumed by a sparrow and cat consuming sparrow. Perhaps you will learn the meaning of this madness when Renfield consumes the cat. The cat's out of the bag, perhaps in Renfield's twisted mind, he is collecting lives. In Renfield's madness a fly chats with him. Renfield talks of god's immortality in a very dramatic interchange with his interrogator. There are so many twists and turns in this story and lots of mystery. You will discover a phenomenon called The Shower of Blood and maybe this means that evil approaches.

Renfield's learning curve takes on new heights as he learns that blood is life and he laps up some blood from the floor. Dracula looks upon Renfield and asks...'are you ready to serve?' Then there is the death of Lucy, which engulfs the story. Renfield is tormented when he learns that Dracula actually wants Mina, not him. Renfield looks upon Dracula and says...'you used me!' and Renfield goes up against his master. There is a great fight scene between Renfield and Dracula. The tombstone scene of R.M. Renfield will send shivers down your spine.

Renfield calls Dracula his master, but I must say that Gary Reed proves that he is the master of storytelling and Renfield proves it! I used to have nice nails, but after reading Renfield, I found myself biting my nails, this is one exceptionally scary book!

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