X-men : Apocalypse VS Dracula #1 --Spoilers !!!

[Neolucifer]

Here it is at last !!!


The issue start with the tale of a medieval battle . Possibly , and quite heavily implied , the last of Dracula , as the human being known as Vlad Teppes , "The Impaler" .

Dracula and his troops are killing their Turkish ennemies , when suddenly comes a legendary army , the Riders of the Dark :D .
Most of Vlad's soldiers flee against such deemed supernatural threat , only Teppes dare stand thee and keep fighting .
Vlad ends up facing the medieval version of the horseman of War , and loose his battle .Then comes Apocalypse on his horse , hidden by shadows . The mighty apocalypse decides to finish War's job and stomp Vlad .

Then the scenery switch to modern Egypt , probably around the time Pocy was awoken in the current xmen arc .
Ozymandias explain that Apocalypse , in the past , mostly appeared to test mutantkind , and pit them against humanity , following his "Survival of th eFittest" mantra ... but that this time around he is coming to save Mutantkind .Ozymandias also makes clear , that he already saved them once in the past , then start the tales ...

Victorian London , a series of murders involving people marked with teeth bites and drained of their blood occurs . Two inspector find out a Tattoo as well on the new body , and concurrs that it might be an egyptian mark of some sort . Furthermore it appears to be the mark of some kind of elite club , the House of Alexandria . Jack Starsmore , obviously an ancestor of Chamber , is trying hard to dissuade the other inpectors , to investigate at the House of Alexandria .

The three ends up at the club , with a member Slade . They discuss of the origin of the mark .
Slade explains that its the symbol of the Akkaba Clan , namely the blood descendants of Apocalypse . He also give a little taste of their mischiefs , like the fall of Rome , their involvement in French Revolution , and them being represented on the Mayflower ship departing for the new world .

He then explain that the tattoo is more than a simple decoration . Its a direct representation of their blood lineage ... the bigger it is , the more powerful the Akkaba cultist is . In some sort of demonstration , Slade reveals his tattoo covering most of his chest , then akin to apocalypse's powers , shapes his arm into a weapon and kill all but Starsmore .
Obivously Starsmore is a member of the clan , and of lesser status than Slade . Both argue , Jack wants to wake up Apocalypse because of the vampire threat (thought they ignore what it is , at this point) , Slade refuses and says he'll handle it himself .
He never returns , so the other members assuming he's dead , decides to wakes up an Apocalypse quite pissed off , and kickin ass in a neat Egytian themed warrior armor .


Wow it was awesome , and like i predicted not cheesy in any kind of way so far We have yet to see Dracula , but you can bet he's quite pissed at Apocalypse and will hunt him down .
The art was great , despite our concerns about CLayton's involvement .
I cant wait for the next issues , and really hope the introduced elements will be there as Xmen mythos .

[The Lucky One]

The issue start with the tale of a medieval battle . Possibly , and quite havily implied , the last of Dracula , as the human being known as Vlad Teppes , "The Impaler" .

Nah, we saw Vlad's final battle as a human in the old "Dracula Lives!" magazine, reprinted in Essential Tomb of Dracula #4... he fell in battle with a rival warlord, was taken to a gypsy woman to be healed, but she was actually a vampire and made him one at the behest of Varnae, who wanted to pass on the mantle of Lord of the Vampires.

Don't get me wrong, this looked like a decisive defeat for Vlad, but it wasn't his final battle.

-D

[Brian M.]

That actually sounds pretty good.

[twilight]

I might have to pick this up.

I'd love if every year Marvel picked two characters to have a "VS" mini-series.

[Beast]

I might have to pick this up.

I'd love if every year Marvel picked two characters to have a "VS" mini-series.
Next year: Beast Vs. Dark Beast. :D

There really does need to be a reunion between those two sometime.

[Brian M.]

Next year: Beast Vs. Dark Beast. :D

There really does need to be a reunion between those two sometime.

Don't you mean Wedding Special?

[Beast]

Don't you mean Wedding Special?
Har Har Har. :p

[Neolucifer]

Or a fusion , a la DBZ :p !
But yeah , it would be neat to let them meet .

[fishtaco]

So, is Chamber related to Apocalypse?

[Beast]

So, is Chamber related to Apocalypse?
If that's an ancestor of Chamber's, then he is part of the bloodline. :)

[fishtaco]

If that's an ancestor of Chamber's, then he is part of the bloodline. :)That's funky. I want to see Chamber back even more, now.

[Neolucifer]

Now it could give birth to a imo neat plot , in a near future having Chamber repowered by Apocalypse ... then later returning as a hero ...
OR have Chamber be chosen as a true son and heir to Pocy !!!

[jawbreaker]

well, its really bizarre & out of nowhere. It could just be Frank using Chamber's last name cuz he liked the character. And Marvel doesn't usually take most of the stuff Tieri does seriously anyway. so it might not have much significance for Chamber in the long run.

on the other hand it could later play into future Apoc stories...which I assume would be followed up in Carey's X-men. We'll have to wait & see...I already posted that Im mixed about giving him this tie...I guess if it finally puts Jono in the forefront, ok, but I could have come up with a 100 better ways to do that...its like they say around on X-boards, does everyone in X-men have to be related?

[Neolucifer]

I still think its not that bizarre and quite a nice way to give Jono some exposure , if later followed , not to mention that again its already an open door for his repowering .

[Keith_Martineau]

You know, as much as I love Chamber, and think that his depowering was a tremendous waste of potential...

I'd really like for ONE of these damn depowerings to stick, ya know?

[BYC]

Does anybody remember if Baal's tribe in "Rise of Apocalypse" was clan Akkaba?

Sorta left field revealing that Apocalypse has relatives/followers, but yet we have never seen them before now.

[Dizzy D]

Does anybody remember if Baal's tribe in "Rise of Apocalypse" was clan Akkaba?

Sorta left field revealing that Apocalypse has relatives/followers, but yet we have never seen them before now.

Baal's tribe wasn't referred as such (and it wouldn't have made any sense for them to refer to themselves as clan Akkaba, because they had nothing to do with it: Apocalypse was born in Akkaba, but left out to die and Baal's nomadic tribe picked him up.)

[fishtaco]

And Marvel doesn't usually take most of the stuff Tieri does seriously anyway. Huh? What do you mean?[QUOTE\I'd really like for ONE of these damn depowerings to stick, ya know?[/QUOTE]That's where Stacy-X and Tag come in ;)

[The Fury]

That's funky. I want to see Chamber back even more, now.
I found that development very intreging. Chamber being a blood relative of Apocalypse. I mean the name Starsmore isn't exactly a well known one.


If Chamber is connected to the Big Guy then some great character developements could be used. Chamber's current position in the MU is stupid. Left by the X-men to die (he's not dead but they still left him there).

I was hoping he'd get repowered somehow. Like a fragment of the energy that is now a big villain in New Avengers re-enters Chamber and 'ignites' his fire again.

Although it could totally transform into the energy being he is.


On the subject of the book, i though it was quite nice. Nice art. bit to colourful though in my view for a book with a very dark idea and looking at the covers.

P.S. Spilers above are not for this book but another big book out this week. Read and it might spoil you. No one wants that.

[Erik Lehnsherr]

I'll pick this one up tomorrow when I get off work. Haven't had time to go get it but I can't wait to read it.

[Lord S]

Who disturbs my slumber?? LOL! What is this, Aladdin?

Anyway, I concur that it is a kickass issue...and ol' blue lips looks totally badass in his 1800's look. I remember that's how he looked in the old 'Origin of Mr. Sinister' mini. Freakin scary-looking! :evilsmile

[Beast]

Who disturbs my slumber?? LOL! What is this, Aladdin?
I loathe you. Now I want to watch Aladdin again. :D

[jawbreaker]

And Marvel doesn't usually take most of the stuff Tieri does seriously anyway.

Huh? What do you mean?

I mean we never seen any of the stuff that happened in the Weapon X book or the mini followed up in any of the other books. Its like they let him write whatever stuff he wants but it exists in a little corner of the universe that the other books never acknowledge...I mean there was a frickin' death camp for mutants & it was never once mentioned any where else...the only other book I know that did was Runaways & thats not even an X-book, & thats cuz the writer is like the only other guy at Marvel that likes Chamber...

so he can write that Chamber, or whatever other b-c lister they let him play around with, is related to Apoc but if the more high teir books ignore or never acknowledge it its not going to really matter at the end... :(

too bad cuz it would be a perfect way to repower Chamber...the X-Men Apoc storyline is called Blood of Apocalypse right? maybe Apoc's blood can give depowered mutants within his line their powers back?

[Neolucifer]

its supposed to tie loosely into the current x arc , yes .

.I mean there was a frickin' death camp for mutants & it was never once mentioned any where else...


That camp was actually the one shown in Operation tolerance Zero , i believe , so its actually Tieri that was following up on this .
And chamber was indeed no longer used in uncanny or any other x books while and after he was in Weapon X , so i'd call that being followed and still cannon .
Besides pretty much Sinister does remains a secret . it was even used again in X MEN THE END ... wich isnt at all cannon , but kinda shows that even in a remote future finding about neverland isnt an easy task .

Lets also not forget Sauron's past with the weapon X lightly aknowledged in New avengers (well at least thats what i believed) .

[Taskmaster]

Honestly this was my favorite X-book so far this year, AWESOME STUFF!!!! I love the fleshing out (even more) of Dracula and Apocalypse's past and love that we're getting a front row seat, best stuff Tieri's written since the Weapon X series (the mini sucked). I loved the art too, you could see the regality of both Apocalypse and Vlad and the madness in Vlad's eyes in one pannel, great stuff, keep it comming!

[Will.S]

too bad cuz it would be a perfect way to repower Chamber...the X-Men Apoc storyline is called Blood of Apocalypse right? maybe Apoc's blood can give depowered mutants within his line their powers back?
If Frank Tieri actually does connect the Starsmore name here to Chamber then I could definitely see Chamber becoming a horseman of Apocalypse in the current BoA storyline. Since Apocalypse seems to be recruiting people at their lowest point of their lives(both emotionally and physically), it increases the likelihood that Chamber's current handicapped condition (in Generation M) will get Apoc's attention and will be the connecting bridge to the current storyline as well as the Ozymandias's appearance here.

As for the book, I really enjoyed it. The more Apocalypse, the better especially now with his return and implementing the clan Akkaba is a great idea to spread En Sabah Nur's influence culturally. The horsemen being around at the time of the war was another nice touch especially with War kicking ass. The Hamilton character is a mystery player it seems so I'm wondering if he'll show up in the future since the way they set him up it's very open to that.

I'm looking forward to seeing more of Dracula and his confrontation with Apocalypse.

Clayton Henry's art was very good, not overly flashy but solid and told the story fairly well. I really think this would have been a perfect story for cover artist Jae Lee though, figures that finally a book that suits his style is one he's not doing.

[The Fury]

Clayton Henry's art was very good, not overly flashy but solid and told the story fairly well. I really think this would have been a perfect story for cover artist Jae Lee though, figures that finally a book that suits his style is one he's not doing.
Ditto on this. He did do the covers and they look nice.

Henry's art seems too...er...clean lined for how dark this book is supposed to be.

[twilight]

Just read this.

Clayton or "Clay" Henry is not the right person for this book.

The scene where Hamilton's mouth grew huge should've looked disturbing but instead it just looked stupid.

The final page made 'Poclipse look like a badass but where were his trademark blue lips?

I'll keep buying but we better get some Dracula coolness pretty soon.

[Lord S]

The final page made 'Poclipse look like a badass but where were his trademark blue lips? I think he was going through a fashion/identity crisis at the time. :D

Though he certainly did look a hell of a lot meaner in the 1800s than he does in present day continuity.