Woodstake: Three Days of Peace, Music and Blood
If Dracula himself had a drop of blood for every retelling and reimagining of his story as written by Bram Stoker, then he might never have to bite another neck to sustain himself. Since stories about Dracula (and about vampires that owe so much of their aesthetic to him) are so prevalent, doing one that’s wholly original is about as difficult to find as it is to find a vampire that loves the sun. Woodstake: Three Days of Peace, Music, and Blood Vol. 1 is writer Darin S. Cape’s and illustrator Felipe Kroll’s attempt to retell the Dracula mythos, setting it at a very famous music festival synonymous with the 60’s and the Summer of Love.
The story follows Jon Harper, an aspiring music journalist. Along with his girlfriend Nina and their buddy Artie, Jon attends Woodstock to interview Jimi Hendrix, an interview that could bring notoriety to Jon’s fledgling rock magazine. However, Dracula also awakens near that famous field in New York, and he is not spreading peace and love, but is spreading death and newly turned undead. Along with a suspiciously knowledgeable coroner, Jon and his crew might be the only ones who can stop Dracula from turning Woodstock into a wholesale slaughter.
Those familiar with Stoker’s original work might snicker as they see names from the original novel reused (Jon Harper for Jonathon Harker, for example) and Dracula fans reading this could easily turn it into a scavenger hunt as they look for references in Stoker’s novel, but those fans would miss the compelling story. Cape goes beyond simply retelling Stoker’s tale with a psychedelic 60’s paintjob; he tells a solid vampire story that captures the time in which it was spawned. This can be seen in the lingo used by the characters as well as the names of chapters that reference songs of that era. Through this work, Cape manages to show his love for both Dracula and the 60’s.
Illustrator Kroll’s highly detailed style of digital painting helps the book go beyond simply setting Dracula at Woodstock. Thanks to Kroll’s nearly photorealistic images, the faces of many characters have distinct features and shading that make them look more like Polaroids taken during the concert. Dracula also benefits from this aesthetic. Not only has he traded in the black cape for a denim jacket, but his lined and rugged features have him looking more like a music lover who hitchhiked from very far away and less like a Transylvanian count, which is an important aspect of the character many adaptations miss. Dracula, as the ultimate apex predator, blends thoroughly in with his prey, even taking up smoking weed, until he is ready to strike.
If you have patrons that love vampire stories, especially retellings that add a completely different vibe like Alex de Campi’s Dracula, Motherf**ker!, then this book should join the ranks of the other vampire-centric books in your adult graphic novel collection. Just note that, since this is volume 1 in a series, there may be more stories that will either build on this first volume or tarnish the entire story.
Woodstake: Three Days of Peace, Music and Blood
By Darin S. Cape
Art by Fellipe Kroll
SHP Comics, 2026
ISBN: 9798992749915
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18)
