Originally Published In Issue 31
Reprinted In Issue 90
First published back in April of 1972, Issue 31 of the ‘Pocket Chiller Library’ comic series was titled ‘The Vampire Of Loban’. The comic was later reprinted under the alternative title ‘Blood Of Venom’ within Issue 90.
During the 1970s the ‘Pocket Chiller Library’ was a pocket-sized mainstream horror comic which ran for a total of 137 issues between 1971 and 1977. Each month, two issues of the comic were published, amounting to a total of twenty-four issues of the comic published each year.
However, it should be noted that issue 83 and then from issue 86 onwards, the publishers started reprinting the earlier stories. Of these reprints, the first 29 reprints (issues 83 and then 86 – 113) retitled the story. As such, there were only ever a total of 84 unique stories within the series, despite there being more titles.
Unfortunately, each issue was undated, making it difficult to be sure of the date for first publication of each issue. However, it is widely understood the comics were monthly publications, with two publications released simultaneously each month, with the original stories running from January 1971. Therefore, the above date of publication is a relatively reasonable assumption.
Additionally, each issue was unfortunately uncredited to either the writer or the comic artist(s).
Bob and Mary Travers had chosen a remote part of Bohemia for their honeymoon, hoping for something a little different for their romantic getaway. They’d been driving across the country, going from village to village, when they were hit by a torrential downpour. Soon enough a resident from the village they’d just been passed through flagged them down, informing the newlyweds the only road out of Loban had been badly damaged by the storm.
Realising they had no choice in the matter, Bob tries to find a room for the night in a local inn. However, the owner refuses to give the young couple a room, saying instead they must stay at the castle where they will be welcomed as guests for the night.
Thinking it might possibly be some form of European custom, the pair agree to drive up to the medieval castle overlooking the village. However, upon arriving, they find the gloomy atmosphere of the ancient castle far from inviting.
Their host, Count Von Grison, greets them as soon as they arrive. The Count instantly tries setting their mind at ease, explaining his position within the village, and how he became aware of the couple’s presence in Loban.
Although, despite the Count’s many reassurances and efforts at hospitality, Mary is far from convinced. She can sense there’s something not quite right about the castle. Something sinister which the Count appears to be hiding from them.
Unfortunately for Bob and Mary, what lurks within the darkened passageways of Count Von Grison’s gloomy medieval castle, is an age-old horror with a voracious appetite for blood…
DLS Review:
They say you should never judge a book by its cover. Well, this one you can. Pretty much the entirety of this wholly unoriginal vampire story can be summed up in one cliched Hammer Horror style image – ala the artwork that adorns the covers of the comic.
Honestly, this is your textbook, 100% unoriginal vampire story, taking the entirety of its inspiration from Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ (1897) along with the multitude of cliched regurgitations that followed.
If you’re able to see past the monstrously cliched predictability of the piece, and just enjoy the story for what it is, then you’ll be rewarded with a wafer-thin layer of suspense, a sprinkling of intrigue, and a coffin full of vintage horror tropes. As I said, the cover artwork (both the original and indeed the reissue) speaks volumes for what’s in store for you!
So, what do we get in the story? Well, we have the Count’s maid who can’t stop crying the whole time the couple are there. We have a suave and thinly moustachioed aristocratic Count, who aside from playing a spot of chess with Bob, isn’t around during the daylight hours, but come nightfall, spends his entire time sitting by the open fireplace sipping wine.
Poor old Mary can’t even get a wink of sleep due to the bats that keep rattling the bedroom windows every night. Of course, Bob’s oblivious to everything going on. The only time he actually realises his wife might not be batshit crazy, is when he stumbles upon their host’s sleeping quarters – a lonesome coffin in the middle of a cold, dark room.
Redeeming features?!...well, the illustrative artwork throughout is top-notch! The ending is also suitably bleak, as is often the case with these PCL comics. Aside from that, all we have is a paint-by-numbers vintage vampire story exhibiting zero imagination but instead simply embracing the classic Count Dracula premise.
The comic book runs for a total of 64 pages.
© DLS Reviews
