Exclusive: Christopher Golden, Tim Lebbon, and Peter Bergting Reinvent Dracula in MORTAL TERROR Comic Book Series

Christopher Golden, Tim Lebbon, and Peter Bergting, the creative team behind last year’s stunning illustrated prose horror novella Festival, reunite for the new horror comic series Mortal Terror! A complete reinvention of Dracula, Golden and Lebbon write the series with art by Bergting, colors by Chris O’Halloran, and letters by Clem Robins.

“Vampires Jonathan Harker, Lucy Westenra, and Mina Murray live in underground London, trying to keep the undead city safe from the rumored mortals above who seek to give them life, only to kill them. But when the authorities refuse to believe mortals, let alone the mysterious Count Dracula, are anything more than myth, they are on their own to keep their city eternally dead.”

Mortal Terror #1 (of 4) creeps into the light and comic shops everywhere on November 22, 2023 thanks to Dark Horse Comics. It is now available to pre-order for $4.99 from your local comic shop, and be on the lookout for the variant cover by Mike Mignola! We have an exclusive look at both covers below, along with more details straight from Christopher Golden, Tim Lebbon, and Peter Bergting on the origins of the series, working together, and inverting Dracula:

“Inventing this world with Tim and Peter has been some of the most fun I’ve had telling stories in a long time. It first occurred to me the way so many things do, floating up from the depths to grab my attention with a single question—what if we inverted Dracula? But that question was really just the spark. When I mentioned it to Tim, we started talking, and I knew this was the perfect next collaboration for us—not only because we enjoy working together so much, but because I knew he would have a hundred world-building questions and ideas that would make Mortal Terror so much richer. Our story and world are much cooler and more complex than the simple idea that started it. And when it came to an artist, Peter was our first and only choice. His versatility and inventiveness have been invaluable, and having him for a partner has given us a dynamic visual world unlike any other. Tim and Peter and I wanted a full team of true professionals, so we’re all thrilled to have colorist Chris O’Halloran and letterer Clem Robins working with us. This series relies on scope and atmosphere and dread, and Chris and Clem deliver every time. I’m so damned excited for people to get their hands on our first issue!”–Christopher Golden

“Chris and I had been toying with Mortal Terror for a couple of years, letting it mature in the background like a fine wine. Or a glass of Red. Actually full disclosure here … the high concept idea was Chris’s. And because we’ve collaborated together on loads of projects –– novels, novellas, scripts, short stories, editing an anthology –– he dropped it in passing on one of our frequent chats, and we ran with it. At the time I’d mentioned that I had never written a comic (Chris, as you’ll know, had written many), and around then we were also working with the brilliant Peter Bergting on Festival, the heavily illustrated novella. Serendipity. These moments just come together sometimes, and Mortal Terror was one of those. So Chris, Peter and I took this idea to Dark Horse and they loved it, and … here we are. It’s been so exciting for me, working on my first comic series with such a fantastic writer and artist. I’m learning a lot, and most of all we’re having a lot of fun. We think Mortal Terror is something special, and we hope you will, too. Bring on the night … and beware the sun!”–Tim Lebbon

“Chris, Tim, and I worked on the novel Festival that I did the art for. When they asked if I was interested in this new series I couldn’t have been more excited. Chris and I have worked together for 20 years now, beginning with the Hellboy Roleplaying Game and Sourcebook. I got to know Tim when working on Festival and the way their two voices melded together was just magical. Their take on vampire mythology is so amazing and I love working on it.”–Peter Bergting