Marvel Snapshot: Character Spotlight: Frank Drake

Hello everyone, and welcome to another spotlight here in Marvel Snapshot! This week will bring another member of the Marvel horror family with Frank Drake. Created by Gerry Conway and Gene Colan, Frank is rarely seen outside of a vampire/Dracula story line. Yes, this vampire hunting, former playboy will be front and center, so get ready!

Alright, so, Frank Drake is a descendant of Dracula’s through one of Vlad’s marriages before he was turned into a vampire. Frank’s family changed their name to Drake for obvious reasons. Frank’s family was very wealthy, but he foolishly spent all of his inheritance after his father’s death. Frank, his best friend Clifton Graves, and his girlfriend Jeanie, made their way to Transylvania to check out a castle that Frank also inherited. Well, to make a long story short, Clifton gets thrown down a well, Jeanie gets bitten by Dracula, and Frank cries like a baby over it all.
Realizing he can’t do it alone, Frank joins forces with Quincy Harker and his band of slayers. The group reluctantly accepts Blade a few issues later, and then it’s on with the Lord of Vampires. The team has some ups and downs against Dracula (killing Dracula = high, Edith Harker being vampirized = low). The team of vampire hunters persevere for a while, but eventually breaks apart. Years later, Frank and Hannibal King start a detective agency named Borderline Investigations. The two, along with Blade, fight against any demonic or evil threats that pop up in this world. The new book, Nightstalkers, debuted in 1992 and lasted for 18 issues. It was a decent read, but definitely had its shortcomings. The book never really had that one big antagonist like with Tomb of Dracula. It did have some interesting B-listers, though. Definitely check out my reading list below for some great stuff!
Recommended Reading
The Essential Tomb of Dracula – Tpb vols. 1 & 2 (B&W) (2005)
Nightstalkers #1-18 (1992)
Marvel Comics Presents – #145, 146 (1988)
Morbius the Living Vampire – #11, 12, 16, 17 (1992)

Billy Dunleavy
billy@comicattack.net