Horror Legend Bela Lugosi Lands the Role of a Lifetime in This Peek at a New Graphic Biography

From illustrator and cartoonist Koren Shadmi ( The Twilight Man : Rod Serling and the Birth of Television ) comes graphical life story Bela Lugosi : The Rise and Fall ofHollywood ’s Dracula , an exploration of the screen legend ’s liveliness in the same rich , black - and - white tones that shaded his most famous on - screen performance . As the Good Book ’s title propose , just because Lugosi was a star — forever link up with Bram Stoker ’s creationCount Dracula , as seen in Tod Browning ’s 1931Universal classic — that does n’t mean his life was charmed .

In an exclusive instruction to io9 , Shadmi explicate more about his choice of subject . “ Bela Lugosi was born Bela Blasko in 1882 in Lugos , Hungary . He would later exchange his name to that of his hometown , which ( believe it or not ) was in the edge of Transylvania . In his early twenty , Lugosi was an militant and proponent of socialism , but after the Hungarian socialist government was toppled , he had to fly his country . He finally made his room to New York , where he easy learned English and made a life playing in local Magyar theaters . In 1927 , Bela would get his first real break as the trail in the Dracula bring . The play was mounted on Broadway after as successful tally on London ’s West End . As a publicity stunt , nurses and doctors were hired to stand at the back of the theatre of operations , to tend to those who might faint or suffer a warmheartedness flack . ”

He continued , “ Lugosi is most pick out for his role as the iconic Count Dracula in the 1931 Tod Browning film . With an uncomparable talent , Lugosi created a complex and nuanced monster , one that is both a seductive gentleman and a horrific monster . His functioning has forever cement his office as an icon in the history of cinema . The production of Dracula was somewhat disorganised and director Tod Browning register little interest in point the pic . None of the cast members took filming seriously , except for Bela Lugosi . He was witness strolling up and down the hardening with his cloak wrapped around him and saying , ‘ I am Dracula . ’ This was Bela ’s own method of psyching himself up and building his denseness to stay in lineament . ”

Unlike his vampire alter ego, Bela Lugosi sees his reflection.

Unlike his vampire alter ego, Bela Lugosi sees his reflection.Image: Humanoids

check out out the cover of Lugosi below , followed by an exclusive excerption that depicts Lugosi ’s casting in Dracula — a career - defining moment that brings into sharp moderation how fame can be transformative in both positive and very negative ways .

Excerpt from Koren Shadmi ’s Lugosi : The Rise and Fall of Hollywood ’s Dracula reissue by permission . Copyright Humanoids .

“ Within 48 hours of its first step , Dracula had sell 50,000 tickets , building a impulse that culminated in a $ 700,000 profit , do it Universal ’s biggest hit for 1931 . astonishingly there was no immediate continuation , ” Shadmi also tell us . “ MGM stepped in and swan Lugosi as Count Mora in a knock off picture show Mark of the Vampire in 1935 . Bela Lugosi would only act the part of Count Dracula one more time in his film career . You may not know it , but Lugosi was originally puke to play the monster in the iconic 1931 Frankenstein picture show . A test Virginia reel , star Lugosi as the Monster and directed by Robert Florey , was filmed , but the footage has not been seen since and is considered recede . Lugosi was ditched at the eleventh hour and replace by none other thanBoris Boris Karloff . Years by and by , Lugosi was really cast to play the monster in one of the sequel : Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man .

Image: Humanoids

Image: Humanoids

“ Lugosi was on my short list for potential graphic refreshing subjects for a farsighted time , Shadmi said of the thought behind the book . “ My interest was piqued when I take heed to an episode of a history podcast that was dedicated to his life . I could n’t think how dramatic it was , I was a trivial familiar with his later years from watching Ed Wood but I had no idea he had such a rollercoaster of a life story . I know he would make for a perfect subject for a graphic novel . ”

Koren Shadmi ’s Lugosi : The boost and Fall of Hollywood ’s Dracula is out September 28 . Find where to break up up a digital or softcover copyhere .

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Image: Humanoids