An untold story from the greatest vampire story ever written, Bram Stoker's Death Ship explores the harrowing, nightmarish sea voyage from Transylvania to England. One by one, the terrified crewmembers of the Russian schooner Demeter vanish, victims of the unearthly lifeform that lies comatose in the ship's hold during daylight hours. Only Demeter's seasoned captain, a proud man of the sea, remains to confront the voracious monster that has preyed upon his crew by moonlight...

We caught up with writer, Gary Gerani, to talk about Bram Stoker's Death Ship.

Christine Caprilozzi: "Death ship" comes from the early part of Bram Stoker's "Dracula." What was it like writing your own take on a classic?

Gary Gerani: It was fun and exciting to play with this particular concept, and of course, there’s a tremendous responsibility involved. Dracula is still the most significant vampire story ever conceived. But since Death Ship amounts to a whole new tale, with themes and revelations of its own, it was kind of like fashioning an original, rather than adapting a classic novel or even part of a novel. That said, I tried to stay true to the events of the Demeter voyage as described in Dracula, even down to the Captain’s log entries.

Christine Caprilozzi: I know it centers around Darcula's trip from Transylvania to England in 1897. Tell us, if you can, a bit more about the plot?

Gary Gerani: Essentially, it's Blair Witch on a boat: something is killing the crew members, one-by-one, in the dead of night. But no one knows exactly what’s going on, and it’s up to the men in charge (ultimately, the Captain) to fathom this mystery and, hopefully, save their own lives. The "thing" in the hold softens up its victims by invading their psyche, forcing each crew member to re-live moments of guilt or shame; then it zeros in for the kill like a blood-lusting shark. Put in straightforward terms, it’s a long voyage from Varna to Whitby. Dracula requires sustenance, so he feeds on the crew.

Christine Caprilozzi: Tell us a bit about the Captain of the ship?

Gary Gerani: A solid man, a good man, but like all of us, he’s only human. He has a weakness that the “thing” exploits. The Captain must confront his own lack of faith and find a way to embrace spirituality again, if he’s going to have a chance against his demonic enemy.

Christine Caprilozzi: What can readers expect in terms of "blood and guts" from "Death Ship"?

Gary Gerani: For the most part, this is an atmospheric mystery that plays on our fears, like the best nightmares. But when the entity attacks, like I said, it’s akin to a horrific shark or primal predator swooping down on you…a bat out of Hell, so to speak, but barely glimpsed. With each attack the gore quotient increases, and we see more of the attacker. Issue three, as a matter of fact, is something of a bloodbath. Still, this is basically a psychological horror story, since the greatest monsters are the ones our own human weaknesses create.

Christine Caprilozzi: For the artwork, you worked with Stuart Sayger, How did you hook up with him?

Gary Gerani: IDW suggested Stuart…who is brilliant when it comes to horror comics, just wonderful. He knows how to depict physical horror and psychological terror, blending these approaches seamlessly. I love his textures, lighting choices… It’s like having a great cinematographer on a movie, painting with expressive lights and darks. And let’s not forget our exceptional cover artist, Cliff Neilsen. I worked with Cliff on X-Files – he became producer Chris Carter’s signature artist – and brought him into this project because he understands the essence of psychological fear and supernatural terror. Death Ship is really lucky to have these two amazing artists aboard.

Christine Caprilozzi: How many issues are expected?

Gary Gerani: Four, followed by a softcover graphic novel for the bookstores.

Christine Caprilozzi: Death Ship Issue #1 comes out in May, when can readers expect Issue #2?

Gary Gerani: You got me on that one, I’m really not sure. Hopefully #2 comes out a month or so later.

Christine Caprilozzi: Finally, many of our readers will recognize your name from the movie "Pumpkinhead," what are some of the major differences you find when writing a screenplay versus writing a comic?

Gary Gerani: Comics and movies are related, because both convey their stories visually. But comics tell their tales in broader strokes; there are only so many panels and pages to work with, as opposed to the almost unlimited shots available to a filmmaker. And obviously the “acting” is better in a movie, because the performers can change their expressions, body language, etc., from moment to moment. A comic freezes the most important visual elements, from scene-to-scene, in order to carry the story forward excitingly. In a movie, you can slow down (in dialogue exchanges, for example), for more character nuance and subtle touches. All this said, comics are illustrated fiction, and each rendering (or panel) is a breathtaking poetic statement in itself. So both forms offer their own special creative advantages.

Christine Caprilozzi: Thank you for your time, Gary. Best of luck with Bram Stoker's Death Ship!

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