"Slow Death on the Killing Ground!" is the title of the first story featured in issue #3 of the Giant-Size Dracula quarterly comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It was written by Chris Claremont with artwork by Don Heck and inks by Frank Springer. It was colored by Linda Lessmann and lettered by Ray Holloway. The story was edited by Roy Thomas. The second feature is a reprint story called "I Was a Vampire", written by an unknown author and illustrated by Matt Fox. The third story is "The Wedding Present", illustrated by Paul Reinman. The fourth tale, also a reprinted feature, is "The Mark of the Vampire!", written by an unknown author with artwork by Mac L. Pakula. The fifth and final vignetted is "The Man Who Changed" by writer Carl Wessler and artist Sid Greene. Stan Lee was the original editor on all reprinted material. This issue shipped with December, 1974 cover date and carries a cover price of .50 cents per copy.
A vampire named Stelian Kronin falls in love with a woman named Mara Vintila and so takes a serum that can cure vampirism. However, on their wedding night, his bride reveals herself to be a vampire.
Harry Krebs is a fairly unattractive man who has fallen for a lounge singer named Lila. Lila is fairly unpleasant however, and has no desire to associate with Harold because of his ugliness. Lila reluctantly goes on a date with Harry after he plies her with riches. When Lila tries to convince Harry to buy her a new sports roadster, he introduces her to his friend, Dan Royal. Dan and Lila hit it off and fall in love. Harry falls into a deep depression after Lila tells him that they are to be married. Harry travels to Haiti where a bartender named Rickey points him in the direction of a voodoo witch doctor. Harry spies the man preparing what he believes to be a love potion. Unable to meet the man's price, Harry swipes the potion and returns to the States. He attends Dan and Lila's wedding and gives her the potion as a gift. Lila drinks it and falls madly in love with him. The voodoo practitioner is present and uses his magic to transform Harry and Lila into wedding cake ornaments.
Gruesome attacks take place in the town of Centerville, and all signs point to a vampire as the perpetrator. Frank Hagstrom takes note of his brother Rudolph's strange behavior and nocturnal activities and begins to suspect him of being the vampire. He weighs confronting his brother to protect his neighbors while also wishing he could protect him. Frank girds himself to the hard fact that Rudolph must be stopped. He carves a wooden stake out of a tree branch and attacks Rudolph. Before dying however, Rudolph spreads the curse of vampirism to his brother.
Dracula was created by Irish author Bram Stoker. He is the titular antagonist of Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula, which was inspired by an actual Wallachian nobleman known as Vlad II, aka Vlad the Impaler. The character has since been imagined as a powerful vampire count in various forms of media and has been played by many notable actors such as Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee, Frank Langella, Gary Oldman, and even Leslie Nielsen.
This issue carries the approval stamp of the Comics Code Authority.
Although this is issue #3, this is actually only the second issue of the series under its current title.
The events of "Slow Death on the Killing Ground!" take place after the "A Death in the Chapel" story from Dracula Lives! #6 from May, 1974.
This is the first and only appearance of Elianne Turac, who is the daughter of Turkish warlord Turac; dies in this issue.
This issue makes reference to an arcane spell known as the Montesi Formula. This was first identified as such in Dracula Lives! #6.
Turac makes reference to when he was turned into a vampire by Count Dracula. This took place in Dracula Lives! #2.
This issue presents the death of Turac, who is staked then beheaded by his daughter Elianne.
The identity of the nether-being who grants Elianne Turac her immortality is unrevealed.
The hospital physician Kelly Forrest is likely named after actor DeForest Kelley, who is best known for playing the role of Doctor Leonard "Bones" McCoy on the original Star Trek television series and the first six Star Trek feature films.
