Dark Shadows #1

This is the first in the Gold Key run of Dark Shadows comics. There were 35 comics in this series. The first issue has a photographic cover. I wish all the issues had the same type of thing.

The Vampire's Prey: The story starts off with events in the past and how Barnabas ended up being cursed by Angelique. The basic story is of a college boy coming to Collinsport to find out what happened to a distant ancestor of his, Reverend Trask (an evil man.) Willie overhears them talking and goes to tell Barnabas.

The situation is complicated when Barnabas changes into a bat and a girl sees him and faints. The boys find her. Cassandra is there (she's a witch) and she knows what has happened. The woman, though, is really Angelique. Barnabas tries to attack the girl but she wakes up and he takes off. Angelique gets the guys (with the girl) to go to a sunken ship and there she attacks them.

Angelique's Revenge: The ghost of the guy that died is by the girl's hospital bed. He plans to protect her, the other guy, and expose Barnabas as the murderer. Angelique knows about the plan to trap Barnabas and she won't let anyone but herself deal with Barnabas, so she takes over the girl's body. Dr. Hoffman gives the girl a serum when she's hospitalized again and the serum causes her to forget everything that happened.

The Vampire's Prey Epilogue: Angelique banishes the two from Collinsport. Back at the house, something like poltergeist activity is occurring. It's the ghost of the other guy. Angelique brings the guy back to life. He remembers nothing and thus Barnabas' secret existence is protected again.


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