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The canonicity of this article's subject remains dubious. Though it doesn't contradict official continuity, it has not been referenced in any confirmed canonical material. |  |
Spike vs. Dracula, Part Four: Ciao Time is the fourth issue of the Spike vs. Dracula comic book miniseries. Written by Peter David and illustrated by Joe Corroney and Mike Ratera, it was originally published on July 26, 2006, by IDW Publishing.
Synopsis[]
Fan-favorite author Peter David continues with the fourth installment of the centuries-spanning Spike saga. In the midst of the jazz scene in 1950s Italy, Spike finds Drusilla being romanced away from him courtesy of a dark and mysterious stranger. Is it Dracula? His old enemy, the Immortal? Or is there a new player in town who spells danger for all concerned?[1]
Summary[]
On June 27, 1959, Spike writes a letter to Darla, who has rejoined the Master. Spike and Drusilla are living in post-war Rome and enjoying themselves. Spike leaves Dru briefly to find someone to eat, but when he returns she is gone. A friend of Spike says that she left with "le Comte." Assuming he means Dracula, Spike takes off to find her, but a group of demons drug and capture him.
The drug wears off before they reach their destination, and Spike escapes from the trunk of the car transporting him. The demons chase him into the Colosseum, where he attacks and kills them one by one. Spike interrogates the last demon to learn where the Count is keeping Drusilla, but the demon says he has flown to Cyprus. Spike forces the demon to drive him to the airport, where he hitches a ride on a statue of Dracula that is being airlifted to the Count's private villa, taking the demon with him.
Spike throws the demon from the statue shortly before they land in Cyprus. He then disembarks in the villa, which is filled with statues. Inside, Spike finds Drusilla playing the harpsichord. He scolds Dru for running off with their enemy and demands to know where the Count is. The man enters at that moment, revealing himself to be not Dracula, but Comte de Saint-Germain, who Spike has never met. The Count says it's his two-hundredth birthday, and he invited Drusilla along for company. He had hired the demons to treat Spike to a night of drinks and a midnight swim with Audrey Hepburn and Sophia Loren as payment for the "borrowing" of Drusilla.
The Count invites a disappointed Spike to remain and listen to music played by himself and Drusilla. Afterward, the Count shows Spike and Dru to his private airstrip, promising to have them back in Rome before sunrise. Dru thanks Spike for not killing Saint-Germain, and Spike smashes the statue of Dracula as retribution for the inconvenience of being kidnapped. As they leave, Spike wishes he could do that to the real Dracula one day.
Mist emerges from the broken statue, and Dracula solidifies behind the Count's back. He has been imprisoned by the Count for twelve years, and he is finally able to take his revenge.
Continuity[]
- The story is set in 1959.
- The first scene of this comic is the same as a flashback from the episode "The Girl in Question."
Appearances[]
Individuals[]
- Angelus (Only mentioned)
- Antonio
- Comte de Saint-Germain
- Darla (Only mentioned)
- Dracula
- Drusilla
- Audrey Hepburn
- The Immortal (Only mentioned)
- Master (Only mentioned)
- Spike
Organizations and titles[]
- Alchemist (Only mentioned)
Species[]
Locations[]
- Cyprus
- England (Only mentioned)
- Rome, Italy
- Sunnydale, USA (Only mentioned)
- Turkey (Only mentioned)
Objects[]
- "A Sun Effulgent"
- Blood
Death count[]
- Three demons, killed by Spike.
- The Comte de Saint-Germain, killed by Dracula.
Behind the scenes[]
Production[]
- The photo cover features a promotional picture taken for Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 6.
- In 2013, Comte de Saint-Germain also appeared in the TV series Warehouse 13 portrayed by the same actor who portrayed Spike, James Marsters.
Distribution[]
- Spike vs. Dracula, Part Four was the 156th best selling comic issue in its publishing month, with 11,095 sales in July 2006 at comic specialty stores.[2]
Collections[]
Pop culture references[]
- Spike passes by the actress Audrey Hepburn, but does not sire her because of her upcoming film Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961).
- The Count arranged for Spike to spend time with the actresses Audrey Hepburn and Sophia Loren.
Gallery[]
Covers[]
Cover artwork[]
Quotes[]
| Spike: "Typical Dracula... collector of tacky art." |
References[]
- ↑ "SPIKE VS DRACULA #4 (OF 5)." Previews World. Retrieved on July 11, 2021.
- ↑ "Top 300 Comics Actual--July 2006." ICv2, August 14, 2006.