DRACULA PICTURE CLASSICS (PART 1)

This 62-page digest-sized softcover was first published in 1973 by Pendulum Press under their Happy House Books imprint and is considered somewhat of a rarity. The impressive cover is by Ken Barr and the interior is scripted by Naunerle Farr and illustrated by Nestor Redondo. 

Founded in 1970 by David Oliphant in West Haven, Connecticut, Pendulum Press was a division of Academic Industries, Inc. and specialized in comic book adaptations of classic literature. Pendulum hired ex-editor of Timely Comics Al Fago to supervise the line that eventually included over 70 titles. The line was funded by the U.S. Government to publish comics that could be used in an educational setting. As a result, the lettering was typeset for ease of reading and written with consideration of young students' comprehension levels. The series lasted until 1980 and Pendulum ceased business in 1994.

Fago worked out of his studio in Bethel, Vermont, where he handled all phases of each book's production. After difficulty finding American cartoonists, Fago contacted Nestor Redondo (who illustrated the DRACULA PICTURE CLASSIC shown here), and Redondo recruited a crew of his fellow Filipino artists to participate, including Alex Niño and Rudy Nebres.

In 1976 numerous PICTURE CLASSICS were picked up by Marvel and reprinted in color. DRACULA appeared in MARVEL CLASSIC COMICS #9. Some comics databases incorrectly state that Farr was employed by Marvel to produce these titles, but they were all written, illustrated and published by Pendulum Press.