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WHO'S THAT GIRL?
AN INTRODUCTION TO LORELEI
 She
stalks the streets of New York: A redheaded angel of vengeance who preys
on those who would prey on the weak. As deadly as she is beautiful,
she takes from evildoers the one thing for which they no longer have
a use: Their souls.
Lorelei is the story of Laurel Ashley O’Hara—a photographer
known for her controversial choices of subject matter—who, through
a series of unfortunate events, dies and is resurrected as the soul-stealing
succubus named Lorelei. Forced to abandon her former life, she finds
herself drawn into the shadows of a world she only thought she knew—for
how could she have ever believed before now that New York City has always
been a nexus for supernatural activity? Or that her actions as a newly-christened
femme fatale may soon determine whether, not just the city, but the
entire planet, will be consumed by the forces of darkness that have
forever changed her life . . . ?
HUMBLE ORIGINS
Lorelei made her debut in 1989, in The Lorelei One-Shot Special—a
digest-sized, small press comic written and drawn by creator Steven
A. Roman. Influenced by such characters as Vampirella, Marvel Comics’
Cloak and Dagger and Satanna, The Devil’s Daughter, and the TV
show The Equalizer, the redheaded succubus stepped from the shadows
of a New York alley to halt the mugging of a couple by a street gang.
She ended the confrontation by taking the soul of the gang’s leader,
reducing him to a withered husk.
Another issue followed in 1991, this time with two stories:
an introduction of sorts to the series, narrated by Lori herself, and
the first part of what would later become the “Architects of Fear”
storyline in Lorelei Vol. 2 #1. Response to the character in the small
press community was so positive that Roman began making plans for moving
Lorelei to the next rung on the independent publishers’ ladder:
an on-going comic book series.
MOVIN' ON UP
In 1993, Starwarp Concepts released the full-sized Lorelei #0, with
Roman now joined by David C. Matthews, a small press artist known for
his female bodybuilder character Satin Steele. Behind a cover by fan-favorite
Vampirella artist Louis Small, Jr. (who also then provided the cover
for #1), the issue served as a prologue to Lorelei’s novel-length
origin story, “Building the Perfect Beast.” (An unusual
approach, given neither Lorelei nor her alter ego, Laurel O’Hara,
made an appearance in the series premiere.) The story was scheduled
to run a total of fourteen issues, but only six—#0 through #5—were
published before the series was placed on hiatus.
That didn’t mean Lorelei was forgotten. In 1995,
she made a surprise cameo appearance in the Crusade Entertainment/Image
Comics’ crossover special, Shi/Cyblade: The Battle for Independents,
written and drawn by Shi creator Billy Tucci and Witchblade creator
Marc Silvestri. She can be seen joining the charge against the dreaded
“mainstream” publishers.
In June 1996, Lorelei made a temporary reappearance in
the Lorelei Returns! Special, published by Power Comics. In addition
to a recap of the earlier issues (penciled by Uriel Caton, later an
artist on DC Comics’ JSA Annual 2000), the special featured the
previously unpublished Chapter 6 of the storyline. However, unexpected
financial problems forced Power Comics to place Lorelei back in limbo,
where it had remained . . . until now.
RETURN TO GREATNESS
At the 2001 Comic-Con International: San Diego, Starwarp Concepts proudly
announced that, after years in exile, Lorelei would be returning to
comic book racks; Volume 2 #1 hit stands in July 2002.
The revamped Mature Readers series features all-new, never-before-published
work by some of the top names in the comics industry, as well as reprints
of the first seven parts of Lorelei’s origin before continuing
the story with new chapters.
In addition to the origin story, Lorelei’s latest
multi-part adventure, “The Architects of Fear,” pits her
against a deadly religious cult intent on opening a gateway that will
allow their elder gods to return to Earth, in order to subjugate—and
ultimately destroy—all mankind. Art chores on this globe-hopping
race against time are handled by Steve Geiger, former artist of Marvel
Comics’ Web of Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk.
Joining Roman and Geiger for upcoming issues are legendary
creators and rising talents, who are providing covers, stories, and
interior art:
Uriel Caton JSA Annual 2000
(DC); Ex-Mutants (Malibu); co-creator (with Roman)
of Heartstopper
Ernie Colón The
Grim Ghost (Atlas); Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld
(DC); Damage Control (Marvel); Vampirella
(Warren)
Thomas Deja Writer for The
Ultimate Hulk and X-Men Legends
(Berkley-Boulevard/BPMC), and Five Decades of the X-Men
(BP Books); book reviewer for Fangoria (Starlog Publications)
Sholly Fisch Author of Gen13:
Version 2.0 (Ace Books/BP Books)
and the upcoming Ghostbusters (ibooks, inc.); writer
for Clive Barker’s Hellraiser (Epic), The
Ultimate Hulk and X-Men Legends (Berkley-Boulevard/BPMC),
and Five Decades of the X-Men (BP Books)
Steve Geiger Web of Spider-Man
and The Incredible Hulk (Marvel); Samuree (Continuity)
Bob Larkin Cover painter of Creepy,
Eerie, and Vampirella (Warren);
Tomb of Dracula, The Haunt of Horror, and
The Hulk! (Marvel); X-Men: The Chaos Engine Trilogy
(BP Books)
Lou Manna Young All-Stars
and Infinity, Inc. (DC); The Phantom: The Hunt
(Moonstone)
David C. Matthews Original
Lorelei artist; creator of Satin Steele
Grant Miehm Legend of
the Shield (Impact); Avengers, X-Men 2099,
(Marvel); Green Lantern (DC)
Gray Morrow Zatanna (DC);
Monsters Unleashed! (Marvel);Creepy and Eerie
(Warren); Penthouse Comix (Penthouse)
Dean Motter creator of Mr.
X (Vortex), Terminal City (DC) and Electropolis
(Image)
Joe Rubinstein Superman,
Formerly Known As Justice League (DC)
Louis Small, Jr. Vampirella
and Vampirella Strikes! (Harris); co-creator of Codename:
Knockout (Vertigo)
Tom Sutton The late, original artist
of Vampirella (Warren); Ghost Rider and Man-Thing
(Marvel); House of Mystery and Star Trek (DC);
The Roadkill of Middle-Earth (ibooks, inc.)
Frank Thorne Red Sonja
(Marvel); Astra (CPM); creator of Ghita of Alizaar,
Iron Devil, and Lann (Eros)
Neil Vokes Elvira, Mistress
of the Dark (Claypool); Fright Night (NOW); Blood
of Dracula (Apple)
Bill Ward the late artist/creator
of Torchy and "Nanny Dickering"
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LORELEI copyright © 1989, 2002 Steven A. Roman.
LORELEI (including all prominent characters and their distinctive
likenewsses) is a trademark of Steven A. Roman. Names, characters,
places, incidents, and/or institutions are the product of the author's
imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons
(living or dead), institutions, or locales, without satiric content,
is coincidental.
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