This week, Vampirella’s current publisher, Dynamite Entertainment, announced they were halting the release of all upcoming comics—print and digital—while comic shops remain closed during the coronavirus crisis, with publisher Nick Barrucci commenting, “Every sale of a new periodical or collection taken out of the retailer’s hands is one more blow to them, and we want all retailers to survive this pandemic to continue to be there for all fans.”
A wise move, and we look forward to strolling the aisles of our local comic shop when the all clear is finally given by health-care professionals. In the meantime, though, what that news means for Vampi fans is that there will be no new releases until the shutdown ends—no Vampirella, no Venegeance of Vampirella, no Vampirella and Red Sonja Meet Betty and Veronica. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t new Vampirella material that you can read and enjoy right now!
As SWC fans know, on February 18 we published the nonfiction comic-book history From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures, by Steven A. Roman (that’s me!). It’s already garnered its first, positive review from the site Ravenous Monster, so what better time could there be than to celebrate the ultimate comic-book bad girl?
Created by comics publisher James Warren and writer/editor Forrest J Ackerman, Vampirella—the half-naked vampire from outer space who fights monsters while wearing nothing but a one-piece swimsuit and a pair of go-go boots—celebrated her 50th anniversary last year with the launch of a new series by Dynamite Entertainment. From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures is an extensive look at Vampi’s early days, from the debut of her series in 1969 to the death of Warren Publishing in 1983.
But not every bit of research I pored over made it into the book—specifically, Vampi-related images. Sure, you’ll find a brand-new frontispiece by Warren artist Bob Larkin, and rare photos from the creepy, eerie archives of Vampi’s cocreator, Forrest J Ackerman, but what with the book being an unauthorized guide, it limited the amount of art and photos you might find in an authorized Vampi “biography” (although, surprisingly, none exists!). So next week, in a shameless promotional move, I’ll be using the SWC blog to show you some of that missing imagery—with luck, it’ll convince you to pick up a copy of the book!
In From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures you’ll find a wealth of information in its chapters:
The Vampire Who Fell to Earth: It’s the story of the life of Vampirella at Warren Publishing: her 1969 development by cocreators James Warren and Forrest J Ackerman, with the assistance of artists Frank Frazetta and Trina Robbins; the adventures she went on via the writing and artistic talents of such visionaries as Archie Goodwin, Bill DuBay, Jose Gonzalez, Enrich, Gonzalo Mayo, and many others; and the cancellation of her series in 1982 when the company collapsed. It also features probably the most you’ll ever see reported about four Vampi writers who were just as talented but not as well known: Mike Butterworth, who wrote under the pseudonym Flaxman Loew; T. Casey Brennan; Rich Margopoulos; and Gerry Boudreau.
The Vampirella Episode Guide: The largest section of the book, it examines every story starring Vampirella during the Warren Era: over 100 entries, some with little known behind-the-scenes details. Plus stories behind some of Vampi’s unpublished adventures!
Vampi Goes to Hollywood: In 1975, Hammer Films announced the development of a Vampirella movie starring model/actress Barbara Leigh and the legendary Peter Cushing (later known the world over as Grand Moff Tarkin of Star Wars). The project crashed in spectacular fashion, but the details have always been murky. I try to clear up the confusion surrounding it, detailing the production from its launch to its unfortunate ending. And then I take a critical look at the awful Vampirella movie that was made in 1996, starring Talisa Soto and rock god Roger Daltrey of the Who—and probably shouldn’t have been!
The Literary Vampiress: From 1975 to 1976, Warner Books published a series of Vampirella novelizations by sci-fi author Ron Goulart. I take a look at each novel, and explain why they’re worth tracking down…if you can find copies!
The Vampirella Warren Era Checklist: A list of every Warren Vampi story! Every reprint volume from Harris Comics and Dynamite Entertainment! Plus little known trivia!
From the Stars also features: A foreword by Sean Fernald, the Official Vampirella Historian! A peek at Peter Cushing’s personal copy of the 1976 Vampirella screenplay! A frontispiece by legendary artist Bob Larkin, who painted covers for Warren’s Vampirella, The Rook, Eerie, and Famous Monsters of Filmland! Photos of Barbara Leigh in costume as Vampirella at the 1975 Famous Monsters Convention, held in New York! If there’s only one Vampirella history book you pick up, then be sure to add it to your collection!
From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures is available right now in print and as a PDF e-book, so visit its product page for ordering information. The print edition can be purchased from us as well as through your usual reailer outlets like Amazon, Amazon UK, and Barnes & Noble; the e-book is available through the SWC webstore and DriveThru Fiction.
This book is unofficial and unauthorized. It is not authorized, approved, licensed, or endorsed by Dynamite Entertainment or any of its licensees. Vampirella is a trademark of Dynamite Entertainment.
Vampirella Week kicks off next Monday, April 6, so mark it on your calendar!
Last week, amid government edicts that all nonessential businesses—pretty much everything that isn’t a hospital, pharmacy, supermarket, post office, or, oddly enough, liquor store—comic fans and comic retailers alike were shocked to learn that Diamond Comics Distributors—the sole means by which the majority of North American and British shops obtain the latest comics—announced its temporary shutdown as the world tries to figure out how to deal with the novel coronavirus infection and the awkwardness of social distancing.
Well, you might not be able to meet Rich at RavenCon, but if you’re a fan of fantasy adventure, you can still have the convention experience by buying yourself one (or all) of his awesome SWC books:
Hey, comic fans! If, in these Plague Days, you’re able to get out to your local comic shop, on sale today is Marvel Masterworks: Dazzler, Vol. 1, a hardcover collection of the mutant songstress’s early adventures from X-Men, Amazing Spider-Man, and her own 1980s series. But what’s got our interest is that cover: a reproduction of Dazzler #1’s iconic image, painted by our friend Bob Larkin!
It’s not just his painting skills that are impressive—Bob’s also one hell of a pencil artist, as you’ll see if you order a copy of SWC’s The Bob Larkin Sketchbook. It’s a collection of some of Bob’s incredible pencil drawings, and what you’ll discover when you see them is how wide-ranging his subjects are. Sci-fi, horror, Westerns, pulp adventure, crime fiction, movie merchandise, even wrestling stars—as we say on the book’s back cover, there really islittle that he hasn’t painted. And the sketchbook features three pieces created especially for it: the Pandora Zwieback cover art; a portrait of Patricia Savage, the fightin’ cousin of pulp fiction’s top-tier adventurer, Doc Savage, the Man of Bronze; and a two-page spread in which Doc faces off against another Golden Age crimefighter—The Shadow!
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Something else for our fellow shut-ins to read while we’re avoiding one another these days. Back in 2015, I did an interview with IndyFest Magazine to promote StarWarp Concepts:
Hey, fans of classic horror, here’s some exciting news: This coming Sunday, March 15, is a special day for monster kids of all ages because the original, 1933 version of King Kong, is back in movie theaters!
King Kong is an e-book-only republication of the 1932 novelization of the original movie classic. Written by Delos W. Lovelace, based on the story by Edgar Wallace and Merian C. Cooper and the screenplay by James A. Creelman and Ruth Rose, it includes scenes that didn’t appear in the final cut of the film—including the notorious “spider pit” sequence in which Kong’s human pursuers are attacked by horrific arachnids and insects. Our version features six original black-and-white illustrations by comics artist Paul Tuma, whose pulp-influenced style has appeared in the pages of The Twilight Avenger, Flare, and Dan Turner: Hollywood Detective.
Since 2002, March 4th has been well known to the gaming community as International GM’s [Game Masters] Appreciation Day. Never heard of it? Well, that’s probably because, like me, you’re not involved in that ever-growing collection of fans. To explain this event, I’ll let this quote from the official GM’s Day site provide you with some background:
Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination is our popular how-to book for writers and gamers in which bestselling fantasy author Richard C. White (Gauntlet: Dark Legacy: Paths of Evil, Chasing Danger: The Case Files of Theron Chase, For a Few Gold Pieces More, Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings) takes you through the step-by-step process of constructing a world for your characters, from societies and governments to currency and religion. Included is an interview with New York Times bestselling author Tracy Hickman (Dragonlance) that discusses his methods of world building, as well as his creative experiences during his time as a designer for gaming company TSR, the original home of Dungeons & Dragons.
Yes, it’s time again for Will Eisner Week: an annual celebration—held this week from March 1 to March 7—run by the Will and Ann Eisner Family Foundation, to promote literacy, graphic novels, free speech, and the legacy of the late Will Eisner, the creator of the 1940s masked crimefighter The Spirit, and one of the founding fathers of American graphic novels. A Contract with God, A Life Force, Dropsie Avenue, and The Dreamer are just some of the fascinating tales Eisner wrote and drew, featuring ordinary people in extraordinary (and sometimes not-so-extraordinary) situations. And even though he passed away in 2005, Eisner continues to inspire generations of writers and artists. Events are being held this week around the world; visit the 
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