Vampirella is still going strong after 45 years, and say what you will, the lady has some legs. Ba dum ching. Anyway, Dynamite will be published a new anthology series called Faery Tales, run by Nancy Collins and featuring an intriguing line-up of horror and fantasy comics folks, including John Shirley, Joe R. Lansadle, Gail Simone, Steve Bissette and more. The book comes out in October.
Some classic brokeback on those covers, but it comes with the territory.
Dynamite Entertainment proudly celebrates the 45th anniversary of horror hostess and comic book heroine Vampirella with the upcoming October release of Vampirella: Feary Tales #1, the first chapter in a collaborative miniseries event spearheaded by acclaimed novelist and ongoing Vampirella series writer, Nancy A. Collins. An anthology series held together by a unique, cohesive framework, Feary Tales will feature the creative talent of Gail Simone, Stephen R. Bissette, Elmo Eklabuz, Ronilson Freire, Devin Grayson, Jack Jadson, Joe R. Lansdale, Elaine Lee, Stuart Moore, Steve Niles, John Shirley, Denis St. John, and Eric Trautmann.
“Seeing as this is the 45th anniversary of Vampirella’s creation, Dynamite has decided to mark the occasion by taking her back to her roots,” says writer Nancy A. Collins. “We’ve got some of the best writers in comics slated to deliver the short, sharp shocks that the Warren magazines were famous for. I am both excited and humbled that these incredibly talented creators have signed on to celebrate Vampirella’s birthday.”
Nancy A. Collins, the bestselling author renowned for her horror fiction in comics (Swamp Thing) and novels (Sunglasses After Dark,VAMPS), assembled a team of today’s most accomplished writers to contribute “twisted tales, bizarre bedtime stories, and fearsome fables” in the tradition of the classic Warren Vampirella magazine publications. In Feary Tales, a dimensional rift traps Vampirella in an alternate dimension where an enigmatic Storyteller forces her to live out classic tales of terror and whimsy, providing the context for a wealth of creative interpretations of the beloved character.
“Today’s comic book fans still recognize Vampirella, but many don’t realize that she wasn’t just a fanged and buxom adventuress,” says author Nancy A. Collins. “Like her fellow Warren Publications horror hosts, Vampirella served as ‘ghostess with the mostest’, lacing her introductions to the various stories that graced her black-and-white magazine with puns and double entendres.”
Devin Grayson (comic book writer of Nightwing, Batman: Gotham Knights, and Titans) and John Shirley (award-winning horror and science fiction author, and screenwriter for the 1994 cult classic film, The Crow) join Collins on Vampirella: Feary Tales #1. In the debut issue, Vampirella is surprised to discover herself married to an infamous wife-killer in “Bluebeard’s Blood” (penned by Grayson), and then finds herself both the belle and the bête of the ball in “Cinderella? Vampirella!” (by Shirley). Artists on issue #1 include Jack Jadson, Ronilson Freire, and Elmo Eklabuz.
Subsequent issues will include writers Gail Simone, Stephen R. Bisette, and Denis St. John (issue #2); Elaine Lee and Joe R. Lansdale (#3); Stuart Moore and Eric Trautmann (#4); and Steve Niles (#5).
“We first started working with Nancy when she was a part of the Legends of Red Sonja series that Gail Simone oversaw with Joe Rybandt – an incredible event celebrating Sonja’s 40th Anniversary. When Nancy took over as the writer of the new Vampirella series, she asked if she could do the same Legends-style concept for Vampirella’s 45th Anniversary. How could we say no? Nancy has brought her ‘A’ game, and has brought together an all-star line-up of writers to help celebrate the occasion. Feary Tales is an incredible series with fantastic writers, and the diversity of its creative voices will bring new audiences to our femme fatale,” says Dynamite CEO/Publisher Nick Barrucci.
Dynamite will celebrate the new Vampirella: Feary Tales #1 with a variety of cover options, including a Main cover by Jay Anacleto (Warlord of Mars); Variant covers by Joe Jusko, Art Adams, and Fabiano Neves; and a “Warren Years Homage” Subscription cover by David Roach reserved for those hardcore fans who place preorders with their local comic retailers.
Vampirella: Feary Tales #1 will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors’ August Previews catalog, the premiere source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in October. Comic book fans are encouraged to reserve copies ofVampirella: Feary Tales with their local comic book retailers. Vampirella: Feary Tales will also be available for individual customer purchase through digital platforms courtesy of Comixology, iVerse, and Dark Horse Digital.
By Mariah Huehner
[Writer.editor Mariah Huehner is no stranger to vampires, having written a few issues of True Blood fro IDW. Thus when the opportunity to review esteemed horror author nancy A Collins came up, who better to get the scoop on the new Vampirella?]
Nancy A. Collins, the highly acclaimed and prolific horror novelist behind Sunglasses After Dark and Vamps, is returning to comics with Dynamite’s new VAMPIRELLA ongoing comics. Celebrating the character’s 45th anniversary this year, the opening arc, “Our Lady of Shadows” promises to be an exciting new chapter in this iconic characters story.
And who better to talk about Vampirella’s next quest than the author herself? Here’s what Nancy has to say about everyone’s favorite comic book vamp.
HUEHNER: Great to chat with you Nancy, even via email. First off, the most obvious question: what attracted you to Vampirella as a character that you just had to pen this new comic?
NANCY COLLINS: Well, to tell you the truth, she kind of fell in my lap. Gail Simone initially contacted me about doing a Red Sonja short story for the LEGENDS OF RED SONJA 40th anniversary mini-series for Dynamite. Luckily, the editorial team was a huge fan of my run on SWAMP THING, back in the 1990s, which lead to me pitching a Red Sonja one-shot to Nick. And that resulted in Nick asking if there were any of Dynamite’s characters I’d like to write. I named a few–including DARK SHADOWS–but not Vampirella, because I knew there was a monthly series already in place. So I was surprised when Nick offered me the book–contingent on a proposal, which turned out to be OUR LADY OF SHADOWS.
I used to read VAMPIRELLA back when it was a black & white magazine, back when I was a young teen. The chance to write for one of the handful of iconic female characters from my youth was too good to pass up!
HUEHNER: As a horror fan and writer, what do you think draws people to vampires and stories of the dark and weird?
COLLINS: Vampires are versatile monsters. Depending on the writer (and reader), they can represent the romanticism of Undying Love, the toxicity of the Demon Lover, the parasitism of the Ruling Class, the demonization of The Other in society–I can keep going with the analogies.
As for what draws people to such stories–I believe horror fiction (which exists in some form throughout the world) serves a purpose, in that it enables readers to experience the darkness that is part of human nature without exposing them to true danger, not unlike a thrill ride in a carnival.
HUEHNER: Vampirella has such an iconic, unique, look, established by noted herstorian Trina Robbins. Obviously she’s incredibly sexy, but there’s more to her than that.What do you think her most important character traits are?
COLLINS: Her sense of purpose–to save the world and keep Humanity safe, no matter what the cost–is probably her most identifiable character trait.
HUEHNER: What elements are you retaining from her history (if any)?
COLLINS: I’m keeping elements from the Harris run–such as her being the daughter of Lilith, as opposed to being from a planet of vampires–and the fact that she has, at least during her Dynamite incarnation, been recently working with a covert arm of the Vatican to fight monsters and try to avert the Apocalypse. I will also be reintroducing characters from the Warren continuity, albeit re-tooled for a modern readership and to fit into the existing history.
HUEHNER: Since your story has Vampirella working for the Vatican, and her history has included everything from being the daughter of Lilith to dealing with gods of Chaos, will there be a lot of religious and spiritual themes in this story?
COLLINS: I wouldn’t call the storylines we’ll be seeing as having a religious theme, although they might feature characters from biblical pseudepigrapha–unless you consider TV shows such as SUPERNATURAL ‘religious’.
HUEHNER: For those not familiar with the character, what should people know about Vampirella before getting into your story? Or would you say this is a great place fornew readers to jump in?
COLLINS: I think the OUR LADY OF SHADOW arc is as good a “jumping-in” point as any.
HUEHNER: Sex and vampires has become almost a cliché at this point, but we never seem to get tired of it as an audience. Vampirella has a lot of sexual powers, is it something you feel like she struggles with or embraces?
COLLINS: Sexuality and the undead have a long history. Especially since DRACULA is often interpreted as a parable about the spread of syphilis in Victorian society. As for Vampirella, readers will get to see her use her seductive powers for both good and bad.
HUEHNER: As a “good” vampire, Vampirella has to deal with people’s perceptions and assumptions of her, many of which are not true. Since this story will be taking a darker approach, can we expect more of that tension for her as her story progresses?
COLLINS: It’s very easy to portray her as a superheroine with fans, as opposed to a vampire. I want to recapture some of the moral ambiguity that was part of the character in the early Warren years by expanding Vampirella’s definitions of what is (and isn’t) “Good” and “Evil”, and forcing her to rethink her place in both human and vampire society.
HUEHNER: Can we expect some romance in Vampirella’s new adventures?
COLLINS: I have plans for a new beau for her–but I don’t foresee resurrecting Adam Van Helsing yet again.
HUEHNER: What will audiences be seeing from your Vampirella that they haven’t before?
COLLINS: You’re going to be seeing Vampirella making alliances she never dreamed of in the past–as well as taking on responsibilities she never intended to, as a result of that decision, that will refine her world.
HUEHNER: With Dynamite tackling great characters like Red Sonja and Vampirella, engaging female characters with complicated pasts, sexual appetites, and conflicts between good and evil, are you having a lot of fun getting to explore these elements on your own terms?
COLLINS: You betcha! Nick, Joe and Molly at Dynamic Forces have been extremely supportive and are giving me a great deal of creative freedom to work with the character. I’m having a lot of fun writing for the book.
HUEHNER: Finally, if there’s one thing for people to get excited about this new take on Vampirella and her story, what would it be?
COLLINS: In order to save the world, Vampirella throws down against some of the rarest vampires in the world. These ain’t your Daddy’s dracklers, y’all!
VAMPIRELLA: OUR LADY OF SHADOWS is one sale in comics shops in JUNE
Main Cover: Terry Dodson
Variant Cover: Jenny Frison
Variant Cover: Art Adams
Variant Cover: Jay Anacleto
Variant Cover: Joe Jusko
Writer: Nancy A. Collins
Art: Patrick Berkenkotter
Genre: Horror, Fantasy
Publication Date: Jun 2014
