More ComicsPRO announcements from Dynamite: the publisher has been reprinting classic black and white Vampirella tales in hardover Archive editions, but recently began a more affordable paperback line. Now the second volume has been announced for June, with some great stories by Archie Goodwin. The complete line is planned for 15 volumes, if you can take that much vampire action.
Creators include: Wally Wood, Barry Windsor-Smith, Neal Adams, Dave Cockrum, Dennis O’Neil, Steve Englehart, Gerry Conway, Doug Moench, Jack Katz, Sam Glanzman, Mike Ploog, Frank Brunner, Jeffrey Catherine Jones, Gardner Fox, and others. And painted covers by Frank Frazetta, Boris Vallejo, Sanjulian, Ken Kelly, and Bill Hughes.
Vampirella Archives Volume Two collects issues #8-14 of the original Vampirella magazine originally released by Warren Publishing. This stretch covers the years 1970 and 1971.
With the first issue in this second book, Goodwin immediately hits the ground running with a rapid expansion of Vampirella’s cast and lore, writing the ongoing lead feature himself, initially still with Vampi’s original artist Tom Sutton. The duo introduce key supporting characters Conrad and Adam Van Helsing, the mysterious foes of the Cult of Chaos, and the Crimson Chronicles. Mordecai Pendragon follows a few issues later.
Following Sutton’s Vampirella run across issues #1-11, the final three issues of this volume showcase the debut of legendary artist Jose Gonzalez. The master Spanish artist would quickly become the character’s most celebrated and definitive creator of the Warren era, and remains on the “Mount Rushmore” for nearly all fans to this day over 55 years into the character’s history. His contributions to the series and character continue through the very end of the series in 1983. His diverse mixed media approach employing ink washes among other techniques, and his evolving use of photorealism inspirations make every page of his a wonder.
The Beat’s ComicsPRO coverage is sponsored this year by Oni Press.
