Sunday, July 13, 2008

Vampirella 16


The cover of this issue, by Sanjulian, shows Dracula himself standing over Vampirella. The frontis, "Vampi's Feary Tales: The Gray Women" is by Auraleon (art) and Jan Strnad (story).

Vampi's story for this issue is "And Be a Bride of Chaos" by Jose Gonzalez (art) and Archie Goodwin (story). Vampi and Pendragon are hired to perform for Count Dracula himself, who is holding a meeting of various members of the Cult of Chaos to decide who will be the bride of Chaos and bear his child. While one of the priestesses, Lucretia strongly desires to be the bride, Dracula chooses Vampirella instead and takes her captive. Dracula tells of his origin, about how he is originally from Drakulon and is able to take on the bodies of various people. Conrad Van Helsing arrives and tries to kill Dracula, but the powers given to him by Chaos prevent him from dying. Vampirella arrives however, freed by Lucretia, and rescues Conrad. Chaos takes Dracula's powers away and he crumbles into dust since the stake remains in his heart. Lucretia meanwhile, as a mere mortal crumbles to dust as well upon Chaos's arrival. An enjoyable story that would kick start a recurring role for Dracula in Vampirella's serial over the next half a dozen issues or so.

Second is "Purification", a short 3 page story from Nebot (story & art). A mob captures the apprentice to a witch, a beautiful young woman. They tie her up to a stake and are about to burn her for her actions. Upon seeing her naked however, the mob decides to set her free and ties up the leaders instead.

Third is "Gorilla My Dreams" by Esteban Maroto (art) and Gus St. Anthony (story). A group of hunters come across a beautiful woman the woods being pursued by gorilla beasts. They kill the gorillas and bring her back with her. It ends up however that the gorillas were warning them, as she turns into a giant gorilla-like beast herself who is seeking new prey on the mainland.

Fourth is "Girl on the Red Asteroid" by Bill Dubay (art) and Don Glut (story). A spaceship crashes on a planet and only one man survives. He comes across a giant egg from which a beautiful woman comes out. He falls in love with her, but it soon becomes apparant that she is really only the child version of a much larger creature and she soon grows up into one...

Fifth is "Lover!" by Pat Boyette (story & art). While Boyette is usually an excellent artist and writer, this story was a tad confusing to me. It surrounds a member of the aristocracy who pretends to be a member of the lower class. He is eventually found out and excecuted.

Last is "Cilia" by Felix Mas (art) and Nicola Cuti (story). A pair of men are in a shipwreck, but a beautiful mermaid rescues them. She marries one of the men and is able to turn into a human form, but must remain near the water. A mob finds her however and captures her. The men eventually find her, but being away from the water so long, she has become an old woman. Her lover kills her then carries her off into the sea.

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