Vampirella 72

This issue of Vampirella features yet another cover by Enrich.

First is Vampirella in "The Beauty and the Behemoth" by Jose Gonzalez (art) and Bill Dubay (story). A special effects man whose had no luck with women kidnaps Vampirella during the shooting of a movie when he occupies the inside of a robot behemoth that Pendragon was meant to pilot. Vampirella with Pantha's help manages to rescue herself and things turn out good for everyone.

Next is "The Eyes Have It" by Auraleon (story & art). A man and his wife move into a new home where he hopes to write a book. Inside the house however is a large face on the wall that absorbs their minds as food, turning them into old people.

Third is "Fruitcake" by Azpiri (art) and Bill Dubay (story). This story tells of a young boy who is able to see ghosts that no one else can see. A sort of precursor to the Sixth Sense, although this story has a rather abrubt, dissappointing ending.

Fourth is this issue's color story, "Scherezade" by Esteban Maroto (art) and Bill Dubay (story). This story tells of a Sultan who gets upset over his wife's infidelity, having her killed. He goes to see his brother, a fellow sultan, and both soon share the same feelings. The sultan sleeps with a beautiful woman from his kingdom each night, but has them killed afterwards so they can't betray him like his wife did. Eventually almost all the women are dead. The old man bringing them to the Sultan is forced to bring the Sultan his daughter, Scherezade, but by telling him a long story without an ending she is able to keep herself alive, making herself his permanent wife. Some very attractive art by Maroto in this story.

Fifth is "Invasion of the Cyclops Monsters" by Jose Ortiz (art) and Nicola Cuti (story). An astronaut comes back to Earth, a hundred years after he left. The world is in ruins, with alien monster having taken over most of the Earth. Obsessed with watching television, the aliens have captured humans recreate shows for thems.

Last is "A Nightmare for Mrs. Agatha" by Leo Duranona (art) and Guillermo Saccomanno (story). This issue appears to have been originally printed in Spain given the author. It is about an old woman in a large house which has a pair of crooks breaking in during a thunder storm. Additional stories from Saccomanno and Duranona appeared in Eerie around the same time as this issue, under the series title "Fallen Angels".

Vampirella 75

A terrific cover for Vampirella starts off this issue. It's by Jose Gonzalez and Kim McQuaite, featuring Vampi and a furry black creature behind her.

First is "The Blob Beast of Blighter's Bog" by Jose Gonzalez (art) and Bill Dubay (story). Vampi, in Hollywood is recruited for a new movie with Pantha's help. The movie is directed by Emile Gorgonzola and is also starring his fat wife Beatrice who is a cannibal that desires to eat Vampi. Beatrice is actually an alien who has controlled Emile's mind and gotten him to bring her victims. With her getting old her power is slipping and Vampi and Pantha are able to defeat her and escape. A nice play on words with the villain of this story and some very nice art by Gonzalez.

Second is "Peter, Peter" by Leo Duranona (art) and Gerry Souter (story). A man named Peter in the early 1800's is very successful at carving wooded creatures based on drawings he has made. He becomes fairly well off by selling them for use on ships, but with the War of 1812 most of the ships are destroyed, his work is no longer in vogue and he loses it all, including his wife to illness when former customers won't give him a loan. He seeks to get revenge, first by burning all his pictures, resulting in all the ships they are on burning as well. He then makes pumpkins carved like the faces of those he wants revenge on and give it to them, which result in burning the people when they put the flame inside. He then ends it all by carving a pumpkin to match his own face, then smashes it. A very good story, the best of the issue easily.

Third is "Sasquatch Love" by Jose Ortiz (art) and Cary Bates (story). A trio of campers discover a sasquatch which they call Martha. In order to get pictures of her and test a love potion they're making, one of them dresses up as a sasquatch and temporarily lives with her. In order to let him escape, one of the other two dresses up as a sasquatch as well and do some things which Martha mimicks. When a fly flies inside the man's mask though, they take off his mask, causing Martha to tear the head off their colleague.

Fourth is "Business is Booming" by Isidro Mones (art) and Bob Black (story). An undertaker murders his wife and gets away with it. Enjoying what he did, he starts murdering other people on the street and doesn't get caught. When a potential victim gets away from him, he runs to his lab where those he killed get their revenge on him.

Last is "A Matter of Principle" by Azpiri (art) and Budd Lewis & Len Wein (story). This story features a man in a post apocalyptic future who enjoys eating worms and maggots. He fights off birds to get them, and waits around corpses to get at them. He finds a few men fighting over a women, so he kills them, but since she's already dead he plans to use her to attract more bugs to eat. A disgusting story with so-so art from Azpiri, who only did two stories for Warren. One part of the art is dated "72" making me wonder if this was a story they held on to for a while before printing.