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Erik Burnham's Writer's Commentary on Vampirella/Dejah Thoris #4

Erik Burnham has a writer's commentary on Vampirella/Dejah Thoris #4 from Dynamite, out now.

Hey, everybody! Erik Burnham here, got a little bit of commentary up on the fourth issue of the Vampirella/Dejah Thoris crossover! Penultimate issue, kids. Let's get down to it…

First off, I'm joined on this issue by artist Ediano Silva; colorist Dinei Ribeiro; letterer Troy Peteri; and the editorial tag team of Amy Jackson and Matt Idelson.

PAGE 01

Erik Burnham's Writer's Commentary on Vampirella/Dejah Thoris #4

The first thing I had to do was get some Tharks up in this story. It's not a big appearance, but how can you have a story set on Barsoom and not have a Thark presence?

PAGE 02

Erik Burnham's Writer's Commentary on Vampirella/Dejah Thoris #4

The vampire outfits here kind of made me chuckle. I didn't specify what they were wearing, so the possibility existed that Ediano would throw them into variations of Vampirella's classic outfit.

Which would've been a hoot.

PAGES 03-05

Erik Burnham's Writer's Commentary on Vampirella/Dejah Thoris #4 Erik Burnham's Writer's Commentary on Vampirella/Dejah Thoris #4 Erik Burnham's Writer's Commentary on Vampirella/Dejah Thoris #4

So the vampires slaughter the Thark tribe, while Gur Tus and a band of soldiers from Helium watch. They could intervene, but, y'know, they don't care.

For those keeping score at home, yes, Gur Tus is a big ol' jerk.

Once the vampires have killed the Tharks, the Heliumites open fire.

They do find one vampire who seems to have regained her senses but, uh, Gur Tus is a big ol' jerk.

PAGES 06-08

Back at the temple of Issus, the goddess has made her play, and made her threats. She wants to be a vampire. She wants to be young again, physically powerful, truly immortal.

And she's willing to let down all psychic defenses to be turned by Vampirella.

One might think that was a mistake.

PAGE 09

Yeah, that was a mistake.

PAGES 10-13

So, Issus is taken out of the equation and the Firstborn take on a whole new appreciation for Vampirella, showing her and Dejah the machines they use the 9th Ray to power. A machine that can view and/or allow travel to remote locations.

I mean, that could come in handy.

PAGE 14

This first panel–the block shadow to the leg, the flow of the cape–I like it because it's a classic rendering that falls somewhere between pulp spot illustrations and golden-era comic strips. (No, not golden age, I know what I said, kids!)

Anyway, it's a small thing, but I really liked it.

PAGE 16

New location! New Martians–er… Barsoomians!

I liked the polar ice caps as a setting, and I'm glad we got there. It's a nice visual break from the rest of Barsoom, with its domed city and its snow.

Mors Kajak has taken a trip north to figure out a way to destroy the approaching ships — and the yellow Martians, the Okar, have a way to do that.

PAGES 17-20

Vampirella, Dejah Thoris, and a complement of Firstborn show up. They were watching via the technology we talked about in the middle of the issue and showed up to stop Mors from carrying out the "blow up those ships" plan.

And then we get another debate.

And hey, Dejah decides she's gonna bring all the ships down anyway.

WHAT?

There's one issue to go, so you'll all find out in a month.

See ya then!

Erik Burnham's Writer's Commentary on Vampirella/Dejah Thoris #4 Erik Burnham's Writer's Commentary on Vampirella/Dejah Thoris #4


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Rich JohnstonAbout Rich Johnston

Founder of Bleeding Cool. The longest-serving digital news reporter in the world, since 1992. Author of The Flying Friar, Holed Up, The Avengefuls, Doctor Who: Room With A Deja Vu, The Many Murders Of Miss Cranbourne, Chase Variant. Lives in South-West London, works from Blacks on Dean Street, shops at Piranha Comics. Father of two. Political cartoonist.
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