Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, Jordie Bellaire, red sonja, vampirella

Jordie Bellaire's Writer's Commentary on Vampirella & Red Sonja #1 – Look At The Caption Boxes On That

Published Thu, 12 Sep 2019 12:30:14 -0500

Jordie Bellaire has a writer's commentary on the recently released Vampirella & Red Sonja #1 – and has shared it with Bleeding Cool. Aren't we lucky? Aren't you lucky? Are we not all blessed?

COVER:
Terry Dodson and Rachel Dodson! What an amazing cover, when our editor told me he had the Dodsons on to draw these two bad-ass ladies, I was over the moon. Having worked with them on Leia at Marvel many years ago…I know they are wonderful professionals with a sense of playfulness in their work – all of this shows in the cover. Great form, beautiful color, excellent restraint in places to keep the focus about the ladies, just outstanding. As a colorist, I can't stop looking at that rim light going across Vampirella's arm and side, just stunning work!

PAGE 1:
Let's use this moment to talk about how awesome Becca Carey is for this lettering device across this page and throughout the whole issue. Vampirella is a bit like Agent Cooper and speaks to a recording device quite a lot, Becca took it upon herself to create this really great caption box that really shows what the heck that is happening, with style and minimalism. I love it! Rebecca Nalty and Drew Moss also show off that they don't mind drawing/coloring crowds on a plane or in an airport custom's line, which I appreciate and adore them for.

PAGE 2:
The Dyatlov Pass mystery is actually very high up on my list of favorite mysteries. Two podcasts have covered it if anyone is interested in learning more about it, Astonishing Legends and Last Podcast on the Left. I like the idea that Vampirella is interested in our earthly mysteries and conspiracies, she'll have plenty to explore and discover. Drew did an excellent job creating a little paper evidence world Vampirella seems to find herself drawn into, every little detail from the photographs to the map.

PAGE 3:
I think Becca did an excellent job with lettering this scene too, there's a lot going on — from dialogue, TV captions and the recording device caption. She juggled these different elements well, I don't think I made it easy for her…she's lettering everything in Russian and in English! I am not worthy.

PAGE 4:
Again, a crowd scene, I am a horror show of a writer (sorry, Drew and Rebecca, for all the crowd scenes) but look at the way Drew and Rebecca fearlessly leaned in — no easy feat for creators! We have a variety of suits, skin tones, faces, hair styles — it really helps paint a picture of a lived-in, existing place. This might seem like a mundane detail that plenty of people blow right past, but it's important to establish places like this. Their effort makes the whole world feel more grounded, I am so grateful to them for that. Even down to the Russian Space Program posters in the background, Drew and Rebecca did creative research to give the best visual aid to the scene.

PAGE 5:
I cannot get over how much I love Rebecca's coloring over Vampirella here – that turtleneck is so lush and eye catching, she stands out in a sea of boring journalists. When I first pitched my editor, Nate Cosby, my ideas for Vampirella and Red Sonja, a big ask was that Vampirella return to her pulpy costume and roots — but not just in the bodysuit..I wanted her outfits to feel like that '70s sex icon vibe. Drew and Rebecca are really playing up that here and I can't wait to see her in even more fun pulpy outfits straight outta Robert McGinnis paintings!

PAGE 6 – 8:
So here we have Vampirella pretending to be a journalist. She doesn't exactly state what paper she represents; she's a master of disguise and professions, in my mind.

PAGE 10 – 16:
Our bit of old-fashioned Spielberg love in this scene, interesting Marion Ravenwood type drinks liquor like a boss and proceeds to befriend locals almost instantly. The way that Drew and Rebecca handled this scene is wonderful, the montage describing the yeti is my favorite.

PAGES 17 – 21:
The idea that Vampirella is always wearing her outfit under her clothing as a body suit is both difficult to accept but also based on facts — Vampirella would want to be comfortable and in her element whenever she feels like it! She's only wearing clothes to appear normal…though I will say, I am looking forward to her rocking high-waisted flared jeans and turtlenecks!

PAGE 22:
The Reveal! Sonja is angry, confused and a bit wounded here. I love the way Drew and Rebecca handled this page too. Sonja looks absolutely wild and fearsome!

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