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Vampirella Returns To Her Horror Roots – Talking With Nancy Collins

Published Sat, 21 Jun 2014 09:00:02 -0500

Mike Federali writes,

Nancy Collins is an acclaimed comic book writer (Swamp Thing) and horror novelist (Sonja Blue series) bringing her exceptional talents to the new Vampirella ongoing for Dynamite Entertainment. We recently sat down (over delicious fajiatas) to talk about how she landed Vampirella and where she wants to take the character.

Mike Federali: How did you get involved with Vampirella?

Nancy Collins: It was largely thanks to Gail Simone. I've known her for over 15 years. She invited me on to work on Red Sonja. I said I'd love to do it and did a vignette. It turns out the editorial crew were Swamp Thing fans so I got to pitch Red Sonja: Berserker. Then they asked me if I would like to take over any other titles and I suggested every title but Vampirella. They eventually offered me Vampirella.

MF: Were you a fan of the character?

NC: Oh yes. I used to read Vampirella, the Marvel black and whites, Creepy and Eerie.

MF: Were there any rules from Dynamite for your new Vampirella?

NC: Just to ignore the space stuff. Take what you are interested in and ignore all the other stuff. I'm just trying to get in there, simplify the origin and give her a harder edge. A little more horror than her pinup roots. A more believable character AND vampire.

People might ask "But what about her planet?" No, No, No! That's all a bad dream. Ha.
My take is she is the daugher of Lilith, Mother of all Monsters. In Our Lady Of Shadows, I have her meeting with other siblings. Different variations on vampires due to different fathers.

I'm having fun writing it because I haven't been told no. (Yet.)

MF: Vampirella works FOR the Vatican now. Sort of a bad guy working for the good guys situation, right?

NC: Right. She works for Cestus Dei, a sort of religious MI5. (At least this is the case at the start of #1.)

MF: Like a Dan Brown thing?

NC: Yea. That's my impression.

MF: Who's doing the artwork?

NC: Interiors by Patrick Berkenkotter (Avengers/Invaders) and covers by Terry Dodson.

MF: I know you have an affinity for old pulp covers. Any chance of a pulp Vampirella variant?

NC: That's something I'm going to talk to them about.

MF: Can you tell us a little bit about the new characters in your first arch?

NC: There's Lady Umbra, the sister bride of the Mad God Chaos, Vampirella's recurring Cthulu. New antagonist Father Nicodemus (a little nod to Nick Fury), leader of the Malleus Maleficarum, the "Witch's Hammer"–Inquisitors and zealots that torture monsters. And new continuing characters, including Coleridge–a classic horror manservant type.

MF: If you could see Vampirella cross over with any other Dynamite title what would it be?

NC: Maybe Dark Shadows? I pitched a Lovecraftian story for that.

MF: If you could have any of Vampirella's powers which would it be?

NC: Flying maybe. Or mesmerism.

MF: How bad are the threats Vampirella faces in Our Lady Of Shadows?

NC: She'll face someone who can bring out the evil in anyone. Just draw it forth from within. This will make Vampirella more of a vampire than we have ever seen her. More callous and manipulative. Less… in control of her temper. We'll see Vampirella breaking more eggs to make omelets.

MF: What's your goal with Vampirella?

NC: It's really to not write her as a superhero, but as an action based monster hunter. I want to capture more of the Warren Publications feel. Back in the 1960s, Eerie, Creepy and Vampirella were viewed by parents as being just shy of Playboy—but just because of the skin factor, but the gore and violence. I'm trying to bring back some of that element to Vampirella's stories—the whole point of horror is it should horrify at some point, not just repulse.

And I can't talk specifics, but we will be doing something for the 45^th anniversary that will make the fans go Bat-Shit.

I am bringing back some of the original Warren characters. I can't say more than that, they'll shoot me.

MF: Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with me.

NC: You're welcome!

Vampirella #1 hits shelves June 4, 2014. Mike Federali is the organizer for Tidewater Comicon and getting better about using his Twitter @mikefederali

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