Here is the other half of that writer to writer interview featuring two of the top female creators in comics. Gail Simone, writer of Red Sonja #14, talks with Nancy Collins about Vampirella #100, both on sale now.
GAIL SIMONE: Nancy, you’ve become Vampirella’s guiding writer recently, and I couldn’t be happier, as a fan of both yourself and the character. What have you learned about the character in that time?
Has she surprised you at all?
NANCY COLLINS: Yes, she has surprised me. I’ve learned that she is a very humane and competent character. Although she’s largely known for “cheesecake”, she is as dedicated to ridding the world of evil as Batman, and just as capable.
GS: More to the point about this particular issue, the Vampirella #100 spectacular, how did this book come about?
NC: It’s my understanding that this issue represents the 100th story/issue published by Dynamite Entertainment since they acquired the character. That includes the monthly title, annuals, one-shots and various mini-series.
GS: There are some terrific writers in this book. Did you choose them, or did Dynamite? Were you familiar with all their work previously?
NC: No, I had nothing to do with the selection of writers. That was all Dynamite, who brought in many of the creators who have worked on Vampirella in the past.
GS: The funniest thing about this book is the variety of voices and genres. Vampirella has been a bit one-note at times, in the past, so it’s a lot of fun to see her in one book with comedy, straight horror, and even classic horror homage. What was the process for deciding what the stories would be? And also, may I say that your ending story creeped me right the *&^% out?
NC: Thank you! It’s nice to know I can still send a shiver up a spine or two! As for the anthology style of Vampirella #100, that was an editorial decision. I can’t speak for the other creators, but in my case, I was given complete free reign as to what to write. I may have been requested to provide something in keeping with my run on the series, but that’s about it. Creative freedom is a wonderful thing!
GS: This is a big question I asked myself a lot when I first took the Red Sonja book…what do you think Vampirella’s place in comics is, what makes her a character that’s survived when a thousand bad girl imitators have come and gone?
NC: Vampirella’s place in comics is definitely cemented, although it’s difficult to say exactly what her role is, as she represents a unique cross-cultural pollination that could only have happened in the late 1960s/early 1970s: blending French comics such as Barbarella, the American underground comix movement, and the horror comics revival. Yet, there is something that speaks to her readers and has kept her from falling by the way-side. I suspect it is because she has always been treated as a legitimate action heroine, with genuine adventures, as opposed to a one-note soft-core spoof.
GS: What can we expect of your upcoming Vampi issues?
NC: Vampirella is currently embroiled in the “Accursed” story arc, where she is teamed up with an organization called The Kabal, which can best be described as a monster version of MI-6, to investigate a conspiracy by a trio of immortal humans who are scheming to bring about the end of the world, and will ultimately return a character from the Warren Era to the series, and reveal secrets of Vampirella’s origins that she never knew existed. After that, the next story arc, “God Save The Queen”, will deal with how she is handling her new role as ruler of the Nosferatu. There are other plans for Vampirella in the upcoming year as well, but I’m not at liberty to discuss them just yet (wink-wink).
For more on Vampirella #100, click here.