Vampirella - Crimson Chronicles Volume Two!

It was in the last few stories of the first volume of Crimson Chronicles that the Vampirella we are familiar with today at last took her most pleasing shape. In this second volume the series will get into a higher gear, establishing the status quo which will permeate for years to come. Archie Goodwin wrote all but the last two of the stories in this volume. T.Casey Brennan took over for the final two. Tom Sutton draws one more story in the series and then Jose Gonzalez will take over the art chores giving the world the definitive Vampirella for the first time. Jim Silke did the lusty cover this collection. 

The "Feary Tales" in issue eleven is by Tom Sutton and deals with the "Devil's Daughters" or witches. This issue also marks Sutton's last outing as regular Vampi artist. The story "Carnival of the Damned" takes Vampirella  to a carnival which just so happens to be run by the Crimson Cult. She escapes with her life and a copy of the "Crimson Chronicles". She also makes the acquaintance of The Great Pendragon, a bedraggled magician with a drinking problem. He turns out though to be one of Vampi's greatest allies. The Van Helsings close in. The cover is by Frank Frazetta. 

"Vampi's Feary Tales" in this issue features a wonderful full-page illustration by Frank Brunner of the Sirens. 

The issue also marks the debut of Jose Gonzalez as the new regular artist on Vampirella. Gonzalez proves to be an ideal talent for the strip, able to simultaneously give the stories a light tone and also grace the reader with outstanding single-page images of the lovely Draculonian. In "Death's Dark Angel" Vampi comes up against a madman who yearns for immortality through a vampire's bite and employs a demonic angel named "Skaar" to assist him. The tables are turned on the greedy bastard before the story ends. The dramatic cover is by Sanjulian, the first of many. 

Jeff Jones presents us a one-page story of the Lamaie in the "Feary Tales" installment. The Vampirella story titled "The Lurker in the Deep" begins with Van Helsing dreaming of killing our heroine before his son intervenes. Vampi is working with Pendragon in his magic show and the two are hired for a cruise which just so happens to have a chap on board who invokes one of the demons of the Crimson Cult from beneath the sea. The cover is by Sanjulian. 

  

Tom Sutton relates to Boston ghost yarns in "Feary Tales". In the tale "Isle of the Huntress", Vampi and Pendragon end up on a remote island after the sinking of their ship in the previous story. The run up against a desperate scientist, his lover and a deadly werewolf. By story's end Adam Van Helsing and his father have joined Vampi and Pendragon in stopping the threat. The elder Van Helsing is still convinced Vampirella is a threat. And truth told without her blood substitute she might very well be. The cover is again by Sanjulian. 

"Feary Tales" this time features the Devil's mistress and some juicy Rich Corben artwork. In the story "The Resurrection of Papa Voudou", Vampirella and Adam Van Helsing are on the island of Cote De Soleil, a Carribean island on which the former dictator has died. The celebrations might be premature since some loyal to him are using the Crimson Chronicles to raise him from the dead. The elder Van Helsing also shows up in pursuit of Vampirella. The cover is by Sanjulian. 

Vampirella sixteen features our heroine on the cover and it also announces the return of her arch-foe Dracula. The "Feary Tales" item is by Jan Strnad and artist Auraleon and deals with the "Gray Women". Pendragon and Vampi are swept away to a distant castle in which Dracula awaits to sacrifice her in the story "...And to be the Bride of Chaos". He tells of his journey from Draculon and how that fits in with what we already know of him. The sacrifice goes awry thanks to the timely arrival of the Van Helsings. It seems at story's end that Dracula is no more. The cover featuring Vampi is by Sanjulian. 

"Feary Tales" are by the same team as last time and tell the myth of Arachne. For her part in the story "...Beware Dreamers",  Vampi, Adam, and Pendragon are now in Florida in a swamp where they will eventually run afoul of "The Dreamslayer" an agent of the Cult of Chaos with the express mission to slay Vampirella. Needless to say he fails. During the struggle Vampirella has to resort to using Adam's blood to stay alive and this attack is felt by Adam's psychic father who renews his vow to slay the deadly Draculonian,. T. Casey Brennan debuts as writer in this issue. The cover is by Enrich Torres.  

Luis Garcia and Kevin Pagan tell the story of the Nymphs in "Feary Tales". In the main story which is announced with a wonderful cover by Enrich Torres and the blatant title "Dracula Still Lives", Dracula returns thanks to the Conjuress a powerful sorceress who seeks to reform the deadly vampire. He shares more of his history while Van Helsing hunts Vampirella. The truth is revealed, and he doesn't slay her, but later she must pass a test presented by the Conjuress and does so. Dracula too survives and rejects Chaos at story's end. He will be back. 

More Vampirella to come in volume three. 

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