Vengeance of Vampirene

[Marionette]

I recently bought a few issues of Spellbound, and my favourite cover (possibly of any comic from the 1970s) is from Vengeance of Vampirene.



It's not just the awesome use of alliteration to get a girl's name into a title that also suggests vampires, although I do enjoy that a lot, but it's the whole idea of a story about a girl that dresses up as a bat (criminals are a superstitious, cowardly lot), which takes on a surreal turn with the addition of skis.

I am sure that the story cannot possibly live up to the level of entertainment value I get out of the essential concept, so I'm in no hurry to spoil things by actually reading it, but I would be interested to know what issue it started in, since I have a gap between Spellbound 55 and 60.

[stevezodiac]

Your second paragraph took me back to something I was thinking last night - while waiting for the tube at West Brompton. For no apparent reason I was thinking how the opening titles and music for Space 1999 had you expecting a superb piece of tv to follow but what invariably followed was a creaky storyline, laughable monsters and terrible bry nylon costumes - with flared trousers!

The girl on that Spellbound cover looks like the inspiration for Hit Girl.

[Phoenix]

I would be interested to know what issue it started in, since I have a gap between Spellbound 55 and 60.

Vengeance Of Vampirene started in issue 57 (Oct. 27 1977), Marionette. It arrived unheralded, unlike The Mystery Birds Of Mora, which had a small advertising panel in 56, although at the end of the complete The Key Of The Coiled Serpents, a tiny panel stated Look out for an exciting new serial starting NEXT WEEK. The two them replaced ''I Don't Want To Be A Lady!'' and The Mask Of Menace.

[Marionette]

Thanks, Phoenix. That's good to know. I'd been hoping it was launched with the cover feature, but I soon realised it was mid-story.

[JT Mirana]

Hmm. We have heroes fighting supervillains with bows and arrows. I guess Vampirine fills that skiing-heroine gap in the market.

[Marionette]

There's also the chronically under-exploited market for fans of skiing who also like vampires.

[Kashgar]

Hi Marionette,
The cover is the work of Norman Lee, who was specifically switched from illustrating Thomsons women's magazines to produce many of the Spellbound covers.
He would also produce many covers/strips for Thomon's Judy from the mid 1970's onwards.

[Marionette]

Hi Marionette,
The cover is the work of Norman Lee, who was specifically switched from illustrating Thomsons women's magazines to produce many of the Spellbound covers.
He would also produce many covers/strips for Thomon's Judy from the mid 1970's onwards.

That's interesting. I was just comparing the cover with the strip inside earlier today, and it was apparent that it wasn't the same artist. Spellbound had some fantastic art.

[JT Mirana]

There's also the chronically under-exploited market for fans of skiing who also like vampires.

Twilight off-Piste.

[philcom55]

...No doubt it was all those skiing vampires that caused the Yeti to become extinct!

I love the subtle hues on that Vampirene cover. I don't know who handled the colouring for DC Thomson but I've often thought there must have been at least one unsung genius in their production department.

- Phil Rushton

[colcool007]

There's also the chronically under-exploited market for fans of skiing who also like vampires.

Twilight off-Piste.

As long as it's not taking the Piste.