ILLUSTRATED TALES TO BEWITCH & BEDE' VAMPI #18 -»jt -mm ! The Cold Touch of The Conjuress awaits Vampirella- - when she discovers "DRACULA STILL LIVES" ART BY LUIS GARCIA /STORY BY KEVIN PAGAN EDITOR and PUBLISHER: James Warren EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: J.R. Cochran • ART DIRECTOR: W.B. DuBay MARKETING DIRECTOR: Flo Steinberg • COVER: Enrich ARTISTS THIS ISSUE: Auraleon, Luis Garcia, Jose Gonzalez, Esteban Maroto, Felix Mas WRITERS THIS ISSUE: T. Casey Brennan, Don Glut, Esteban Maroto, Donald F. McGregor, Douglas Moench, Kevin Pagan CONTENTS SCARLET LETTERS "I will defend Vampirella until a stake is driven through my heart,' reader Rick Salinger. Plus Don Glut on the story behind the story. DRACULA STILL LIVES! The continuing adventures of Vampirella as Conrad Van Helsing wills the alien girl through time and space to confront Dracula and the Conjuress. KALI The tale of the Goddess Kali beset by the powers of the mad magician Caligor. girl as a sacrifice to Agni. He wished the maiden the great god . 91 SONG OF A SAD-EYED SORCERESS One woman can be all things to a man, as David Winters learns to his ever- lasting regret. Come walk the spiral road of the soul and the serpent. Xq WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN! Like a thing unknown, the Cates' mansion sat proudly on the crest of death, its gabled roof sagging with the weight of a century-old murdered ghost. 46 VAMFI'S FLAMES Profile of writer Kevin Pagan, author of "Nymphs" on p.2, plus a treasure trove of fan page terror stories, including one titled "Eye of the Skull." THE DORIAN GRAY SYNDROME Poor Hemut! He lived only for his art, that mysterious almost living paint- ing people spoke of only in their darkest whispers, death's portrait. VAMPIRELLA NO. 18, PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY WITH AN ADDITIONAL SPECIAL ISSUE IN NOVEMBER. BY WARREN PUBLISHING CO. PRICE 75C PER COPY. SUBSCRIPTION: 7 ISSUES (INCLUDING ~NOVEMBER SPECIAL ISSUE) FOR S5.50 IN THE U.S. ELSEWHERE: $7.00. EDITORIAL & BUSINESS OFFICES AT 145 EAST 32nd STREET, N.Y " .5. SECOND CLASS MAIL PRIVILEGE PENDING AT NEW YORK, N.Y. AND AT ADDITION- AL MAILING OFFICES. PRINTED IN U.S.A. ENTIRE CONTENTS COPYRIGHTED © 1972 BY WARREN PUBLISHING CO. ALL RIGHTS RE- : NDEH THE UNIVERSAL COPYRIGHT CONVENTIONS. THE -JRNATIONAL COPYRIGHT CONVENTION. AND N AMERICAN COPYRIGHT CONVENTION. NOTHING MAY BE REPRODUCED IOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE PUBLISHER. CONTRIBUTIONS ARE INVITED PROVIDED THAT RETURN POSTAGE _ _ENVELOPE ARE ENCLOSED: OTHERWISE MATERIAL CAN- NOT BE RETURNED. SORRY, NO RESPONSIBILITY CAN BE ACCEPTED FOR UNSOLICITED MATERIAL. Printad in U.S.A. "I'll burn my coffin and stand in the sunlight!" Oh wow! I've been holding off writing to say that "Wolf Uncle Creepy may have Hunt" in VAMPIRELLA #14 been the first with his own was one of the best stories "Creepy Comments" feature I've ever seen. Now I'm glad iNside (since retitled), but VAMPIR- first, I waited. I refer, of course, to ^^^^k ELLA's special, and at "And Be a Bride of Chaos" in ^g^^k she didn't want anything VAMPIRELLA #16. This was, tf^B ^B ^m that reeked of Creepy's in my opinion, the best of the H ^^^^F handiwork. Now that she's VAMPIRELLA saga and about come around, this INSIDE # As to that letter from L.F. ^^^^^ the greatest story yet! The H ^H ^H section promises to be a reg- in VAMPIRELLA # 16, (Reader only thing that burned me in ular letters page feature of L.F. who gave only his initials H ^K^^V VAMPIRELLA. wherein we'll wrote, "Congratulations on Bram Stoker's novel "Dracula" ^m^r convertingVAMPIRELLA from was that Stoker killed off the fill you in on VAMPI news of master. Thanks to you, he is note and provide some background to the stories you're a horror comic to one filled If "Wolf reading. News of note this go-around includes word of with love stories and fairy no longer dead! Hunt" & "And Be a Bride of Chaos" a fantastic 17" by 11" puzzle of the cover of VAMPIR- tales."— ed.) I fail to see his ELLA #2. Painted by Bill Hughes, the cover pictures point. What's his gripe any- don't make the VAMPIRELLA 1973 SPECIAL ISSUE. I'll VAMPTs cousin, Evilly the witch. See p. 56 for details. way? I will defend VAMPIREL- burn coffin and stand in This issue of VAMPIRELLA is host to the second "Tomb of LA until a stake is driven my the Gods" story, "Kali" on p. 26, the creation of "Dax, the through my heart. the sunlight! Warrior" artist Esteban Maroto. His "Tomb of the Gods" HOLLIS RICKSALLINGER RANDY series will appear in future is- Liberty Bora, Pa. Martin, Tenn. sues of VAMPIRELLA while the adventures of Dax currently 'Better get ready to burn L.F. doesn't know what he's run in Eerie. talking about! Creepy and Ee- your coffin, Randy. Both sto- The Transylvanian Count, ries are much too recent to rie may be okay but VAMPIR- Dracula, returns to plague VAM- see publication this year. ELLA is tops by a long shot. PIRELLA this issue after one is- BRUCE BARR sue's hiatus. According to VAM- PIRELLA writer, T. Casey Bren- Kansas VAMPIRELLA is fantastic! Lawrence, nan, 1972 Warren Award winner I imagine you get a lot of let- for Best Story ("On The Wings series is ters which say that but I've The VAMPIRELLA of a Bird-Creepy #36), our "General heard that women never tire getting as bad as Drakulonian sweetheart hasn't of flattery. At any rate, VAM- Hospital." I don't really mind heard the last of Dracula either. the fact that the stories are PIRELLA #16 was excellent! I Profiled this issue, p.66, is of nor- was pleased to see that the far beyond the realm veteran writer Kevin Pagan, au a full mal imagination. I more or cover pictured page thor of the VAMPI's Feary Tale; that painting instead of the border- less expect from VAM- piece "Nymphs" on the inside for someone ed ones on VAMPIRELLA #'s PIRELLA. But front cover. Pagan's work also who presupposes to tell the 14 & 15, The cover of VAM- 17" 11" cover puzzle PIRELLA #16 was good, appears in the current Creepy. x true story of VAMPIRELLA, #46. with the chiller. "On The though not quite up to the you sure are doing a rotten Ninth Day of Satan" about the coming of the Warlocks. job. You won't print this. level of the now classic VAM- In case you've noticed some changes in VAMPIRELLA, PIRELLA #12. It was great to Creepy and Eerie lately (like the start of this INSIDE # T.GAGLIANO see Maroto's work again in feature, for one), those responsible include J.R. Cochran, Warminster, Pa. "Gorilla My Dreams." Pat Boy- author of "The Disenfranchised" (Eerie #39). who was re- ette is one of my very favorite Sure wish you'd cut down cently promoted to Editorial Director. Effective with Eerie artists and I really enjoyed his Art Director is Bill (call him on the love story atmosphere story, "Lover." Of course, not #40, our new Dubay "Dube"). 1 profiled in VAMPIRELLA last illustrat- in VAMPIRELLA. We want enough can be said of the who was #15. Dube more horror and gore! Best VAMPIRELLA series. Jose ed "Girl on the Red Asteroid" in VAMPIRELLA #16 and story in VAMPIRELLA #16 Gonzalez outdoes himself next has a solo opus coming up in Creepy #47 titled, "Fu- turization Computation." was "And Be a Bride of Cha- with each new issue. VAMPIR- series Surprise! Flo's Back and Warren's got her! Flo Stein- os." The VAMPIRELLA ELLA is destined to be the formerly of Marvel Comics, joins Captain Com- is really great! best horror fantasy book ever! berg, our pany division as Marketing Director. Although she'll be MARK THOMSON spending 100% of her time on this, Mr. Warren also expects Salt Lake City, Utah her to put an additional 25% on editorial work, where she'll be able to give us the benefit of her experience with that I've been following your ex- other publisher. ?loits for some time, VAMPf. The stories "Lover" and ou've fared well thus far but "Girl on the Red Asteroid" in it's really too bad you lost VAMPIRELLA #16 were su- your wings back in VAMPIR- perb! THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY ELLA #8. It must be difficult for a being, once so at home in ERIKMIAZGA Toronto, Canada the air, to be confined to earth. Girl On the Red Asteroid VAMPIRELLA #16 was a big SCOTT STANSBURY Don Glut, author of "Girl thought of a beautiful girl disappointment. The only Palo AI|o, Calif. on the Red Asteroid" in hatching from an egg on an story "And be a good was VAMPIRELLA $16, gives alien world. After that, the Bride of Chaos." And the only "Gorilla My Dreams" in his reasons for writing the story was a cinch to write. that was any good was VAMPIRELLA #16 was one of reason piece: My memory on the Unfortunately, neither the because of Gonzalez* artwork. your best yet! When Eva turn- writing of "Girl on the Red story nor anthology ever is your lovely ed into a gorilla, I just about When on earth Asteroid" is rather vague. I saw print due to a problem visagegoingtogracea poster? had heart failure! I've just recall being requested to with the publishing com- It has to be by Gonzalez started reading VAMPIRELLA write a science fiction story pany.