Issue 22 (January 1996)

Regular Cover - Zina Saunders $2.95

Artists - Chris Batista, Caesar Antomattei / Writer - Tom Sniegoski

Here There Be Dragons
In the sewers people are dying. Something is killing city workers and the homeless, tearing them to shreds. The Police' Department of Paranormal Affairs ask Vampirella to investigate as they have heard that it is a dragon ...

Vampirella tracks down the dragon, which turns out to be a Chaosaur from the alternate universe that Vampirella visited in the Chains of Chaos story arc.

Abandoned on Earth by the Chaos Child, the Chaosaur knows he cannot defeat Vampirella but she gives him the one thing he wants most.

Release from his torments ...

An interesting, one off story with a change of pace from her more recent activities. A short bit of "tidying up loose ends" and a reminder of a previous story line. An enjoyable read.

Issue 23 (February 1996)

Regular Cover - Glan Fabry $2.95

Artists - Ed McGuinness, Nathan Massengill / Writer - Tom Sniegoski

Strange Days Coming
Vampirella is having some rest and recuperation at the Danse Macabre headquarters.

In the Medical section, Hemorrhage awakes and escapes.

Vampirella meets Squash in the Black Cauldron Tavern in Salem who gives her a dire warning.

Elsewhere a werewolf is disturbed by a shadowy female figure ...

A very "bitty" issue, with a whole raft of new sub plots and stories introduced, as well as a new character. As a teaser it works well ...

Wizard Mini Comic 5 (February 1996)

Regular Cover - Amanda Conner $free
Platinum Cover - Amanda Conner $5.00
Signed (Conner, Palmiotti) Platinum Cover - Amanda Conner (375 copies) $5.00

Artists - Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti / Writer - Tom Sniegoski

Vampirella's Doom: What the Cards hold...
Disturbed by shapeless nightmares Vampirella cannot sleep. Pendragon gets out his Tarot cards to pas the time and reassure her ...

But the cards predict a dark and deadly future.

Issued as a supplement to Wizard #55 this is another teaser of a major story line coming up. We see Trolls in the cards, and the Devil is shown as a female form - the first view of who we will come to know as Mistress Nyx.

Issue 1/2 [Wizard] (March 1996)

Regular Cover - Rudy Nebres $5.00
Platinum Cover - Rudy Nebres $19.95
Signed (Nebres) Cover - Rudy Nebres (350 copies) $?

Artist - Rudy Nebres / Writer - Tom Sniegoski

Vampirella's Doom: Welcome to my Nightmare!
Mistress Nyx, heir to Chaos, becomes aware of Vampirella as a future threat so she attacks her in her dreams. Transported to Castle Mordante (where Vampirella destroyed one of the largest Cult of Chaos groups in Vampirella: ...and be a Bride of Chaos from Warren Vampirella #16).

Vampirella learns that when she avoided being the Chaos bride another was chosen, and bore a daughter, a Chaos Child - Nyx.

Mistress Nyx transports Vampirella to a future where Vampirella has been destroyed and the Earth is under the rule of Chaos and Nyx. Vampirella tries to fight Nyx, but is powerless to do so ...

And the she awakens in her own bed with a sense of dread.

Presumably this occurs moments before story in the Wizard Mini Comic 5 above.

Rudy Nebres' art is stunning and the whole story is just so dark and ominous! Now you know that there isn't going to be your standard fare "super hero in tights beats bad guy" story coming up in future issues.

It is nice when current story lines link back to events from the past, such as the very early Archie Goodwin/José Gonzalez Warren stories.

Issue 24 (March 1996)

Regular Cover - Mike Deodato $2.95

Artists - Ed McGuinness, Nathan Massengill / Writer - Tom Sniegoski

Hell in a Hand basket
Things just aren't going right for Vampirella. Squash tells her of an impending slaughter at a mall, but when she gets there it is the wrong mall!

In his escape Hemorrhage kills Danser Porter and directed by a voice in his head he tracks down and kills Danser Dervish.

In castle Mordante the Chaos Child, Nyx, returns home and tells her human guardians that she is now "of age".

Vampirella meets Pendragon and his new apprentice, Irving, who tells Vampirella that he has had a vision of her death.

Another issue trying to cover several storylines at the same time. For the casual reader this could be confusing, but not so for the Vampirella faithful who had read the previous few issues and the Wizard 5 and ½ issues.

Again, the timeline seems to be a bit mixed up. The correct sequence should be Vengeance of Vampirella 24, Wizard 1/2 then Wizard Mini Comic #5.

Issue 25 Preview Ash Can (March 1996)

Regular Cover - Joe Quesada, Jimmy Palmiotti (3,000 copies) $5.00
Signed (Conner/Palmiotti) - Joe Quesada, Jimmy Palmiotti (1,500 copies) $?
Signed (Conner/Palmiotti/Quesada) Cover - Joe Quesada, Jimmy Palmiotti (250 copies) $?

Artists - Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti / Writers - Tom Sniegoski, Christopher Golden

Preview of... 'The End!'
Two thirds size, black and white version of the first 15 pages of Vengeance of Vampirella #25.

Not a bad "taster" for an impending crucial issue. You get just enough of the story to know what's going on and to appreciate the hectic pace of the story but are left hovering on the cusp of the grand finale ... so you have to go and buy the full comic to complete the story, in full size and glorious colour.

Issue 25 (April 1996)

Regular Cover - Joe Quesada, Jimmy Palmiotti $2.95
Signed (Conner, Palmiotti, Quesada, Sniegoski) Cover - Joe Quesada, Jimmy Palmiotti (2,500 copies) $?
Platinum Foil Cover - Joe Quesada, Jimmy Palmiotti (900 copies) $24.95
Gold Foil Cover - Joe Quesada, Jimmy Palmiotti (750 copies) $24.95
Signed (Conner, Palmiotti, Quesada) Gold Cover - Joe Quesada, Jimmy Palmiotti (1,000 copies) $24.95
Royal Blue Foil Cover - Joe Quesada, Jimmy Palmiotti (100 copies) $59.95
Limited Edition Cover - Jae Lee $14.95
Signed (Lee) Limited Edition Cover - Jae Lee (1,500 copies) $?
Signed (Lee/Sniegoski) Limited Edition Cover - Jae Lee (1,500 copies) $?

Artists - Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti / Writers - Tom Sniegoski, Christopher Golden

The beginning of... 'The End'
Mistress Nyx walks in on a meeting of the Unseelie Congress and takes command. Elsewhere Vampirella wakes to the sound of humming. The sun is blotted out by a horde of insects as Nyx and her hordes attack. In the melee both Vampirella and Adam Van Helsing are taken prisoner, Vampirella by Nyx and Adam by Hemorrhage.

In a mock trial Vampirella is found guilty of crimes against the shadow creatures. Adam is given a chance to join Nyx but refuses and is killed by Nyx. A defeated, chained and helpless Vampirella vows vengeance.

25 pages of solid action, and some of the best artwork I have ever seen from Amanda Connor and Jimmy Palmiotti. Every page is a gem and there are some stunning full page "splashes".

The showdown between Vampirella and Mistress Nyx has to be one of the best "bitch fights" to date.

At the end of this issue you are left breathless and stunned, and waiting for the first issue of Death and Destruction!