Vampirella Monthly: 1992-1993
Issue #1 (November 1992)
Regular cover - Adam Hughes $2.95
Signed (Small, Balent) cover - Adam Hughes (1,000 copies) $50.00
The Dracula War: Part One: Storm Clouds Gathering [Artists - Louis Small, Jr., Jim Balent / Writer - Kurt Busiek]
Vampirella, Adam van Helsing and Pendragon are cleaning up stragglers from the Unseelie Congress and destroy a clan of werewolves who are sacrificing children. Vampirella notices the image of Lilith on the altar and all her questions about her true origin are revived.
A night out with Adam is interrupted by a call to say that one of Adam's European agents has sent out a distress call from off the coast of America. When they find him he is dying from multiple vampire bites, but manages to say the name "Dracula" before he dies. Vampirella reluctantly agrees to go to Europe to see what Dracula is up to.
Arguably, this can be seen as the start of the "new" Vampirella. Moving on from her black and white, relatively simplistic stories from the Warren era, Vampirella spans the horror and super hero genres, and is now portrayed as a "woman of the nineties".
NOTE: There is also a "Commemorative Edition", which was published in November 1996, which is a reprint of this issue, but with a different cover by Louis Small, Jr. and Caesar.
Issue #2 (February 1993)
Regular Cover - Adam Hughes $2.95
The Dracula War: Part Two: City of Love [Artists - Louis Small, Jr., Jim Balent / Writers - Kurt Busiek, Tom Sniegowski]
Attacked by a French agent, Vampirella's resolve to go to Paris is set, and she and Pendragon arrive in a very different Europe - one plagued with war, and a war that the population believe to be global. That night Pendragon and Vampirella perform their old magic act, but Vampirella transforms into a half woman/half bat winged being instead of her usual bat form.
In her new form Vampirella defeats some local soldiers and are then met by a group of vampires who take Vampirella to meet Dracula.
The new and improved, full-colour Vampirella continues to set down the ground rules for future stories. The key point in this issue is Vampirella's new ability to halt her transformation in between woman and bat, and become a hybrid with the strengths of both.
Issue #3 (March 1993)
Regular Cover - Adam Hughes $2.95
The Dracula War: Part Three: Revelations [Artist - Jim Balent / Writer - Tom Sniegowski]
Dracula tells Vampirella that he holds the French leader in thrall and that the war is a fabrication so she will send her young men into battle against an unknown foe, that turns out to be Dracula's army, which grows with every new batch of "food". Dracula invites Vampirella to join him but she refuses and is imprisoned. However, this is not the Vampirella of old and she escapes and joins Pendragon in Monte Carlo, where they meet "Traveler", an old acquaintance and an agent of Dracula's.
The running theme of this series is that this is not the old Vampirella we used to know and love. This is a new Vampirella, stronger, leaner and meaner.
In the Warren days Vampirella was always being captured and playing the "damsel in distress", and a victim to her daily need for blood. No more! Woe betide anyone who underestimates this Vampirella.
Issue #4 (July 1993)
Regular Cover - John K. Snyder III $2.95
The Dracula War: Part Four: Conclusion [Artists - Louis Small, Jr., Matt Banning / Writer - Tom Sniegowski]
The immortal Traveler has got bored with being a bad guy so joins Vampirella and Pendragon, but soon dies at the hand of vampire assassins. During the battle Vampirella transforms into an even more extreme bat/wolf form. As Adam van Helsing arrives in Paris, Vampirella slays the French Leader (who is in league with Dracula) and her vampire escorts.
Dracula, his plans thwarted, vows revenge.
Why did Vampirella have to kill the French Prime Minister? If she was under Dracula's control (as we are led to believe), then she was a victim and should have been spared. If she was a willing partner then, by all means, destroy an evil person.
Of course, in true comic book tradition, the villain survives to fight another day.
Issue #5 (November 1993)
Regular Cover - Dan Brereton $2.95
A Turning Point for Vampirella [Artists - Karl Altstaetter, John Stinson, Bob Downs, Jason Felix / Writer - Dan Jolley]
Returning to America on a luxury liner, Vampirella is attacked by French troops trying to avenge Vampirella's killing of their Prime Minister. In the melee she is injured and falls overboard. Vampirella awakens in a cavern with a mysterious stranger, who confirms that what she believes to be her origins are in fact false. He helps her defeat the next wave of French troops and then disappears. Vampirella, Adam and Pendragon continue their voyage uninterrupted.
The ongoing "true origins" of Vampirella saga goes up another gear, and her new shape shifting abilities come to the fore.
Surprisingly, the story hangs together well despite having a myriad of inkers and pencillers doing a few pages each. You hardly notice the change as you read the story.