Vampirella/Shadowhawk: Creatures of the Night
Issue #1 (February 1995)
Regular Cover - Joe Jusko $4.95
Vampirella/Shadowhawk: Creatures of the Night [Artists - Caesar Antomattei, Joe Weems, Keith Aiken, Arthur Nichols, Jason Jewett, Kirk van Wormer, Ethan van Sciver / Writers - Jim Valentino, Tom Sniegoski, Len Senecal]
Kaul, Chaos cult leader, has a plan. His minions, dressed in custom armour are desecrating churches, killing and generally causing mayhem. Vampirella, Adam van Helsing and Pendragon stop them destroying a church and note the strange design of the armour.
Shadowhawk, dying of AIDS, also stops a group of Chaos followers, who are wearing the armour that is so similar to his own. While fighting them he is interrupted by Vampirella who mistakes him for the bad guy and drinks his blood. Both Vampirella and Shadowhawk fall instantly ill after Vampirella drinks his blood.
A couple of days later, Vampirella is restored to health, but Shadowhawk's blood has told her his life story and she realises he is one of the good guys. Shadowhawk, however, reacts differently. He dies and is reborn as a vampire.
Quite a dramatic and pacey story, following tried and tested ground with a Vampirella versus the Cult of Chaos.
What is interesting, though, is that Vampirella's bite causes Shadowhawk to "turn" and become a vampire. This is (so far as I know) the only time Vampirella's bite has caused someone else to join the ranks of the undead. As a vampire slayer, it is not in her make up to create more vampires.
Issue #2 (February 1995)
Regular Cover - Mark Texeira $4.95
Shadowhawk-Vampirella: Creatures of the Night [Artists - Jim Valentino, Chance Wolf, Brad W. Foster, / Writers - Jim Valentino, Tom Sniegoski, Len Senecal]
Kaul tries to pit Shadowhawk against Vampirella, but he fails and they team up. The Pope arrives in the city and Vampirella and Shadowhawk protect him from the forces of Chaos. However, the master plan of Chaos (to create an infectious vampire) is still in effect as Shadowhawk decides to bite AIDS victims to "cure" them.
The promise of the first book doesn't quite get fulfilled in book 2. Though the art is great, the story seems to grind to a bit of a halt half way through. Worth a read, but not high on the list to be re-read anytime soon.