Vampirella: Blood Lust
Issue 1 (July 1997)
Regular cover - Joe Jusko $4.95
Signed Regular cover - Joe Jusko (750 copies) $14.95
Virgin cover - Joe Jusko $10.95
Signed Virgin cover - Joe Jusko (500 copies) $19.95
Gold Seal Virgin cover - Joe Jusko (500 copies) $14.95
Book One [Artist - Joe Jusko / Writer - James Robinson]
Waking from what she thought was the void of death, Vampirella finds herself back on Drakulon, and in the company of her long-time (and now deceased) lover Adam van Helsing. Drakulon is revealed to be a region of Hell ruled by Lilith, Vampirella's mother. Drakulon is dying, it's rivers of blood have run dry and the land is ravaged by foragers desperate for blood.
Arriving in the now desolate Kubek'en, Vampirella's native city, Adam and Vampirella are attacked by Lilith's minions who try to kill Adam and take Vampirella to Lilith. They fail. There is a link between Lilith and Drakulon, and there is not enough energy to sustain them both. Vampirella sides with Drakulon.
This is the comic book that spawned many variant covers, posters, and special hardcover editions. To it's credit this is a very special story given a very special treatment by both the artist and the writer. Every page is a gem, and you can re-read it time and time again and it is still fresh and exciting.
Vampirella's home city is cited as Kubek'en yet ten months earlier (real world time - October 1996) the 25th Anniversary Special cites Gosi-bram as Vampirella's home city. Which is correct?
Issue 2 (August 1997)
Regular cover - Joe Jusko $4.95
Virgin cover - Joe Jusko $10.95
Gold Seal Virgin cover - Joe Jusko (500 copies) $14.95
Book Two [Artist - Joe Jusko / Writer - James Robinson]
In one of Lilith's temples Vampirella talks with her mother who tries to kill her. Adam saves Vampirella and they travel across Drakulon fighting many demons who try to prevent them from reaching the source of Drakulon's blood supply. Adam frees the river of blood which sustains Drakulon, but at the cost of Lilith's life force.
Vampirella and Lilith meet one last time as an army of demons attack Adam. Lilith explains that Drakulon will need a new leader once she is gone, and Adam is being tested for that role. The hand of God reaches out and destroys Lilith, Vampirella goes back to Earth and Adam faces the hordes of Drakulon.
One thing I am unsure of is exactly what Adam did to free the river of blood. After meditating for a while it just seemed to burst free by itself! Did I miss something?
Issue 1 & 2 Set (July/August 1997)
Signed cover - Joe Jusko (500 copies) $?
Contents [Artist - Joe Jusko / Writer - James Robinson]
As above for issues 1 and 2.
This is a set of two comics sold signed and numbered by Joe Jusko.
Vampirella: Blood Lust - Deluxe Hardcover (September 1998)
Red Foil cover - Joe Jusko (500 copies) $39.95
Gold Foil cover - Joe Jusko (500 copies) $95.00
Platinum Foil cover - Joe Jusko (25 copies) $lots!
Contents [Artist - Joe Jusko / Writer - James Robinson]
This is a limited edition hardcover collection of Blood Lust 1 & 2.
However, it does also have an Epilogue where Vampirella returns to Drakulon 100+ years in the future, having died (again) when the Earth was destroyed. She finds that Adam is well ensconced as ruler of Drakulon. Adam shows her the view from the palace and she sees that Drakulon is now a healthy, peaceful and vibrant region of Hell, complete with a massive statue of herself!
The hard cover is leather bound, and the gold edition also has a matching leather slip case. Each edition had a limited Joe Jusko lithograph.
I do not have a copy of the Platinum version, but I note that the lithograph is identical for both the red and gold covers. The lithograph I have with my Red cover is numbered 202/500; the lithograph I have with the gold cover is numbered 178/500 and also has a signature by Joe Jusko beside the number.
If there is anyone out there with a Platinum version who can enlighten me about the differences (if any) in the lithograph and/ or slip case between the Platinum and other versions, please get in touch.
Though this may seem to be a marketing ploy to ply extra bucks from the sweaty palms of the Vampirella fans, I have to say that the leather binding certainly does make this a nice piece of kit to own.
On the down side, these editions are so rare and expensive that the last thing you want to do is open them and read them on a regular basis for fear of damaging them!
TRIVIA 1: The Gold edition was originally advertised as being limited to only 1,200 copies, but in the end they only made 500.
TRIVIA 2: The final page features a statue of Vampirella. To quote the artist, Joe Jusko, "I'm glad you caught the tribute to the Gonzalez/ Enric Vampi poster on the final page! If you look at the bones on the ground around the statue, you'll see that the bones are arranged in a "J G", for José Gonzalez".
Vampirella: Blood Lust - Trade Paperback (2006)
Regular Cover - Joe Jusko $9.95
Signed Regular Cover - Joe Jusko - $19.95
Contents [Artist - Joe Jusko / Writer - James Robinson]
This is as per the Blood Lust Deluxe Hard Cover book which collected Blood Lust Books 1 and 2, and an Epilogue not originally used in the original series.
A stunning and pivotal part of Vampirella's history, Blood Lust was flogged to death in 1997, with the Deluxe Hard Cover of 1978 providing and extra bit to the tale.
On the negative side, the Deluxe Hard Covers were so expensive it put them out of reach of many Vampirella fans, so they didn't get to read the story in one volume and have the added Epilogue.
By finally releasing Blood Lust as a relatively reasonably priced Trade Paperback, Harris has enabled a wider fan base to read the whole story in one hit.
As a back up to the story there is a "Directors Cut" article which covers how Joe Jusko worked from the script and thumbnailed, drafted and then painted some sample pages.
Perhaps the real gem of this book is James Robinson's complete script for Book II. It is fascinating to see just how detailed a brief is provided for the artist to follow,and how closely the artist depicts the written directions.