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Book Review: From the Stars… A Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures

cover for From the Stars... A Vampiress

From the Stars…A Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures by Steven A. Roman, with a forward by the official Vampirella historian Sean Fernald  (  Bookshop.org |  Amazon.com )

StarWarp Concepts, 2020

ISBN: 9780998236148

Available: Paperback

 

From the Stars…a Vampiress provides a great reference guide to one of the most recognizable female horror comics heroines, Vampirella. The first section, “The Vampire Who Fell to Earth”, tells her story from her initial creation by James Warren and Forrest J. Ackerman, and other writers and artists who helped her development such as Archie Goodwin, Jose Gonzalez, Trina Robbins, Frank Frazetta, Gonzalo Mayo, and many more, to her cancellation in 1982 after Warren Publishing closed its doors. The second section, “The Vampirella Episode Guide”, is an annotated bibliography of the Warren Publishing Vampirella stories, including ones that went unpublished. Entries include the names of the writer and artist, the issue in which the story was published, a list of main characters, setting, chronology, synopsis, and a brief review. This section makes up a bulk of the book. In the third section, “Vampi Goes to Hollywood”, Roman covers the 1966 Queen of Blood; a Vampirella film that never was, which was going to be produced by Hammer Films and to star Barbara Leigh and Peter Cushing; the unfortunate 1996 movie that starred Talisa Soto in the titular role, the Who’s Roger Daltrey, and an unfortunate redesign of Vampirella’s famous costume; and an entry that warranted less than a page about an animated film that never came to fruition. The fourth section, “The Literary Vampiress”, presents information on the Vampirella novelizations written by Ron Goulart and published by Warner Books. The fifth section provides just what it says, “The Vampirella Warren Era Checklist”. Roman presents a comprehensive list of all the Warren era Vampirella stories. Roman also includes reprint issues that were released by Dynamite Entertainment and Harris Comics.

The only criticism I have regards the use of illustrations. While there are amazing behind the scenes black and white photographs, there are very few pieces of artwork of the gorgeous Vampirella due to licensing. Otherwise, From the Stars…A Vampiress is not only a fantastic reference guide, but it is also a love letter to the fanged horror heroine. New fans and old will be interested in the Vampirella bibliography especially. Libraries that specialize in comics history should consider including this volume in their collection as well. Highly recommended.

Fun fact: One of my most prized comics is an issue of Vampirella with Julie Strain as the cover model.

 

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Posted on July 25, 2020 by , Reply

Documentary Review: All Hail the Popcorn King directed by Hansi Oppenheimer

   

All Hail the Popcorn King directed by Hansi Oppenheimer

Squee Projects LLC, 2019

Not Rated

Run time: 55 minutes

Available: on the convention circuit currently; DVD preorders available through website: https://squeeprojects.com/

 

“If you’ve read Joe Lansdale, you love Joe Lansdale.”

–Mick Garris

Award-winning East Texas-based author Joe R. Lansdale is the focus of director Hansi Oppenheimer’s documentary film, All Hail the Popcorn King.  Oppenheimer follows Lansdale as he discusses growing up in Nacogdoches, TX in the 1950s, and what influenced his love of storytelling. Lansdale also talks about how he embarked on his writing career, how he has woven personal experiences into his work, and how he created his own unique genre. Included in the film are interviews with Joe Hill, David J. Schow, Del Howison, Brian Keene, Rick Klaw, Don Coscarelli, Bruce Campbell, James Purefoy, and more.

Q & A at the Nacogdoches Film Festival

Watching the documentary, it is clear Lansdale loves history. His eyes light up as he takes Hansi through the community center that used to be the library, discussing historical figures such as Davy Crockett, whose portrait hangs in a display case behind glass. As he talks about his love of drive-ins and movies, especially reminiscing about watching but not hearing films being played at the drive-in from a window, with his mother making up the story unfolding on the big screen, it is apparent where his love of storytelling comes from. Of course, there is much conversation about his works, such as Bubba Ho-Tep, the Hap and Leonard series, The Drive-In, and more. Joe also discusses the martial science he developed, Shen Chuan. Bruce Campbell says of Lansdale, “Do not sneak up on Joe.”

Hansi and Joe at the Cocteau Theater in Santa Fe, with George R.R. Martin

In the summary of the documentary, it reads “We pay homage to one of the Great American Authors.” Indeed, the film accomplishes this. Oppenheimer does a great job weaving the interviews with Joe and everyone else with comic book and drive-in movie style graphics that add a unique touch to the content. Listening to Lansdale talk about his life and history will make anyone want to take it all in. All Hail the Popcorn King belongs on any bookshelf that contains his works, and also provides a great introduction to new and potential readers. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

 

Posted on July 10, 2020 by , Reply

Book Review: Shapeshifters: A History by John B. Kachuba

Shapeshifters: A History by John B. Kachuba

Reaktion Books Ltd, 2019

ISBN-13: 978 -1789140798

Available: Hardcover

 

 

Do you know the origin of the word berserk?  Have you heard about a community of vampires in Buffalo, New York? Do you think of Jesus as a shapeshifter? These are some examples of information from the ancient past to the present that you will find in John B. Kachuba’s Shapeshifters: A History. This is a short book packed full of interesting details from myths and legends from around the world, historical research that sifts through the beliefs about shapeshifters in different cultures, and many brief stories of the exploits, drama, and dangers associated with these sometimes frightening creatures whether animal, human, or supernatural in form.

 

Kachuba presents a wide-ranging array of shapeshifters that stretches the definition of the word from physical transformations to psychological anomalies. He branches out to consider masks and costumes as ways people attempt to shape shift. Individual chapters suggest narrow categories such as the shapeshifting powers of gods, goddesses, and faeries, even gender transformations, but within the chapters, there is an attempt to pull in so many different categories, time periods, cultures, and religions that some sections become descriptive lists interspersed with storytelling and repetitive analysis. The vampire and werewolf chapters contain mainly information that will be familiar to most seasoned readers, but even so, there are fresh perspectives and analysis.

 

As Kachuba takes us back and forth through the centuries, he provides historical perspective and takes time to examine the origins of the beliefs and how they have been related to morals, values, education, and parenting. He notes the positive and negative influences that a belief in shapeshifting has had around the world and over time. The section on literature and the media provides young adult readers with information on related books, films, art, and television shows that will reveal how shapeshifting is still interesting to us today. Overall, this entertaining book is the type you’ll want to dip into according to your whims and use to further your own explorations on the topic. Recommended.

 

Reviewed by Nova Hadley

 

Editor’s note: Shapeshifters: A History was nominated to the final ballot of the 2019 Bram Stoker Award in the category of Superior Achievement in Non-Fiction.

Posted on April 7, 2020 by , Reply
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