Happy Halloween on what could be a scarier holiday than usual. Everyone have their candy shoot affixed to the porch railing?
As I've mentioned before, Halloween is usually a very busy time in my neighborhood, but we're not expecting nearly as much activity tonight. I have to work anyway.
For this year's Halloween post, and to add my second Save Second Base post on the final day of October, I have this pink card that came with a few cards that I picked up for mere dimes several months ago. I knew nothing about Vampirella until I came across these cards. I'm not much of a comic nerd. I'm definitely not a horror nerd. And combining the two usually isn't going to get me to buy anything.
But I do make an exception for sexily drawn women in skimpy outfits. I can't help it. Vampirella is made the way she is. I'm made the way I am.
The cards I found are from a 1995 Topps set called "Visions of Vampirella". Getting information about this set was a little tricky. I think it's about 90 cards. The set is issued in a series of subsets with different themes on the back ("genesis of Vampirella," "The Classic Gallery," "The Modern Gallery," etc.). I think there are promo cards, too, and maybe some parallels.
The cards feature Vampirella drawings from a number of artists. The comic character goes back to 1969 and has been part of a few different comic companies. So the character's likeness has been subject to many an interpretation since it was created by Forrest J. Ackerman and developed by artist Trina Robbins. But just about all of them show her in that same provocative red suit and long black hair.
Here are some that I have:
I'm sure there are diehard devotees to this comic book series, which I believe continues today, and they know all the story lines and sub-story lines and have their favorite artists and favorite episodes and all that.
But I'm still stuck on "hot vampire from another planet" and that's probably where I'll remain.
The middle cards in the set, 37-45, feature a model dressed up as Vampirella. I couldn't find her name.
The 10 cards make up a puzzle on the back, which is a larger image of the model.
That's the only puzzle piece that I have, but it's a key one.
This seems a little risque for Topps in 1995.
I ordered up the rest of the set just because I can't have 15 random cards from a set like this and it seems like the Halloween thing to do. There have been more recent Vampirella sets issued, in 2011 and 2012, by another company. I'm sure they're probably fancier with artist sketches and the like, but I'm not much of an art nerd either.
That's a look at some of the backs.
One of the backs contains a quote from comic artist Hugh Fleming, who says Vampirella's character sums up the 1970s and reminds him of '70s mainstays like Blackula and Charlie's Angels. When I think of it that way, I think that's probably why I like the card set, too. It's got that '70s spookiness and mystery.
But mostly I like it because it's a card set of a sexy vampire from outer space.
See ya in November.
To donate, like I did, go to: The National Breast Cancer Foundation.
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