David F. Walker & Brett Weldele To Guide ‘Victory’ In Her Own Solo Series This June
by Erik Amaya
The latest Vampirella character to get their own Dynamite series is Victory.
Christopher Priest and Ergün Gündüz first introduced the character in Free Comic Book Day 2019’s Vampirella #0. In its pages, she debuted as Victoria Harris, an African American woman who entered Vampirella’s orbit alongside other newcomers, but the encounter set her on a true thrill ride. Initiating a relationship with Vampi, Victoria was enamored with her partner’s abilities and costume. But the ride hit a valley as she eventually came into possession of a cursed, demonic ring and agreed to do Lillith’s bidding by turning against Vampirella.
And now, Bitter Root writer David F. Walker and artist Brett Weldele are taking Victoria’s story to the next level with Victory, which sees her adopting her own take on Vampi’s costume and moving from pawn to player. But will she prove to a friend or another fearsome enemy in Vampirella’s gallery of dastardly antagonists?
“Victory is an interesting supporting character, but the thing to keep in mind is that she’s been a supporting character, and for me those characters are always more fun to write,” Walker said in a statement. “When you take a successful supporting character and elevate them to leading character status, it is important to remember that what you’re doing is adding to someone that already exists – it’s like adding spices, or even ingredients, to a meal that’s already been cooked. The key is to enhance what is already there, and in my mind the best way to do that is to explore previously unknown aspects of who they are, and then take them to places that challenge what they think of themselves.” That means previously unknown aspects of Victoria’s past and her “largely unrevealed traumatic childhood” will be revealed even as she amps up her present.
Weldele added, “It’s natural to want to make the definitive version of a character, especially one who has a lot of story left to be told. As a painter, I gravitate towards other painters – Frazetta, Sanjulian. I admire the linework and atmosphere of Jose Gonzalez. Big shoes for sure, but I think with my two decades in this industry I’m bringing something unique to the table. I want to explore that sense of atmosphere, but with a modern flair. It’s also fun to world-build around Victory and what her solo adventures entail. We’re imbuing Victory with the flavor of exploitation films that David and I love. It’s the secret sauce and a common theme in our collaborations.”
Supporting the first issue are covers from Dave Johnson, Bryan Hitch, Ariel Diaz, Carla Cohen, and Geebo Vigonte, along with a cosplay cover from Alicia Marie with Rachel Hollon joining her as Vampi.
Victory #1 is scheduled for release in June of 2023.
