Christopher Priest And Ergün Gündüz Reunite For A New ‘Vampirella’ #1

by Erik Amaya

The road to Vampirella #700 continues with a new Vampirella #1!

Dynamite announced Thursday the imminent arrival of the “debut” issue — which will also count as #676 in the legacy numbering — featuring Vampi’s most consistent writer, Christopher Priest, re-teaming with artist Ergün Gündüz for a tale that continues the writer’s ongoing Vampirella saga.

“The Long Night” sees the Daughter of Drakulon dealing with “a severe case of postpartum depression, even while finally reunited with her previously stolen infant son.” But readers will also see parallel versions of what that depression could manifest — including a cyberpunk dystopia brought on when an embittered Vampi unleashes nuclear devastation. Of course, “The Long Night” has been mentioned in previous Vampirella stories as a twilight of the age. Will she finally embrace the prophetic vision of a “vampire Ragnarök” in which she creates the ultimate end?

In the first issue, the mysterious Cicero, who claims to be Vampi’s son from the future, enters her life. Although, he also claims he hails from the time of her 100th anniversary! Good to know she’ll survive that long even if the rest of the world is headed for that Long Night.

“I think the best kinds of challenges you can toss at a protagonist are the ones they cannot punch through. There’s way too much boring violence being used to resolve conflict in today’s comics,” Priest said in a statement. “Good writing involves conflict but conflict isn’t always about violence. You put your character in a headlock, in a no-win scenario, ideally in a mess of their own making, and then follow them as they resolve that conflict through their strength of character. Vampirella’s present situation, her being suddenly confounded by the unimaginable impact of motherhood, is the direct cause and effect of the future story and the reason her son, an adult many decades in the future, has returned to warn her.”

The first issue will be supported with covers from Lucio Parrillo, Greg Land, Elias Chatzoudis, Jay Anacleto, Mark Spears, and cosplayer Rachel Hollon.