Michael Bair

Amanda Conner

Jose Gonzales

Joe Jusko

Gonzales Mayo

Jimmy Palmiotti

Mark Texeira

Comics

Covers

Imagine the scene.  A new regular Vampirella comic has appeared after 20 months, heralding a new beginning. It appears on the news stands. You buy it, open it ... and are greeted by the image on the right.

Wild, feral, savage ... a new style of Vampirella is rushing straight out of the page at you. Louis Small Junior has arrived, and done so with a vengeance.

He was to take Vampirella into a new era, one where she had lost her innocence forever and changed into a liberated, stronger character.

Louis was to skip into the Vampirella stories with irregular frequency, bringing his style and (in my opinion) improving dramatically.

Although his illustrations for the initial stories in 1992 were somewhat rough and sketchy (and occasionally quite 'rough' as far as Vampirella herself was portrayed) he began to develop a style that became both dramatic and stylish. The example in the panel on the right from a later story in Vampirella Monthly is a good example.

Totally clothed in latex, Vampi oozes ... with her pouting lips and long fingernails as she prepares to join the Sisters in battling all the vampires. It is a far cry from the rather more innocent woman in the seatbelt below left. Somehow the thought of Vampirella 'buckling up' is difficult to face, yet Louis draws her as if it is the most natural thing in the world.

Louis has also illustrated quite a number of covers over the years. He has also illustrated the Holy War saga and the Hell on Earth storyline.

One of Vampirella's diversions was the Vampirella Strikes series, and I very much like the illustrations to the two stories he drew in this series.

These two stand out as wild, exciting rides, as Vampirella battles the usual. In the timeline I have placed these stories after she has returned from the dead, but before the Ascending Evil saga has started. 

Next, Louis brought his talent to the first battle between Lady Death and Vampi. For me Louis' version of Lady Death far surpasses her normal appearance in her own comic.

She is more vibrant, more alluring, more human (but then perhaps that's the point as in the story she regains her humanity for a short time). Look at the panel on the right. Perfectly balanced, beautiful colouring, dramatic action ... it's all there.

There is much more to see of Louis Small Junior, and I look forward to seeing what comes next.

Interviews:

Scarlet Letters #7

Scarlet Letters #9

Below is a list of the stories Louis Small Jnr has illustrated

Story

Comics the story has appeared in

The Dracula War 1: Storm Clouds Gathering

Vampirella Color Series #1

Vampirella The Dracula War (TB)

Vampirella Color Series #2

Vampirella The Dracula War (TB)

Vampirella Color Series #4

Vampirella The Dracula War (TB)

Below is a list of all the comic covers Louis Small Jnr has illustrated

Vampirella Color Series #1: 1992-95 Commemorative Edition

Vampirella Monthly #0 (limited ashcan)

Vampirella Monthly #0 (Vampirella cover)

Vampirella Monthly #4: Holy War #1 (Small cover)

Vampirella Monthly #5: Holy War #2

Vampirella Monthly #6: Holy War #3

Vampirella Monthly #10: Hell on Earth #1

Vampirella Monthly #11: Hell on Earth #2

Vampirella Monthly #12: Hell on Earth #3 (new costume)

Vampirella Monthly #12: Hell on Earth #3 (original costume)

Vampirella Monthly #12: Hell on Earth #3 Vampirella vs Mistress Nyx (chromium edition)

Vampirella Monthly #12: Hell on Earth #3 Vampirella vs Mistress Nyx (holoplaid edition)

Vampirella Monthly #12: Hell on Earth Leather (Convention ashcan)

Vampirella Monthly #16: Pantha #1 (Vampirella cover)

Vampirella Strikes #6 (alternate cover)

Vampirella/Lady Death #1 (ruby red foil edition)

Vampirella/Lady Death #1 (Valentine edition)

Vampirella/Lady Death (limited preview ashcan)

Vampirella/Shi #1 (limited chromium edition)

Vampirella/Shi #1 (limited holochrome edition)

Vampirella/Shi #1 ('pure pencils' cover)

Vampirella/Shi (limited ashcan)

Vampirella: Hell on Earth #1 (limited ashcan)

Vampirella: Hell on Earth #1 (limited leather ashcan)

Vampirella: Holy War #1 (limited ashcan)

  All images on this site are copyright © 2002, Harris Publications, Inc.  VAMPIRELLA ® and other characters are trademarks of Harris Publications, Inc. Text and concepts © 2002 Mike Grace. All rights reserved.