Amanda Conner

Jose Gonzales

Joe Jusko

Gonzales Mayo

Jimmy Palmiotti

Louis Small Jnr

Mark Texeira

Comics

Covers

At first glance it might seem strange to select Michael Bair as one of Vampirella's artists, especially as his work is fairly sparse.

But what work!

His drawings exude a sexiness that is rare, even among so-called 'bad girl' artists (I hate the phrase 'bad girl') because Vampirella is not only devastatingly alluring but she is somehow still real. The example on the left shows this to perfection. It is almost photographic in quality, and there's no mistaking that here is a woman you would be wise not to trifle with.

So, let us take a look at some of Michael Bair's work, from his earlier to his later.

The place to start is one of his later works for Vampirella, The Blood Red Game (seen here on the right) which was published in the 25th Anniversary Special.

The story sees the return of the Blood Red Queen of Hearts with a new twist, but all we are interested in here is the dramatic depiction of Vampi chained and helpless. She has been captured by the Queen in order to force her to give her heart willingly (because she needs sustenance in the form of blood having been starved by the Queen over several days).

Needless to say the story ends up in Vampirella's favour, but here we see an example of Vampirella helpless that is unusual (and even moreso in her more recent stories).

However, Michael Bair is really known for his 3-parter story The Red Death.

The story introduces us to one of Vampirella's greatest enemies, Haemorrhage, a mutant with the power to manipulate blood.

The panels show Bair's ability to combine images, while his imagination and the writer Ian Edginton's imagination (helped by Tom Sniegoski in the first of the three stories) give us weird blood-dripping fantasy that is among the best in Vampirella's long history.

I am especially fond of the one on the right, with the use of perspective and colour.

But it isn't all pinup cheesecake. He also has a penchant for demons of the dark and the night. How else can you describe the panel below?

Michael Bair is one of the best in my book. I'm just sorry we have seen so little of his work. 

Profile:

Vampirella Gallery Trading card 56

Interviews:

Scarlet Letters #6

Below is a list of the stories Michael Bair has illustrated

Story

Comics the story has appeared in

The Red Death Part 1

Below is a list of all the comic covers Michael Bair has illustrated

Vampirella of Drakulon #1

Vampirella of Drakulon #1 (alternate Michael Bair cover)

Vampirella vs Haemorrhage (limited ashcan #1)

Vampirella vs Haemorrhage #1 (alternate cover)

Vampirella vs Haemorrhage #2

Vampirella vs Haemorrhage #3

Vampirella Wetworks #1

  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.