Today is the U.S. release date for Suicide Squad, the latest superhero movie from Warner Bros.—although this one is more of a super-villain movie, since the majority of the team is comprised of bad guys from the DC Universe. Starring Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club) as the Joker, Margot Robbie (The Legend of Tarzan) as Harley Quinn, Will Smith (Independence Day) as Deadshot, Karen Fukuhara as Katana, Jai Courtney (Terminator: Genisys) as Captain Boomerang, Joel Kinnaman (The Killing) as team leader Rick Flagg, and Viola Davis (How to Get Away with Murder) as Squad commander Amanda Waller, this Warner Bros. production adapts the popular DC Comics series created by writers John Ostrander and Kim Yale and artist Luke Ross. And, no surprise, it’s Robbie’s dangerously sexy/violently psychotic Harley who’s getting all the attention—just as Harley always has, from her first appearance in the Batman: The Animated Series cartoons right up to her current status as DC Comics’ answer to Marvel’s Deadpool.
Harley Quinn also has a bit of a presence here at ’Warp Central, because she appears in Heroines and Heroes, our latest free digital comic. “V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N (in the Summertime)” is a short adventure that I wrote and drew in the late 1990s as an audition for DC Comics’ Batman: The Animated Series comic (spoiler: I didn’t get the job), and pits the Clown Princess of Crime against none other than Wonder Woman! H&H also collects other comic stories I’ve drawn over the years, starring indie characters the Blonde Avenger, the anthropomorphic Motorbike Puppies, and the humanoid-rabbit spy Snowbuni. And did I mention it’s a free comic?
And speaking of dangerously sexy characters like Harley, have you met Lorelei, StarWarp Concepts’ resident soul-stealing succubus? Making her small-press comics debut in 1989, Lori is SWC’s first leading lady of horror, and has received praise from some high-profile fans.
Like who, you ask? How about James Warren, the legendary original publisher of Vampirella, Creepy, and Eerie, who sent his congratulations after reading a preview of the graphic novel Lorelei: Sects and the City:
“You sure do pay Warren Publishing a nice tribute. I wish you good luck and good acceptance. I like the graphics, and the story is exciting!”
And then there was the late, great Forrest J Ackerman, Vampirella’s creator and the driving force behind the original Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine. The Ackermonster saw the same preview and mailed me a postcard with this simple message that thrilled my inner fanboy:
“Lorelei, you’ve cast your spell o’er this guy!”
Lori currently stars in two critically acclaimed titles:
Lorelei: Sects and the City is a Mature Readers graphic novel in which Lori battles a cult of Elder God worshipers attempting to unleash hell on Earth. Basically a love letter to 1970s horror comics like Vampirella, Tomb of Dracula, and Ghost Rider, it’s written by yours truly, Steven A. Roman (Stan Lee’s Alexa, X-Men: The Chaos Engine Trilogy), and illustrated by Eliseu Gouveia (Vengeance of the Mummy, Lady Death), Steve Geiger (Web of Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk), and Neil Vokes (Flesh and Blood, Fright Night). It also features a cover by legendary artist Esteban Maroto (Vampirella, Zatanna, Lady Rawhide), a frontispiece by original Vampirella artist Tom Sutton (Ghost Rider, Man-Thing, Werewolf by Night), and a one-page history of succubi illustrated by Ernie Colon (Vampirella, The Grim Ghost).
“I can honestly say that I enjoyed the hell out of this book…. The art is solid, the story is full of lots of things that make the horror genre so great, and the overall quality of the book is top notch.”—Die-Screaming
“Kudos to Roman for capturing the essence of 1970s fare like Vampirella. Filled with ghouls, chicks, and some strong artwork, this is a title that might’ve piqued Hammer Studios’ interest back in the day.”—Dread Central
Lorelei Presents: House Macabre: It’s Lori’s first outing as the hostess of a horror comic anthology, in this one-shot special that contains four tales of horror, behind eye-catching cover art by fan-favorite artist Louis Small Jr. (Vampirella, Supergirl, Batman 80-Page Giant).
- “The Old, Dark Manse” is written by me and illustrated by Uriel Caton (JSA Annual, The Ex-Mutants, Heartstopper: The Legend of La Bella Tenebrosa) and “Chainsaw” Chuck Majewski (Harvey Kurtzman’s New Two-Fisted Tales), and has Lori welcoming readers to this special.
- “All in Color for a Crime” is another tale from me, with art by Lou Manna (T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, Young All-Stars). Two comic book collectors clash over a rare back issue—and only one of them will be adding it to their long boxes!
- “The Basilisk,” from me and artist John Pierard (Graphic Classics: Horror Classics, My Teacher Fried My Brains), is a “Lori’s Feary Tale” that examines the history of a supernatural creature that’s a cross between a deadly snake and a…chicken?!
- Wrapping up the special is “Requiem for Bravo 6,” by New York Times bestselling author and comic writer Dwight Jon Zimmerman (She-Hulk, Steve McQueen: Full-Throttle Cool) and artist Juan Carlos Abraldes Rendo. A special-ops team goes on a life-or-death mission…but will they be prepared for what awaits them at mission’s end?
“This is like a cross between Elvira and House of Mystery, where you’ve got a very sexy hostess who loves the Macabre and tells you stories that are supposed to chill and thrill you…. This whole book is such a pleasant surprise, [and] something that should be sought out by everyone.”—Reading With a Flight Ring
“Any fans of the old-fashioned horror anthology comics (Eerie, Creepy, Tales From the Crypt, etc.) is gonna want to take a look at this one-shot from StarWarp Concepts…. If campy horror fun is your thing, this should be a hit for you.”—The Pullbox
Heroines and Heroes is a digital exclusive. Lorelei: Sects and the City and Lorelei Presents: House Macabre are available in print and digital formats. Visit their respective product pages for ordering information, as well as sample pages.
