Christopher Priest Says Vampirella Has The Best Writing Of His Career

Posted in: Comics, Dynamite | Tagged: christopher priest, Sonja Reborn, vampirella

Christopher Priest Says Vampirella Has The Best Writing Of His Career

Christopher Priest Says Vampirella Has The Best Writing Of His Comics Career... and he has a free sampler so you can get caught up and read it as well

Published Thu, 12 Nov 2026 07:30:08 -0600
by Rich Johnston
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Article Summary

• Christopher Priest says Vampirella has the best writing of his career, even if it gets less attention than Marvel or DC.
• Priest and Dynamite released a free Vampirella sampler, the Vampler, to help new readers catch up fast.
• Vampirella #8 breaks from continuity with a manga-inspired story by Priest and newcomer artist Ziyan Qiu.
• Priest previews the road to Vampirella #700, balancing multiple arcs, artist shifts, and major story changes.

Christopher Priest, better known for writing Black Panther, Quantum And Woody, Green Lantern, Spider-Man Vs Wolverine, and Deathstroke, is into his eighth volume of Vampirella at Dynamite Entertainment. But says, "I'm doing some of the best writing of my career, and it's not getting as much notice because Captain America is not going to show up in it." I remember, at the time of the Black Lives Matter movement, as many publishers tried to address some of the issues being raised in one way or another, observing that Priest was doing it better than anyone at Marvel and DC, in the pages of a comic about a white female vampire. And he never stopped using that comic book to talk about the biggest historical, political and social issues in America, all the time in that skimpy Borat mankini. Talking to ComicPop Returns, he laid out the issues behind getting more people to read Vampirella and recalled a little Black Panther history…

"This is the Amazing Spider-Man of Dynamite. This is their signature character flagship book. Matt Idelson and I have worked together on and off for 30 years, you know. Matt Idelson is the father of Everett K. Ross, a character who originated in Kazar, and Matt Idelson was my editor of Kazar in those days. Then, when we started Black Panther, I moved the Ross character into it. Matt and I go way, way back and have kind of built our own corner of the Dynamite Universe. Vamperella is the best book that not enough people are reading."

But he also has a solution.

"Before Nick Baruccci talked me into writing the book, I wasn't a big Vamper. I knew who
she was. I had seen the Warren stuff. I had written a couple of stories for Harris. But I wasn't really that engaged with Vampirella. And a lot of superhero fans don't really know what to do with Vampirella. I'm not really into horror and and maybe there's too much cheesecake showing on the covers or whatever. So, there's this reticence, and I understand that. Which is why we put a free sampler online so people who have never read Vampirella could get a chance to take a look at it. It tells you everything you need to know about about the character. It introduces her whole supporting cast about the premise."

That's the "Vampler" and it's right here. And as for what's coming next, some changes have b een made to the creative team. Regular Vampirella artist Ergün Gündüz has been jumped ahead to the #700 issues.

"We're coming up on our 700th issue. So our regular artist is named Ergün Gündüz. He's a Turkish fella. He does amazing stuff with colour, just gorgeous work. But he ain't the fastest guy in the world. So we jumped Urggon ahead to 700, he's been drawing #700, #701. He's working on #703 or #704 now. And then we brought in Davis Goetten, and he's the guy that's drawing the book now, and he's fabulous. And Davis is the guy that's drawing the issues that lead up to issue 700."

Which is giving Priest some new challenges…

"So, I'm writing this arc that happens before 700, and I'm writing this arc that happens after 700. And then I have to drive the golden spike between the two storylines and make sure that Davis' arc swans dives right into Urggon's arc and that all this stuff somehow makes sense, right? So, it's kind of like I'm writing this book out of sequence, and I'm trying to remember where I'm at and where all the characters are. Is she in the room or not? Is he in the room or not? You know… we're running a little behind the calendar. So I said, look, instead of doing a fill-in, why don't we do a special issue? Why don't we just completely jettison all the continuity? You don't need to know anything, not one word about Vampirella to read #8."

Though you could still read the Vamplr. So what's so different about Vampirella #8?

"It is a completely different interpretation of the character in a different setting in a different world. If you have been reading the book, you will recognise these characters, but they're all playing different roles. Like there's this guy who's the prince and you'll know the prince is actually Benny the witch. Now who's Benny the witch? Read the comic, people."

You just might have to read it left to right… as the comic will be manga-adjacent, drawn by newcomer manga artist Ziyan Qiu in black and white with colour accents.

"I am not a manga writer. Maybe I'll be a manga writer one day, but you know, this is me sort of going, I really liked Lone Wolf and Cub."

He suggested retailers flip at least one copy so the Nishi Lee back cover can be displayed the correct way round. Beyond Vampirella, Priest confirmed a sequel to Sonja Reborn is in the works for next year. He is also developing a series for DC and has a project at Humanoids called Babylon, about which he can currently say nothing. "I get yelled at every time I do…" Here are the Vampirella titles currently being solicited for publication by Priest and Dynamite as well as what the legacy issues are ahead of #700… Vampirella #7 (#694) was published last month.

• VAMPIRELLA #8 (#695)
  (W) Christopher Priest (A) Ziyan Qiu (CA) Lucio Parrillo
  SPECIAL MANGA ISSUE! Reeling from the effects of her therapist's prescription medication, Vampirella enters a world of her own creation combining ancient tradition with political futurism. When the benevolent king of mystical Escala is murdered, Vampirella must honor the tradition of wüde –"Martial Virtue," the warrior's ethical boundaries of respect, benevolence, and humility – to take responsibility for the crime, even if it forces her to hunt down the man she loves.This wild and exotic departure from Vampi's normal continuity is being presented in the Manga tradition, with the book reading from back to front and panels flowing from right to left. In addition to a new stunning cover by fan favorite Lucio Parillo, Vampirella #8 will also feature the talents of Derrick Chew, Joseph Michael Linsner, Elias Chatzoudis, and cosplay by Rachel Hollon and Dilemmatown, as well as special back cover art by Nishi Lee (Destiny NY, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). This issue, written by series regular Christopher Priest, introduces exciting newcomer Ziyan Qiu on art, which will run in black and white with color accents. $4.99 11/25/2026
• VAMPIRELLA #9 (#696)
  (W) Christopher Priest (A) Davis Goetten (CA) Lucio Parrillo
  In his quest for revenge against Dracula for the death of his family, the vampiric monolith ACAMPIS targets Dracula's protege Victory, forcing Vampirella into their conflict in to save her frenemy from an eternity of enslavement to the undead. $4.99 12/23/2026
• VAMPIRELLA #10 (#697)
  (W) Christopher Priest (A) Davis Goetten (CA) Lucio Parrillo
  The countdown to issue #700 continues! As the looming threat of Acampis – the composite creature who has stolen the power of the interdimensional demon Belial – grows, Vampirella must hunt down an old friend who has ensorceled her mother, while keeping a terrible secret from Katie, the young vampirette. Even Vampirella isn't immune to the dire consequences of a broken trust… $4.99 1/20/2027

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