Bleeding Cool: Nancy Collins Talks Vampirella And Jennifer Blood For New Swords Of Sorrow Mini

[Dylan Davison]

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2015/05/...f-sorrow-mini/

Doug Murray, co-writer of Jungle Girl: Season 3 #2, talks with writer Nancy Collins about Swords of Sorrow: Vampirella/Jennifer Blood #1, both on sale now. Cover art by Billy Tan.

DOUG MURRAY: A hero/killer that targets sleazebags seems very similar. What makes Jennifer Blood different from, say, the Executioner, the Punisher, etc.

NANCY COLLINS: Jennifer Blood, as opposed to the Executioner or the Punisher, comes from a crime family. In fact, she was the daughter of its boss. Her father was murdered by his own brothers when he tried to make their syndicate more ‘legit’, and one of her uncles was responsible for driving her mother to suicide. While she is motivated by revenge, she is more a rebel insider than an ex-military man or former undercover cop. And, unlike Mack Bolan and Frank Castle, she was still functioning as a wife and mother while exacting her vendetta against her uncles. She eventually lost her husband and children, as well—not to assassins, but as the consequences of her own actions. In fact, she murdered her own husband when he threatened to report her to the cops and divorce her for being a killer.

DM: Tell me more about ‘the Kabal’.

NC: The Kabal is a covert supernatural organization run by monsters that polices monsters. Their agenda is to keep the more anti-social members of the supernatural community from doing things that would force the Vatican to mobilize its elite “Witches Hammer” strike-force, as well as prevent anyone from triggering The Apocalypse, as that would upend the power dynamic. Demons tend to possess humans and/or destroy them—and since a good number of the supernatural community (vampires, werewolves, etc) require humans as nourishment, Hell On Earth would spell extinction for them as well. The Kabal isn’t a force for Good so much as it is Enlightened Self-Interest—Not unlike the CIA.

DM: Vampi flies several times in the story—twice in full view of various civilians. Is/Would this lead to complications?

NC: Vampirella isn’t particularly worried about maintaining a ‘secret identity’ in her world. If she has to, she uses her hypnotism to wipe out memories. Weird crap happens in her universe all the time.

DM: In the Michael Moorcock ‘Elric’ books there are only two ‘Mournblades’—in this series of stories, three are several—can you explain? Or is it a spoiler that has to be held until the end.

NC: You’d have to ask Gail Simone that question. I have no clue as to what the plot of the main series is—that’s Gail’s bailiwick. All I know is that Vampirella’s sword is modeled on the sickle-sword of Kali and Jennifer Blood has a machete-like blade.

DM: Finally, in what sort of world is it possible for a red light district to form between two amusement parks that pride themselves on ‘Family Entertainment’?

NC: Ours. There is notorious hooker strip in Anaheim between Disney World and Knott’s Berry Farm called Beach Boulevard.

I have been loVing Nancy's stuff on Vampirella, so this will be great too, I am sure! I have it waiting for me at the store, I believe. Picking it up Monday.

[Ragdoll]

I love Jennifer Blood but have no clue about Vampirella or whatever Sword of Sorrow is. Will I be confused if I try to read this or can I read it as just a JB fan?

[Dylan Davison]

I love Jennifer Blood but have no clue about Vampirella or whatever Sword of Sorrow is. Will I be confused if I try to read this or can I read it as just a JB fan?

Well Swords of Sorrow is a cross over, in this mini, Vampirella is tossed in to Jennifer Blood's world. Each main character has a special sword given to them to use. And that is basicly where this series starts.

Nancy says it better in this quote from another interview:

BYRON BREWER: OK, we in June are into the second issue of this great miniseries which is part of Dynamite’s salute of its wonderful female heroes. What do we need to know if we are a new reader just jumping on here? (You know how those #1’s vanish!)

NANCY COLLINS: Vampirella has been taken from her world and is now trapped in that of Jennifer Blood—which bears a close resemblance to our reality, in that the supernatural does not exist. Both Vampirella and Jennifer are in possession of strange swords given to them by a mysterious figure called The Courier on behalf of an even more mysterious figure called The Traveller, but neither of them have any idea as to what the swords can do or why they have been given them

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2015/03/...ennifer-blood/

I have not read the first issue yet, but based on previews as long as you know that Vampirella is a vampire, who hunts vampires and is tossed into Jennifers world you could be okay to read it.

I know who Jennifer Blood is, but never read anything from her before, so I am thinking it will be ok for me to jump into as well.

Nancy was asked in a interview:

JB: What do you think could be the biggest appeal to new readers who have never tried Vampirella or Jennifer Blood before this event?

NC: I wanted to combine the fantastic with a crime drama, ala The Hidden or Angel Heart. If a scantily clad vampire monster-hunter and a tough-as-nails female vigilante throwing down against narco gangbangers and enemies from beyond time & space doesn’t bring in eyeballs, I don’t know what will. I only hope that the mini-series provides enough of a glimpse into the characters to inspire new readers to find out more about Vampirella and Jennifer Blood via the various collections Dynamite has released.

http://www.comicosity.com/interview-...nancy-collins/

So I am not sure. To me, it sounds like something newcomers may be able to understand, so it could work for you.

Once I read the first issue (will be getting it this Monday) I can let you know more.