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| cover by Sanjulian |
But, perhaps you exclaim, how could this be possible? Could they get the rights to use the Spirit?
You betch'um, Red Rider. At this point in time, Warren was not only publishing reprints of The Spirit, but Will Eisner himself was editing the book for them. Many things were possible.
I'll be honest, i'd completely forgotten this strange little story from the 50th issue of Vampirella. Add in a Pantha girl or two, ancient Egyptians, the mystery of the pyramids and a blackmarket baby operation run by Granny Goose, and you've got a packed full 50th issue extravaganza.
And it's a big one, so unbuckle-up and here we go!
Our story opens with the previously teased splash page-
After that first chapter to set the tale, we shift to find Conrad Van Helsing suffering bloody visions in the night:
Note that in the tradition of the classic tales like early Justice Society Of America adventures, each chapter is drawn by a different artist, and frequently features different members of the cast. After Conrad shares his premonitions with Vampi and his son, Adam, the pair head off to seek information from Nubia El Marna - yet another in his global web of informants and mystics. Specifically, they need to learn more about the amulet she acquired as Conrad feels it is at the center of things...
She tells them of how the Pharaoh Khufu one day rescued a mysterious stranger, to whom he gave the name Khafra. Kahfra was a shapeshifter from the stars and original owner of the amulet. He constructed the great pyramid of Khufu, and his own, as well and began construction on a third for his successor. "Khafra wished the three pyramids placed in a line, so, he claimed, the great gods could see that the people of Egypt had not forgotten them!"
That night, after all have settled to bed and sleep...
Meanwhile, in New York City, our next chapter begins...
While the opening circumstances may seem to have little bearing on our tale, the conversations turn back to Wildwood...
While Conrad seeks the Spirit of Denny Colt, Vampir & Adam arrive just in time to see their contact kidnapped and quickly pursue. Tracking the kidnappers to their lair, they find the hostages about to be shot. Adam uses the amulet to join with Vampi as...
"For as long as there has been recorded time, this amulet has graced the throats of a noble family. A family that was spawned by Khafra, Pharaoh, Healer, and Star-Traveler."
She explains that the power to shift to panther form is bread into their genetics, but the amulet is required to assuage the shock, preventing mental damage and insanity. Tracing the vibrations, she determines that the last descendant is a girl in Egypt, and sends the pair off again on her trail.
The next chapter had no credits on the splash page, so we'll jump straight into the action as Vampi seeks our missing girl. But first, let's meet her next contacts:
Vampi arrives soon after, and the meeting proceeds as a typical courteous brush-off until...
Not at all suspicious behaviour, eh? Unsurprisingly, Vampi returns surreptitiously in aerial rodent form to find-
After the messy bits, the amulet is returned and her memory restored - including her recollection of having been sold by Granny Goose! With the shock and horror of all that has happened to her, Pantha decides to leave this miserable world and return to her own. It turns out she was found with her own craft, which is still accessible...
With Pantha's mystery solved, we break tradition from those old JSA stories - the entire team does not reunite for the final chapter, at last delving into the question of
And, so, in the end - no Spirit in this world. But a delightfully odd intersection between two realities.
story by Bill Dubay, art by Jose Gonzales, Esteban Maroto, Ramon Torrents, and Jose Ortiz for Vampirella #50 (1976)
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