DEVILINA NO. 1 (PART 1)

DEVILINA
Vol. 1 No. 1
January 1975
Seaboard Periodicals, Inc.
Publishers: Martin Goodman, Charles Goodman
Editor: Jeff Rovin
Cover: Pulohar
Pages: 68

"You will be mummified in all your regal beauty!" - from 'The Lost Tomb of Nefertiri'

Originally slated with the title TALES OF THE SORCERESS, DEVILINA was Seaboard's rather anemic answer to Warren's Vampirella. The result was a product that looked like it could have easily come instead from the Skywald line of illustrated horror titles.

The stories were more closely aligned in tone to Skywald's 'zines as well, as they had a bit more of a rougher edge than the typical Warren fare. For example, the ambiguously titled "Lay of the Sea", written by Gabe Levy and drawn by Leo Duranona, contains a gang rape scene that was pretty nasty for any horror comic mag. Also, the story "The Lost Tomb of Nefertiri" by Levy and (sometime Skywald) artist Pablo Marcos depicts the shapely resurrected princess in a series of panels showing her in impossibly form-fitting mummy wrappings! There is also a segment where Moses is blamed for bringing the plague to their land, despite the contradiction made by the temple sorcerer. Pharaoh subsequently rides out on his chariot declaring, "Death to the Hebrews!".

The opening story, "Satan's Domain", written and drawn by Ric Estrada, is Devilina's origin story. On her 18th birthday, the cruelly named young woman sprouts horns (!) and finds out about her true legacy -- she's Satan's sister! But, like all female fiends who find themselves in this situation (and there has been a few), she vows instead to fight the demons from Hell.

Gary Gerani provides the single text article in this issue, a look at -- you guessed it -- female vampires, titled "Filmdom's Vampire Lovers".

Also in this issue are stories by John Albano, Marty Pasco and Michael Cahlin, and art by Ralph Reese, Jack Sparling and Leo Summers. And to top it all off, an adaptation of William Shakespeare's "The Tempest"!