A stunning and gorgeous depiction of the Vamp from Another World, that’s the best way to describe this piece. As comic book characters go, Vampi has a great design courtesy of Trina Robbins, but that’s where her appeal ends for me. Despite that, soon as i saw this thing i knew i had to write a review of it. Though I call it a statue, this particular piece is also referred to by Sideshow as a “comiquette”, which is their way of saying it is a depiction of a comic book character done in the style of a maquette.
This piece is cast in heavyweight polystone, stands 18 inches high and comes in two editions. It was sculpted by Tony Cipriano, and painted by Kat Sapene. The regular edition is limited to 1000 pieces, and the exclusive edition (which features two different heads, presumably not to be used simultaneously) is limited to 750 pieces.
Vampirella, as is subtly hinted at in her name, is a vampire. After that, it gets complicated. Originally Vampi was an alien from the planet Drakulon, a world where everyone was a vampire and where blood was as common as water, and the rivers and lakes were full of the stuff. Unfortunately, Drakulon was beset by a series of droughts that were drying up the blood and slowly wiping out the inhabitants. Luckily for Vampi, as the last of her kind lie dying along comes a spaceship from earth! After realizing earthlings have something red and yummy in their veins Vampi steals the ship and makes her way to earth where, being a “nice” vampire, she uses her superpowers to fight evil. At least, that’s how it started. Eventually the origin was rebooted to a far less imaginative one that has Vampirella as the daughter of an ancient Jewish demoness called Lilith. Apparently, the whole Drakulon thing was just some delusion planted in Vampi’s mind by her evil siblings Huey and Dewey. No, scratch that, I meant “her evil siblings Madek and Magdelene.” Later it turned out that Drakulon was real after all, but it was a suburb of hell rather than an alien planet and that the idea that it was another planet was planted in Vampirella’s pretty little head not by her siblings but by mommy, who it turns out is evil! Oi vey, I’ll take the first origin story any day, thank you!
Being a vampire, Vampi has all the usual stuff like super strength, super speed, the ability to change into a bat, the power to hypnotize people, and the ability to wear the same outrageous outfit year after year, decade after decade, without being laughed at. She does not however suffer from all the usual vampire impediments like not being able to go out in the sun or eat Garlic Bread.
The pose on this piece is attractive but nothing special, just Vampi standing there with her arms up. No unusually interesting shapes going on, no great amount of expressiveness, but then this piece doesn’t need those things, because it is all about the body sculpt! Voluptuous yet elegant, Vampirella has hips which are generous but not overdone and full thighs that look sexy and soft without coming across as fat. The waist is slim and tapered without being too small, and the breasts are full and round and appear to defy gravity. No two ways about it, the gorgeous and sensuous body sculpt is the highlight of this piece. She even looks great from the back. And the side. And pretty much every other angle…
As I mentioned earlier, this statue comes in two versions. The only difference is that the exclusive version has a second head. I prefer the character’s face looking more or less at the viewer so it is the “regular” statue that I have focused on. For those wondering, this is what she looks like with the upturned head.
I suppose it conveys a certain feeling of sexual abandon, but I really prefer the open-eyed, lookin’ at ya version. All this talk of heads brings me to the face. Like the body, Vampi’s head is very finely sculpted, though the expression is a little weird, goofy — almost as if Vampi has been at the Happy Weed. Yes, people, Vampi looks stoned out of her mind. Look out when this babe gets the munchies!
The paintjob on Vampi’s face is one of the best I’ve seen. I am especially impressed with the lips and the way they have been given a darker outline. The rest of the paintjob is also admirable, especially on the base. The variation in tone used on the skulls, the slimy look on the snake and the almost velvety texture of the bats’ wings, all fantastically well executed. Most bases are there just to stop the statue falling over, this one is a work of art all in itself.
From her raven-tressed head to her snake and skull festooned feet, this depiction of the comic book world’s favorite heroic vampire is a spectacular example of the sculptor’s art and one guaranteed to make any collector drool. Now, if only i could find a spare 700 dollars…