Presenting:
Who is what now??
For you youngsters out there, Sybil Danning is an actress who was the queen of B-movie exploitation flicks in the 1980s. Chained Heat, The Howling II, Panther Squad, Reform School Girls, Warrior Queen...Sybil did 'em all, including many a TV guest appearance.
So in 1983, Americomics decided it was a good idea to give Sybil her own comic, going so far as to include her name over the hero's logo. In fact, this was apparently an adaptation of a script for a new Danning film:
However, no trace of this movie can be found...even IMDB is mute. A project that never got off the ground? A film that fell apart during filming? Who knows?
Anyway, the comic presents our hero--and I'm quoting this verbatim:
In between fashion modeling assignments, Tiana bursts into the headquarters of the most evilest group ever, Quansa (Kwanzaa?). No, they never tell us if Quansa stands for anything.
And Quansa's top operatives? Why, the Valkyrie Unit, led by Darkfire!!
Yes, a group of female pirate ninja babes!! What else could you want from a comic book?
The story is no great shakes, as it mainly consists of Tiana getting ambushed going to and from the airport (3 times!!), reminiscing about how her lover was a traitor so she had to burn him, and finding out that Quansa has developed a mind-control device. Hey, what do you want for a quarter, anyway?
Still, it was pretty rare to get a celebrity-based comic book back in those days. It was still far too rare to get a female action hero, even in comics. And it had a bitching logo:
One final word of advice, though, for Tiana/Sybil: if you've got a choice between a Gulacy-drawn frontpiece...
...and an actual photograph...
...go with Gulacy.
Who is what now??For you youngsters out there, Sybil Danning is an actress who was the queen of B-movie exploitation flicks in the 1980s. Chained Heat, The Howling II, Panther Squad, Reform School Girls, Warrior Queen...Sybil did 'em all, including many a TV guest appearance.
So in 1983, Americomics decided it was a good idea to give Sybil her own comic, going so far as to include her name over the hero's logo. In fact, this was apparently an adaptation of a script for a new Danning film:
However, no trace of this movie can be found...even IMDB is mute. A project that never got off the ground? A film that fell apart during filming? Who knows?Anyway, the comic presents our hero--and I'm quoting this verbatim:
To the world at large, Tiana Mathews is involved with Multmonde, in the glamourous world of international high fashion modeling. Beneath the glitter she is in reality an agent for Info Com Three. Her jet set travels provide the perfect cover for the beautiful but dangerous lady spy!So, they're trying for Modesty Blaise meets James Bond via Zoolander. What could possibly go wrong?
In between fashion modeling assignments, Tiana bursts into the headquarters of the most evilest group ever, Quansa (Kwanzaa?). No, they never tell us if Quansa stands for anything.
And Quansa's top operatives? Why, the Valkyrie Unit, led by Darkfire!!
Yes, a group of female pirate ninja babes!! What else could you want from a comic book?The story is no great shakes, as it mainly consists of Tiana getting ambushed going to and from the airport (3 times!!), reminiscing about how her lover was a traitor so she had to burn him, and finding out that Quansa has developed a mind-control device. Hey, what do you want for a quarter, anyway?
Still, it was pretty rare to get a celebrity-based comic book back in those days. It was still far too rare to get a female action hero, even in comics. And it had a bitching logo:
One final word of advice, though, for Tiana/Sybil: if you've got a choice between a Gulacy-drawn frontpiece...
...and an actual photograph...
...go with Gulacy.
Ah, Sybil Danning . . . she brings back memories of yesteryear
ReplyDeleteoh damn ...I bought this series and a lot of other AC books back then...
ReplyDeleteWhat did I know know? I was in my 20's...
Sybil in leather - what can you say! Any others shots of her in these comics or shots of the comic itself?
ReplyDeleteBlack Diamond #2 had some photos of Sybil, iirc. As for the movie, I think the project was abandoned after a dispute over who owned the rights to the name and character.
ReplyDeleteColt, the back-up, was better
ReplyDelete