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Harris Hotlines were regular promos sent to retailers, starting in the autumn 1992 and continuing up to autumn 1997 (as far as I know). Although they started out as fairly glossy newsletters (4 pages only) they quickly changed to newspaper style opening up to provide a large poster in the centre. The early ones had plenty of editorial content for retailers, but as time went on the words were replaced by pictures - usually covers for future comics. |
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Autumn 1992 This is the first issue, containing a description of Harris Comics and fairly full content on the first colour Vampirella comic (which was originally called Vampirella Monthly #1) The inside page seen on the right promotes Transcending Time and Space and the back page has several dealer incentives. |
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December 1992 This issue (No 2) promoted Vampirella #2 with some cool art (right) and the Creepy Fearbook. On the back cover is an editorial by Meloney Crawford Chadwick (the series editor) with a photo of the Harris editorial team at the San Diego comic convention, and the first Harris Vampirella model. |
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January 1993 The first Hotline in newspaper format which opened up as a fake newspaper page promoting Twister, an early Harris comic. Although the early Vampirella comics would not be published on time due to deadline problems, Vampirella #3 is happily promised. Meloney's editorial is aimed squarely at making retailers feel good about themselves. |
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February 1993 This Hotline focuses on Cain, the new Harris comic. Vampirella just receives a back page promo (half the page only) on the 4th issue of The Dracula War (see it on the right). Interesting tidbit! On this Hotline the cover for Vampirella #4 is supposed to be by Bill Jaaska but the final version was by Tom Snyder III. |
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March 1993 A brilliant spread by Karl Alstaetter adorns the inside of this Hotline - worth every penny. This promo focuses on Vampirella #5, with some great art (see inset on right). Meloney's editorial is about the arrival of foil-enhanced covers as well as other 'special' covers, and she is strongly in support of them. |
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April 1993 This issue has a great centrefold of Vampirella #6 (which was eventually published as the 3-parter series Vampirella vs Haemorrhage in 1997. The back cover (right) features the Vampirella model again, and lots of exciting stuff about how successful Vampirella #1 was (so successful Harris were going for a second printing). |
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May 1993 The May issue promotes Vampirella #7 (see right) which is the second installment later published in Vampirella vs Haemorrhage. The back cover still contains mainly text, and promotes Hyde #25 and the first issue of the often lamented Harsh Realm which caused the X-Files creator Chris Carter so much disappointment when the TV show was cancelled. |
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June 1993 In June's Hotline the main Vampirella issue is the never-to-be-published Issue #8 (see right). The story, The Badge of Chaos, doesn't sound like any story I know, especially as it promises a guest appearance by Bill and Hilary Clinton. The closest I can get is The Heat in Vampirella Strikes Annual #1, but it's not the same as the description in this Hotline. |
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July 1993 Vampirella #9 is promoted (see right) with a superb cover by Karl Alstaetter which has yet to be released. The story appears in Vengeance of Vampirella #4 although I suspect some changes were made because it sounds different. The text on the back page (not credited to anyone this time) is rather fannish in style rather than for retailers. |
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All images on this site are copyright © 2000, Harris Publications, Inc. VAMPIRELLA ® and other characters are trademarks of Harris Publications, Inc. Text and concepts ©2000 Mike Grace. All rights reserved. |