Vampirella Concept Sketch by Tom Sutton

I purchased this piece prelim piece from Jerry Weist and Jerry was kind enough to relay the following information about it.

Prior to the publication of Vampirella Magazine, Jim Warren and Tom Sutton had met to discuss a new character. Warren wanted the new magazine to feature a female character and during the meeting Tom Sutton did some rough sketches of a character and what she would look like which would become Vampirella.

Originally Sutton was given the task to not only do the interiors (which he did) but also to do a cover painting as well. Due to dead-line issues Sutton was unable to get the cover finished in time and the job was handed off to another of Warren's artist, Frank Frazetta whom we all know did the cover to Vampirella #1.

If you compare this concept sketch to the actual cover that Frazetta did, there is no mistaking the simularities between this sketch and the finished cover.

There is no question that Frazetta used the concept sketches produced by Sutton in that meeting to create his famous cover.

Sutton's painting which was originally suppose to be used for Vampirella #1 was later used for the first annual.