The Compleat Wardrobe of Angelique Collins (et al): In the 2nd Dimension

Concluding our look at the fits and fashions of Angelique (etc.) Collins, our final installment will examine the Angelique of the 2nd dimension, beginning with Joe Certa and the Gold Key world of Dark Shadows, which, occasionally, bears a resemblance to its TV incarnation.

The Angelique of the Gold Key -- one hesitates to call it a "universe", but I suppose we must -- of the Gold Key universe has red hair and is inordinately fond of purple, as we shall see.

 For one issue only she incarnates as Cassandra, and the only thing separating her from Angelique is the length of her neckline.

Side by side, they really are about as different in appearance as Patty and Cathy Lane.

Around the same time as the Gold Key comics were exploring Collinwood of 1968, Frenchy was adding her (her?) illustrations to the teen magazines that help propagate the popularity of the show.  Here is their interpretation of Angelique/Cassandra:

Frenchy hits the mark more than Gold Key does.

Sometimes the lyrics to a song from Hair can conjure her back into existence from, erm, limbo.

While conjuring "night children," demons in infant form, to destroy Barnabas and everyone else at Collinwood, she wears only a simple black cloak.  This version also has winged monkeys.

When Kenneth Bruce Bald began to draw the DS comic strip in 1971, he used photos of Jonathan Frid and Lara Parker, with beautiful results.

Here's the panel in color.

And this gorgeous illustration of Angelique, colorized for last year's release of the newspaper collection in color from Hermes Press.  I'm lucky enough to own one of these, signed by Lara Parker.

Here are three more of the color Sunday strips featuring Angelique; as time passes, she looks less and less like Lara Parker.

Naturally, when Innovation Comics began to continue/expand upon the mythos that was beginning to be created by the 1991 revival series, they included Angelique; at least, the Lysette Anthony version, along with the cleavage that was now part and parcel of the character.

Three more pages from the fourth issue.  Lookey!  It's Angelique's court outfit!  Turns out she did own it before she fell on her own knife!  And ringlets too!

As seems to happen whenever DS returns to a screen, small or otherwise, someone decides it's a good idea to adapt it into a comic.  (I'm not complaining.)  In 2012, thanks to the Tim Burton film, Dynamite Comics published 23 issues of its continuation of the story following the cancellation of the TV series in 1971, plus a 6 issue adaptation of the 1795 storyline.

Some of Aaron Campbell's sketches for Angelique.  I was pretty impressed back then; seven years later, I remain that way.

Here are a few pages from the 3rd issue, when Angelique returns from being a statue (?!?); it's obvious that Campbell used screen captures from the series for inspiration.  I liked his style so much that I was inspired to create my own comic in a similar vein (heh).

Uh.  She can fly now.  So that's a thing.  Being a statue must have increased her powers.  Soon enough she ditches her 18th century duds for a pink mini, just like she rocked in her Mrs. Rumson days.  They're getting that much right, at least.

Fierce.  Pink and fierce.

By issue 4, however, Guiu Vilanova took over, with less successful results.

Here's one of the less frustrating panels.

By the time Vilanova was hired to do Dark Shadows Year One (which, technically, should have taken place during 1966, but we're splitting hairs, I guess), I had grown more accustomed to his style; it also didn't hurt that he was using recognizable photographs for inspiration.

The cover art for the first issue is breathtaking.

Here, Barnabas meets a very Night of Dark Shadows-inspired Angelique.

Here she wears a dress inspired by the 1795 frock that the ghost of Angelique liked to rock when she wasn't swathed in shades of lime green and a black wig.

Placing the curse on Barnabas (in a far more dramatic manner).  

Eventually she meets her end in the same way that she did in the series, but with added tongue and a comic-esque "kracking" sound.

She does appear as a ghost in the 5th issue, completely nude, because, as we've learned, the fan boys just loooooove a naked Angelique.  (However, Year One gives some love to Joel Crothers/Nathan Forbes' backside, so maybe I should keep my big fat mouth shut.)

So:  there you have it.  It's likely I missed something (I did completely ignore Catherine Harridge in 1841 Parallel Time, as you may have noticed, but she isn't really connected to the character of Angelique, who I wanted to focus on; yeah, I fudged a bit with Alexis Stokes, but, as I said at the beginning, my blog, my rules.  Though Catherine Harridge did have some fabulous duds.  Maybe we'll do an epilogue ...)

Angelique Miranda Cassandra Valerie Alexis Angelique Stokes Collins Stokes Collins Blair Collins DuVal Bouchard Collins DuVal DuBois Rumson.  Forever may she reign.