Danger Girl is a comic created by J. Scott Campbell & Andy Hartnell and published by Cliffhanger! Comics (their !, not mine). Before Danger Girl, Campbell worked on all kinds of other books, one of the Spider-Mans, I forget which one, and Gen-13 among others. Danger Girl is grouse little book about an elite team of all female operatives assembled by the Allied governments that go around fighting Axis war criminals. It�s chockablock full of great art and humor and the story arcs are good. Most of the character designs are very creative and interesting. Since the original and Kamikazie! story arcs were completed, Campbell has taken a break from writing and Phil Noto has created two stand alone issues with new villains and missions for the girls. The art and writing has suffered a bit in my opinion and having to start fresh each issue doesn�t leave much time for the development of the new characters. There have also been quite a few different collections and comic variants released over the past year.
Price and Rarity Guide
Your average, no-frills Danger Girl book originally sold for $2.95 US and the Hawaiian Punch and Viva Las Danger issues are $5.00 US. Now each issue may cost a little more on e-bay since some of them been out for a while, but a well stocked comic store should have them for the original prices. Here�s what I mean by the rarity comments for each variant;
Not too rare: These books almost have the same circulation as the original edition and should cost about the same as that issue. You shouldn't have a probelm finding or buying these.
Pretty rare: There is roughly one copy of this version for every five copies of the original and you�ll have to pay about five to ten bucks for the issue. You can sometimes find a few of them in a big comic shop.
Rare: This category includes the gold foil variants and you will most likely have to use e-bay or an on-line store to find them. You could end up paying as much as twenty bucks for one of these books.
Really Rare: Here�s your chromium issues. A comic dealer may get one of these issues for every 100 regular issues she or he orders. You could be paying anywhere from thirty to eighty dollars for one. Again, the net is your best bet.
Extremely Rare: This category has only one member; the fabled Ruby Red Smoking Gun Variant of issue #2. Read on down for more info on it.
Wizard World 1998 Cliffhanger! Annual Preview Guide
This was a free book that was handed out at the 1998 Wizard World Comic Convention in Chicago. This has some art from some of the new titles Cliffhanger! was planning for the year, and some Danger Girl sketches were included. There isn�t much here, but it�s the first time the characters were ever drawn in a comic.
Danger Girl Preview
MAJOR CHARACTER APPEARANCES: Abbey, Donovan
SYNOPSIS: The preview is a short introduction to Abbey Chase and Conrad Donovan and was created to help build hype for the upcoming series. Abbey attempts to steal an artifact from Donovan and is captured. The issue ends with her escaping, but running a jeep off a cliff.
SPEICAL VARIANTS FOR THIS ISSUE: None
Danger Girl #1
MAJOR CHARACTER APPEARANCES: Abbey, Sydney, Natalia, Valerie, Deuce, Duncan, Donovan, The Peach
SYNOPSIS: Sydney and Natalia rescue Abbey from her current predicament and take her back to the Danger Yacht. Abbey is introduced to the team and told about the Hammer. She is then recruited into Operation Danger Girl by Deuce and is given her first assignment; to keep the The Peach from getting the Shield of Immunity and to find out why someone is trying to collect these artifacts which seem to have very little value. Abbey and Sydney arrive in Paris and see the Peach kill one of the team�s moles and escape with the shield in a cargo truck. They go after the truck in Sydney�s Boxter.
SPEICAL VARIANTS FOR THIS ISSUE: (6)
1. �Explosion� Alternate cover
RARITY: Not so rare
DESCRIPTION: Nothing real special about this book, it just has different cover art than the regular edition.
2. Giant Sized Danger Girl #1
RARITY: Pretty rare
DESCRIPTION: This is a special version of the first issue with the pages about twice as big as normal. It has the same cover as a regular issue #1.
3. Danger Girl #1 Tour edition
RARITY: Pretty rare
DESCRIPTION: This comic features Sydney on the front with her sniper rifle. This variant was sold at comic conventions Campbell went to promote the book when it was first coming out. If you find one of these on e-bay, there is a good chance it is signed by Campbell.
4. Danger Girl #1 Gold Foil edition
RARITY: Rare
DESCRIPTION: Same art as the the most common alternate cover, but with a gold foil title.
5. Danger Girl #1 Chromium A Go-Go edition
RARITY: Really rare
DESCRIPTION: This special version has the same cover as the original comic, but the girl�s go-go outfits are made out of chrome foil. This variant is a really rare and valuable comic.
6. The Danger Girl 3-D Special presented in DANGERVISION!!!
RARITY: Pretty rare
DESCRIPTION: Once again I would like to thank my homeslice, Simon Fury for grabbing this one for me. He gets me most of my DG swag. This book is the preview comic, issue #1, and a pretty good gallery redone completely in 3-D (well duh). You also get a spiffy pair of glasses to look at all the purdy pictures with. These issues lend themselves pretty good to 3-D; there are lots of good effects. This one is definitely worth picking up.
Danger Girl #2
MAJOR CHARACTER APPEARANCES: Abbey, Sydney, Natalia, Valerie, Deuce, Johnny, Zero, The Peach, Kid Dynamo, Mr. Giggles
SYNOPSIS: Abbey and Sydney lose The Peach and the shield when Sydney�s Boxter is attacked by helicopters. However, they are rescued by Special Agent Zero disguised as a French truck driver. The team finds out that The Peach will be at a party in Switzerland that is being given by members of the Hammer hierarchy. Johnny and the girls successfully infiltrate the party and discover that the Hammer is the party that hired The Peach to recover the shield. Abbey finds the shield in The Peach�s room, but she hears him coming down the hallway. Abbey quickly gets in the Peach�s tub and tries to seduce him.
SPEICAL VARIANTS FOR THIS ISSUE: (3)
1. Danger Girl #2 Gold Foil edition
RARITY: Rare
DESCRIPTION: Same art as the regular cover, but with a gold foil title.
2. Danger Girl #2 Dynamic Forces Omnichrome edition
RARITY: Really Rare
DESCRIPTION: A variant of issue #2 that features the same cover art as the original version, but the bubbles (mmmmm bubbbles....droolllll) surrounding Abbey are made out of shiny chrome foil.
3. Danger Girl #2 Ruby Red Smoking Gun variant
RARITY: Extremely Rare
DESCRIPTION: These go for over $200 bucks on e-bay easy. This cover features Abbey crouching down in a white dress over a shiny ruby background. This is the rarest and most expensive DG comic there is.
Danger Girl #3
MAJOR CHARACTER APPEARANCES: Abbey, Sydney, Natalia, Valerie, Deuce, Johnny, Major Maxim, The Peach, Kid Dynamo, Mr. Giggles
SYNOPSIS: Abbey successfully seduces the peach and cold cocks him with a champagne bottle. She recovers the shield, but as she is making her escape, the team�s cover is blown. Abbey and Johnny flee via snowmobile and are able to survive dozens of armed Hammer Shock troops and an avalanche. However, they become stranded in an abandoned ski cabin. Johnny successfully puts the moves on Abbey, but he is interrupted by Sydney who has come to rescue the pair. Deuce and Valerie brief the team that the next artifact the Hammer is looking for is probably at the estate of �Enchanted Eddy Owen� in England. The girls head for the UK, but the Hammer gets there first.
SPEICAL VARIANTS FOR THIS ISSUE: (3)
1. Danger Girl #3 Dynamic Forces alternate cover
RARITY: Not too rare
DESCRIPTION: This is an alternate cover that features the girls in their wetsuits.
RARITY: Rare
DESCRIPTION: This alternate cover features gold foil lettering in the title and even better, the underwear clad Abbey, Sydney, and Natla crowding around a very smug looking Johnny Barracuda.
3. Danger Girl #3 Travis Charest alternate cover
RARITY: Not too rare
DESCRIPTION: Here's a cover drawn by Travis Charest. It's kinda different, it looks like it was done with airbrush almost.
Danger Girl #4
MAJOR CHARACTER APPEARANCES: Abbey, Sydney, Natalia, Valerie, Deuce, Johnny, Zero, Major Maxim, Assassin X
SYNOPSIS: As the girls are enroute to Eddy�s mansion, Natalia gives Abbey a ring to remember her by. Meanwhile, Special Agent Zero meets Deuce on the Danger Yacht and gives him information and assures him he will watch the girls� backs. The Hammer attempts to find the artifact they are looking for, a helmet, by interrogating Eddy and ransacking his house, but they are unsuccessful. They decide to hide and wait for the Danger Girls to arrive to see if Eddy will show them where the helmet is. When Eddy retrieves the helmet from its secret hiding spot for the team, the Hammer ambushes them. The girls and Johnny are able to fight off Major Maxim and Assassin X�s assault, but Natalia is apparently killed and Sydney and Johnny are captured. Maxim uses his tank to push Eddy�s house over a cliff with Abbey, Valerie, and Eddy still inside while the Hammer escapes with the helmet.
SPEICAL VARIANTS FOR THIS ISSUE: (1)
1. Danger Girl #4 �Natala Close-up� alternate cover
RARITY: Not too rare
DESCRIPTION: This alternate cover has a close-up of Natla holding a knife near her face.
Danger Girl #5
MAJOR CHARACTER APPEARANCES: Abbey, Sydney, Natalia, Valerie, Deuce, Johnny, Zero, Major Maxim, Dr. Von Kripplor
SYNOPSIS: Hammer Hydronauts infiltrate the Danger Yacht and steal the shield. Deuce is also apparently killed when the Hammer troops blow up the ship. Abbey, Valerie, and Eddy are rescued by Zero. The information that Zero obtained for Deuce in issue #4 reveals that the final piece the hammer is looking for is a sword that was being transported to Germany by a Nazi U-Boat during WWII. The sub sunk in a fierce storm in the North Atlantic, so the remaining members of the team hire a boat to take them to the last know location of the U-Boat. Meanwhile, Sydney and Johnny are being tortured and interrogated at Hammer HQ. Abbey and Zero use a mini-sub to successfully find the U-Boat and the sword. However, before they can return to the surface, Hammer subs attack Abbey and Zero and steal the sword. Natalia makes a transmission revealing that she is not dead and that she was really a Hammer operative the whole time. Natalia has also taken over the ship and taken Valerie and the crew hostage. Abbey questions how Natalia was able to know their location, when she remembers the ring she gave her. Under close inspection, Abbey sees that the ring had a hidden transmitter in it.
SPEICAL VARIANTS FOR THIS ISSUE: (2)
1. Danger Girl #5 Another Universe cover
RARITY: Not too rare
DESCRIPTION: This alternate cover has a distorted title and Valerie hiding behind the armed and pissed off looking Abbey and Special Agent Zero
2. Danger Girl #5 Dynamic Forces Sydney Gold Foil Bikini variant
RARITY: Rare
DESCRIPTION: This is an issue #5 variant featuring Sydney in a shiny gold foil bikini on the cover.
Danger Girl #6
MAJOR CHARACTER APPEARANCES: Abbey, Sydney, Natalia, Valerie, Deuce, Johnny, Zero, Duncan, Major Maxim, Assassin X, Dr. Von Kripplor
SYNOPSIS: Natalia has sunken the girls� boat and is in possession of the sword. Abbey and Zero are able to surface their sub and discover that Valerie and Eddy survived. They are rescued by Duncan. Deuce also reappears, explaining that escaped the explosion that destroyed the Danger Yacht. Valerie is able to reverse the tracking signal from Abbey�s ring and discover the location of Hammer Headquarters and the team plans an assault. Meanwhile, the captured Sydney and Johnny are taken to an enormous Hammer ceremony. During the ceremony, the old and decrepit Hammer High Fuhrer is presented with the three artifacts that the girls and the Hammer have been looking for the whole time; the Shield of Immunity, the Helmet of Second Sight, and the Sword of Sovereignty. The Fuhrer explains how he used to be a high ranking SS officer in the Third Reich and his command was charged with finding these very artifacts to ensure the Nazis� victory over the Allies. These three weapons possessed great powers and were once the property of the Champion Ubermench, from who the Nazis believed they descended from. The Hammer Fuhrer was able to find the them, but the U-Boat that was carrying them back to the Fatherland was sunk and they were lost. Sydney and Johnny are taken back to their cells after Sydney tried to confront Natalia. Abbey and Zero began the underwater infiltration of Hammer HQ through the base's subpen. Zero manages to reach the power generator and begins to sabotage it, but he is confronted by Assassin X. They begin to fight. Sydney is able to free herself and Johnny when she seduces a guard.
SPEICAL VARIANTS FOR THIS ISSUE: None
Danger Girl #7
MAJOR CHARACTER APPEARANCES: Abbey, Sydney, Natalia, Valerie, Deuce, Johnny, Zero, Major Maxim, Assassin X, Dr. Von Kripplor, Kid Dynamo
SYNOPSIS: Sydney and Johnny escape, but are cornered by Hammer troops after Johnny dispatches Kid Dynamo. They are saved by Abbey, who is able to hack into the base�s security systems with Valerie�s help. The group heads for the ceremony as Zero and X continue their fight elsewhere in the base. From a hill, Abbey, Sydney and Johnny observe the Fuhrer about to don the sword, shield, and helmet. Abbey goes down for a closer look and is confronted by Natalia while Johnny and Sydney are captured. Abbey and Natalia begin to fight to the death, but they are interrupted when the Fuhrer is possessed by the equipment, turns on the Hammer troops, and summons an army of skeleton warriors to attack them. Major Maxim yanks a chaingun from a nearby Humvee and attacks the possessed Fuhrer, but he cannot harm him. The Fuhrer throws his sword at Maxim and cuts his arm off. Abbey and Natalia realize they have to work together and commandeer a helicopter. Abbey shoots a missile at a seawall and causes a flood, drowning the possessed Fuhrer and his army of the undead. Natalia then turns on Abbey. Meanwhile, Zero is able to defeat X and set explosives all over Hammer Headquarters, but X escapes. Deuce and Valerie arrive on waverunners to save Sydney and Johnny. Abbey is able to flip Natalia out of the helicopter cockpit, but tries to avoid letting her fall, but she loses her grip. Afterwards the team celebrates their victory in the new Danger Yacht. Zero secretly watches the group, thinking to himself that he is finally glad Abbey has a family as he holds a picture of Abbey as a child. We also see Major Maxim floating in the Atlantic Ocean, badly wounded, but still alive.
SPEICAL VARIANTS FOR THIS ISSUE: None
Danger Girl Special
MAJOR CHARACTER APPEARANCES: Abbey, Sydney, Natalia, Valerie, Deuce, Johhny, The Peach, Kid Dynamo
SYNOPSIS: This is a book that is unrelated to any story arc, just done for fun. It�s a flipbook with 2 covers and stories. One is about Valerie�s daydreams and is very good and funny. At the end of this story, Sydney and Abbey are seen coming back from a mission in the Middle East dressed as harem girls. This was a level that Campbell wanted to create for the Playstation game, but it was axed in order to get the game out in time for Christmas. The other story, Mod Bods, is not so great. It's kinda a Charlie�s Angels/old Batman show spoof. The Peach and Kid Dynamo make apperances as the Mod Bods' archenemies.
SPEICAL VARIANTS FOR THIS ISSUE: None
The Dangerous Collections 1, 2, and 3
These are paperback-bound books with heavy covers. These collections are 2 issues bound together with some cool bonus art thrown in. Collection 1 (Abbey Cover) has the preview issue and issue #1. Collection 2 (Sydney Cover) has issues #2 and #3. Collection 3 (Natalia Cover) has issues #4 and #5. A 4th Collection with issues #6 and #7 was planned but was later cancelled. I bet it would have had Valerie on the cover if it was released. The 1st collection is a good way to get the preview and issue #1 since they are getting harder to find.
SPEICAL VARIANTS FOR THIS ISSUE: (1)
1. The Dangerous Collections 1, 2, and 3 Gold Foil editions
RARITY: Rare
DESCRIPTION: Same art as the regular covers, but with gold foil titles.
Danger Girl Kamikaze! 1-2
MAJOR CHARACTER APPEARANCES: Abbey, Sydney, Valerie, Deuce, Duncan, Mei Yaoh, The Shogunner, Empress Doken
SYNOPSIS: This 2 shot story was done by Yune and Russell. The art is fantastic; it�s a sorta super exaggerated magna, real big and cartoony, very different from Campbell�s style. These issues have the team fighting the Kama, the Japanese equivalent of the Hammer.
J. Scott Campbell�s Danger Girl Sketchbook
This is a great behind the scenes look at Campbell�s creative process. This one has his plans for character designs, action figures, the video game, and many unused ideas, like a Danger Girl pinball game, levels that didn�t make it into the game, and many other fun bits. Pick this one up if you are any kind of a fan.
Danger Girl: The Ultimate Collection (Well actually, it's not very ultimate)
This is a grouse hardcover book that has the preview, the 7 issues of the first story arc, and many other bonus goodies. It runs about 25 bucks I have heard and if you haven�t bought any of the first 7 issues I would recommend you get this one book instead. You would have to really like the comic to get this if you already have the issues. Cool item though, although it isn't the most complete DG collection there is...
Absolute Danger Girl
Well if you bought the so called �Danger Girl: The Ultimate Collection� you�re a sucker. This new edition includes the same aforementioned collection as well as the sketchbook and a special version of the preview issue with some additional art all in a collector�s box that is signed by Campbell. These are going for about $60-$75 bucks on e-bay. Let this be a lesson to you; never buy a DG collection no matter how ultimate or complete it claims to be. Campbell will just make a better one next month.
Danger Girl Hawaiian Punch
MAJOR CHARACTER APPEARANCES: Abbey, Sydney, Valerie, Deuce, Johnny, Don Ka Nui, Lae �Ula
SYNOPSIS: This is another stand alone story, kinda like the Special, that occurs sometime after the first story arc. Johnny and the girls go on a vacation and stop Don Ka Nui from destroying theme parks with a fleet of stolen US Navy submarines. This book just isn�t very good. Phil Noto did most of the art instead of Campbell, and he was trying to create an 80�s look with the art, kinda like in Grand Theft Auto Vice City, and the end result is unimpressive. The story is pretty Mickey Mouse too and falls back on a lot of puns. There are also ridiculous things in here like giant robotic squids, dart shooting hula skirts, and hypnotic flowers. It ends up reminding you of a bad episode of the 60�s Batman show. There are a few really funny jokes scattered around in the issue though and all the mentions of the characters and events from the girls� previous missions are nice. JC is AWOL in this issue. It is unknown if Campbell will ever bring her into the comics or if she was just a creation for the Playstation game.
SPEICAL VARIANTS FOR THIS ISSUE: (1)
1. Danger Girl Hawaiian Punch J. Scott Campbell cover
RARITY: Not too rare
DESCRIPTION: Aw man, Campbell's cover looks heaps better than Noto's and this is the great DG art that made the books so popular!
Viva Las Danger
MAJOR CHARACTER APPEARANCES: Abbey, Sydney, Valerie, Deuce, Johnny, Xyra, Prince Akoo, Jackpot
SYNOPSIS: After Abbey recovers the mysterious �Jewel of Eternity� from goons in South Africa for Prince Akoo, a wealthy Egyptian nobleman, the team is invited to his Los Vegas Casino. Akoo introduces the team to Xyra, his beautiful concierge who later makes a failed attempt on Abbey�s life. After questioning, Xyra claims that Akoo is an insane ex-Egyptian pharaoh who used the jewel to steal the life force of his subjects and that the prince plans to repeat his evil plan now that he has the artifact back. Xyra and the team pool their talents together to stop Akoo, but Deuce is captured by Jackpot, the prince�s bodyguard, and Valerie and the rest of the casino�s patrons are starting to rapidly age. The girls confront Akoo in a secret basement under the casino. Xyra recovers the jewel, but Akoo reveals that it isn�t he who covets the relic, but Xyra; its 2,500 year old creator! Xyra summons and army of the undead to attack the team and they are quickly overwhelmed. However, an old and decrepit Valerie accidentally drops and shatters the jewel when Xyra loses it during the battle, killing Xyra and returning everyone to their proper age.
SPEICAL VARIANTS FOR THIS ISSUE: (1)
1. Viva Las Danger J. Scott Campbell cover
RARITY: Not too rare
DESCRIPTION: Like the Hawaiian Punch issue, Campbell did an alternative cover for Viva Las Danger. Noto�s cover (pictured above) seems to be more common though.
