In the middle of the 20th century, pin-up models like Bettie Page were everywhere, from photographs to calendars, advertisements, and even film. These beautiful, curvaceous, and cheerful icons motivated American troops in World War II, and continued to be positive influences in popular culture long after the war until the beginning of the 1970s. The most famous and memorable of these models peaked during the economic and cultural booms of the 1950s and 60s. Beloved for her sassy attitude and distinct, colorful and voluptuous sense of style, Bettie Page's image and legacy has endured into 21st Century consciousness.
Set for release in June 2023 bty Dynamite Comics, Bettie Page #1, written by Mirka Andolfo and Luca Blengino, with visuals by Elsa Ferrari, puts the famed pinup in a glamorous movie set during the heyday of mid-20th Century Rome. Bettie expects nothing more than to experience the dolce vita as a movie star in the Eternal City, but a serious case of mistaken identity instead sends her on a wild goose chase of spies, intrigue and a heavy dose of Italian glamour. In this exclusive interview with CBR, writer Mirka Andolfo discussed her love for the historical glamour icon and the challenges and thrills of writing her into a fictional tale. Andolfo and Dynamite Comics also shared exclusive previews for the covers of Bettie Page #1, featuring artists Lesley "Leirix" Li, Rebecca Pueblo and Andolfo herself.
CBR: You've become a star in the comics community, between your original stories and your work for DC Comics, for titles such as Harley Quinn and Catwoman. Like Bettie Page herself, Harley and Catwoman are cultural icons, albeit fictional ones. How would you compare writing for these characters -- and DC Comics in general -- versus Bettie Page #1?
Mirka Rodolfo: [Firstly], thank you. I don't feel like a star, even if it's always great to see people appreciating both my stories and my artwork! Frankly, writing Bettie Page is pretty unique. She's a character with some important features that must remain fixed, but apart from those, there's a lot of spacing. It is like having a blank page in front of you, but reinforced by what has been done before. All the pros, and no cons.
Chatting with Nate, our editor, was very inspiring, and I would say it was almost natural to find a direction for "our" Bettie. I say us, because as usual, I strongly believe in teamwork, and the result wouldn't be the same without the help from Nate, and the other part of the team, Luca Blengino and Elisa Ferrari -- as well as the colorists Mauro Gulma and Francesca Vivaldi.
Bettie Page was a major cultural and style icon! What is it about Bettie Page, both as an American pop culture icon and as a person, that inspires you?
I would reply everything, but it wouldn't be a good answer, I suppose. I would say: Bettie Page is an icon, and her aesthetic is something very tightly codified. Being able to work on this was fun, both an honor and a major challenge.
What was your favorite part about writing this series? What was the most challenging aspect?
With Luca and Nate, we decided to bring her to Italy. We strongly wanted to drop her into a dolce vita-style reality. This was so much fun. As for the challenge, as I mentioned before, it's always the same when you write about characters who already are well-known, and icons: feeling the weight of responsibility. You know what they say, about great powers and responsibilities, right? That's it.
Bettie Page #1 is a collaboration between writer Luca Blengino and yourself. How would you describe your work process together? Do you each contribute something different, or do you both decide everything together?
Writing with Luca is always a pleasure for me. He's both a close friend of mine and an amazing writer. He's a smart professional, who combines technique with creative flair. It's impressive, and every time we work together I learn a lot. That's why, when possible, I do adore working with him, like we did on Red Sonja and Red Sitha, for instance. In this specific case, it's pretty unique. He came up with the first idea, we discussed it, I wrote the story [alongside him], and he focused on the script.
Although Bettie Page #1 is a work of fiction, Bettie Page herself was a real person. How do you approach taking this real-life historical figure and placing her into a whole new story?
I tried to be as respectful as possible to the real story, but we had a ton of references from other creators who did this kind of job before us, so it wasn't too difficult. Then, again, her aesthetic and appeal were perfectly natural in the context in which we cast her!
You have written many genres in your career–for instance, your series Mercy, which was a dark and Gothic horror-drama, while Sweet Paprika was comedic. Bettie Page #1 appears to be a Hitchockian style thriller, with mistaken identities and shady organizations in a beautiful European setting. What is the biggest challenge of writing each of these genres, especially that of Bettie Page #1?
I must admit that I am a person who reacts a lot to external stimuli, and, above all, is easily bored. I know that many authors find their own path and follow it consistently, but I love to change. That is why my works are so different from each other.
As for Bettie Page, as soon as we discussed it, all of us were sure that the good take was a thriller. I'm usually not so familiar with the genre, and that's one of the most things I learned from Luca.
Much of your previous works–including your original series Sweet Paprika, deals with sexuality in a fantastical, satirical yet playful way. Since Bettie Page is a pin up model and sex symbol, will you tap into that same vein? If so, how?
Yes, there will be some, but just a pinch, and adapting the vein to the context, both historical and geographical, always taking into account and respecting the character. In any case, I didn't ask, but I suppose that these characteristics of my job is one of the reasons why I was proposed to work on this series, and I like it!
Adding to this pin-up appeal is your artist, Elisa Ferrari. What is her connection to Bettie Page, her style and legacy? Do you and Luca have specific guides for her to channel Bettie Page's "Dolce Vita" mid-century style? How would you describe your collaboration together?
I know it may seem hard to believe, but the word I would like to use is idyll. Elisa is an amazingly talented artist, and although we have known each other for many years, we had never had the opportunity to collaborate so extensively. When we had to decide who to propose to draw this series, the choice naturally fell on her, who -- thankfully -- accepted enthusiastically. On the one hand, the scripts are quite descriptive and detailed, but on the other hand, there was no need to add anything: she got into the mood perfectly. So did the color team!
What's in the future for your Bettie Page series? Will you plan to revisit her character in a later series?
For me, it's always complicated to talk about the future, because I tend to stay very focused on what I'm doing right now. I'm very happy about what we're doing with the character, and I hope the readers will enjoy it as well. As for the future, who knows!
Bettie Page #1 goes on sale June 2023.