TAMORA

Official Name: Unrevealed

Location: The island of Sicily, Kingdom of Italy, Europe

Population: Unrevealed

Government: Sicily was under the domain of the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 A.D. to 1946 A.D. when it became a republic.
    the king of Italy from 1901-1946 was Victor Emmanuel III
    see comments

Major Resources: Unrevealed

Defense: Forces of the Kingdom of Italy

Significant Locations: Old Roman ruins, unidentified local ristorante/tavern

Prominent Residents: Signora Cella, Cormone brothers and their friends, Bernardo Latta, Sophia Latta, Mr. and Mrs. Latta, Rico and another, Salino, unidentified husband & wife, unidentified judge, unidentified policia, unidentified waitress

Prominent Visitors: None known;
    whoever vampirized Sophia Latta may have been a resident of Tamora or a visitor

First Appearance: Vampire Tales#8 (December, 1974)

History: (Vampire Tales#8 (fb) - BTS / Unabridged Vampire Appendix) - In the early 20^th century, Tamora was a village where men expected to die before reaching 50-years-old.

(Vampire Tales#8 (fb) - BTS) - The parents of Sophia and Bernardo Latta perished under unrevealed circumstances.

(Vampire Tales#8 (fb) - BTS / Unabridged Vampire Appendix (see comments)) - Sophia was raped by Salino.

(Vampire Tales#8 (fb)) - Believing honor could only be served by death, Bernardo slew the Salino.

(Vampire Tales#8 (fb) / Unabridged Vampire Appendix) <10 years before the main story; in the early 20^th century (see comments)> - Bernardo was tried and convicted for murder, and he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

(Vampire Tales#8 (fb) - BTS) - At some point while Bernardo was in prison, Sophia had an accident and became sick (presumably she was bitten by a vampire, but that is unconfirmed), and she became a vampire.

    Dwelling in a set of old Roman ruins, Sophia somehow led the Cormone brothers and their friends to visit her there. She presumably would feed on their blood, but she was careful to not drink so much that they would die from her feedings.

    Likely using some degree of mesmerism, Sophia caused the men to love her and feel that she loved them in return, and so they visited her every night, staying until morning when she presumably retreated to avoid sunlight.

    The Brothers Cormone and their friends spoke publicly over their love for and from Sophia, causing rumors to spread that she was having sexual relationships with them all (and perhaps she was). Sophia was considered a harlot and a slut by many of the locals.

(Vampire Tales#8) - Released from prison after the completion of his sentence, Bernardo returned to Tamora and sought out Sophia.

    The elderly Signora Cella, who apparently lived in the home in which he had grown up, told Bernardo of Sophia and her multiple lovers. At Bernardo's request, Signora Cella directed him to the tavern at which the Cormone brothers hung out before seeing Sophia.

    Bernardo traveled to the tavern and entered the ristorante. Rico and another man (apparently friends of his father's) welcomed him home and asked him for money, but he ordered the "swine" out of the way.

    The waitress offered him food, wine or (presumably) herself, and he told the "sow" to give him a bottle of wine and some privacy. As the locals drank heavily, the Cormone brothers and their friends toasted Sophia as the woman they all loved, at which point Bernardo cursed and then slew them.

    Bernardo then confronted his waitress, forcing him to tell him of Sophia's location, but when the woman noted Sophia's sins, Bernardo slew her as well.

(Vampire Tales#8 - BTS) - Traveling to the old Roman ruins and finding them vacant, Bernardo bathed in the nearby river to cleanse himself from the gore from his murders.

(Vampire Tales#8) - Sophia greeted Bernardo, who told her he had slain her friends. Revealing her history while he was in prison, Sophia drank deeply from Bernardo's jugular vein (presumably fatally).

(Unabridged Vampire Appendix - BTS) - Bernardo presumably subsequently arose as a vampire (see comments).

Tamora's subsequent fate is unrevealed.

Comments: Created by Carla & Gerry Conway and Joe Staton.

    Stories that occur without any direct ties to the modern Marvel Universe are typically considered to have occurred at the time of publication and outside of the sliding timescale. However, the story references men living only to the age of 50 and the judge makes a point of noting it to be the 20^th century during the trial).
    Based on this the Vampire Appendix (unabridged version) noted the time of Bernardo's murdering of the rapist to be in the early 20^th century.

    Additionally, while the original story only said that Salino had "attacked my sister and brought disgrace to her and her family," the unabridged version confirmed that Salino had raped Sophia.
    The unabridged version further noted that Bernardo presumably was vampirized. That's generally the standard...a vampire fatally consumes your blood, you generally revive as a vampire. This has traditionally taken three days, but many stories show someone awakening as a vampire within minutes or hours.
    The abridged Vampire Appendix was printed in Vampires: The Marvel Undead#1, and a link was provided for the unabridged version.

    Best I can tell: It was the Kingdom of Two Sicilies until 1861, when Garibaldi unified the country under the Italian monarch. The House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies family went into exile, claiming they were the rightful monarchs but not actually ruling. Prince Alfonso of Bourbon-Two Sicilies was the king in exile from 1894 until 1934 (his death), and his son Prince Ferdinand Pius from 1934 until 1960 (his death).
    However the actual monarchs were the Kings of Italy, and from 1900 until 1946 that was Victor Emmanuel III.
    Benito Mussolini was prime minister from 1922 until deposed in 1943.
    --Loki
    I would think there would be some local governor, mayor, chancellor or something...whether a local inheriting the role via succession, an elected official or appointed by the king...or a local placed by the king...but I can't figure that out.
    --Snood
    Apparently while Italy was a kingdom the regions didn't have any political autonomy, being run by the central government, so any mayor or governor would either be largely name only, or have very limited powers.
    --Loki

    The Allied invasion of Sicily during World War II took place in July 1943. It was a major campaign in which the Allies invaded the Italian island of Sicily and took it from the Axis powers (Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany). The conquest of Sicily led to the fall of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and the surrender of the Italian government to the Allies. Sicily became the first piece of the Axis homeland to fall to Allied forces during World War II, serving as a base for the invasion of Italy and a training ground for the Normandy landings

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The village of Tamora has no known connections to:

• TAMARA of the Hyborian era - Bahreen Bel Akif, daughter of Vah Rashid, slain by Fatima--Savage Sword of Conan#63 (63(fb,d)
• TAMARA RAHN - Banari, stowed away on ship of males that traveled to Earth + were mistaken for invaders + killed by Atlanteans, eventually forgave them + became an ally to Namor and the Atlanteans--Sub-Mariner I#58
• other "Tamara" or "Tamora" places, races, groups, items, events or characters...
  

Some distance from main street, the tavern entrance was surrounded by those begging money from others.      The interior of the tavern carried the smell of sour wine and wormy food. At least some of the waitresses were apparently willing to sell their bodies as well as to serve their patrons.      The Cormone brothers spent their time getting drunk in the tavern before going to old Roman ruins to see the vampiress mistress Sophia Latta.      Learning of the Cormone brothers' activities and locations from Signora Cella, Bernardo Latta traveled there.      Disgusted by the tavern's scents and the waitress' offer, Bernardo drank a bottle of chianti and listened until hearing the Cormone brothers loudly toasting their collective love for Sophia, at which point he slew them all.      Under duress from Bernardo, the waitress revealed Sophia's location, but after she noted Sophia's sins, Bernardo slew the waitress as well. --Vampire Tales#8/2

. . .      After becoming a vampire, Sophia Latta dwelled in a set of old Roman ruins, and she somehow led the Cormone brothers and their friends to visit her there. She presumably would feed on their blood, but she was careful to not drink so much that they would die from her feedings. . .      Having slain the Cormone brothers and their friends, whom he believed had defiled the body and name of his sister, Sophia, Bernardo Latta learned of her location from a tavern waitress and then traveled there. Not finding her, he bathed in the stream to clean off the gore from his victims, after which Sophia confronted and fed off of Bernardo. . .      Bernardo presumably arose as a vampire thereafter.  --Vampire Tales#8/2

The elderly Signora Cella, who apparently lived near the home in which Bernardo and Sophia had grown up, revealed Sophia to having multiple lovers, noting that she was only repeating what was common knowledge.      At Bernardo's request, Signora Cella told him that the Cormone brothers were always at the tavern (to which she pointed), when they were not making love to his sister).     Following the direction of Cella's finger, Bernardo traveled to the tavern --Vampire Tales#8/2 Note: It was somewhat awkwardly phrased, "While, at the home of his youth, an old woman watches his progress, waiting for him to stop in front of her window..."      I had initially interpreted that to meant that she lived in the home in which he had grown up, meaning she had resided in it after his family's departure, or perhaps that she had lived there all along. The latter option might have meant that she was part of his family or other wise shared their residence.      However, re-re-reading it, I think it just wasn't grammatically clear that she was watching him -- from her own home -- as came to his old home, after which he came over to see her.      It also a little unclear to me as when Bernardo asked Cella if Sophia was home, she told him that she was not, as she had gone visiting her men-friends. This would seem to indicate that Sophia returned home from the Roman ruins (presumably just before dawn) and then went back there sometime after dusk. Maybe she did...      Regardless, Bernardo knew her name before speaking to her (or to anyone else in the town), so she was almost certainly present in the same home before he was sent to prison.      Signora Cella wore a cross and thought very poorly of a woman who had multiple lovers. She's lucky she caught Bernardo before he had had some wind and gotten into the mood for killing, because harsh statements about his sister earned death to others.      Signora is Italian for Mrs., as opposed to Signorina for Miss. So, she was at least formerly married. Maybe she was widowed, since men in Tamora generally don't live past fifty.      Cella may be her first name or surname (last name), but by the phrasing would make me think last name...but I also don't speak Italian.

Dwelling in a set of old Roman ruins after becoming a vampire, Sophia Latta somehow led the Cormone brothers and their friends to visit her there. She presumably would feed on their blood, but she was careful to not drink so much that they would die from her feedings.     Likely using some degree of mesmerism, Sophia caused the men to love her and feel that she loved them in return, and so they visited her every night, staying until morning when she presumably retreated to avoid sunlight.     The Brothers Cormone and their friends spoke publicly over their love for and from Sophia (especially at the tavern they regularly visited), causing rumors to spread that she was having sexual relationships with them all (and perhaps she was). Sophia was considered a harlot and a slut by many of the locals.      Returning home after 10 years of imprisonment for killing a man who had raped Sophia, Bernardo Latta was told of her romancing the Brothers Cormone by Signora Cella, and he followed her direction to the tavern. As Bernardo sat and drank his wine, the Cormone brothers and their friends progressively became more intoxicated and loud, and they toasted Sophia as the woman they all loved.      Bernardo toasted the brothers Cormone and their friends, adding, "May their souls rot in Hell!"      The room was soon filled with the shrieks of drunken men, whose wine-filled minds only vaguely grasped that they were dying..."men whose hands groped painfully for purchase on wooden floors, unaware that the muck their fingers slid through <was> the gory remains of their innards."      The entire group swiftly perished, with the "death-cries subsiding into occasional gurgles choked off by blood and saliva." --Vampire Tales#8/2

Rico and another man who hung out in front of the local tavern/ristorante recognized Bernardo Latta as he approached the door (traveling there to take vengeance on the men he believed had defiled his sister).      The other man welcomed Bernardo home, and Rico (at least claiming to have been a friend of Bernardo's father) asked if he had a few lira for his father's friend.      Furious, impatient, and intolerant, Bernardo ordered the "swine" out of the way. --Vampire Tales#8/2

(Vampire Tales#8 (fb) - BTS / Unabridged Vampire Appendix (see comments)) - Sophia was raped by Salino. (Vampire Tales#8 (fb)) - Believing honor could only be served by death, Bernardo slew the Salino. (Vampire Tales#8 (fb) / Unabridged Vampire Appendix) <10 years before the main story; in the early 20th century (see comments)> - Bernardo was tried and convicted for murder, and he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. --Vampire Tales#8/2 Note: While the original story only said that Salino had "attacked my sister and brought disgrace to her and her family," the unabridged version of the vampire appendix confirmed that Salino had raped Sophia.

The Brothers Cormone and their friends spoke publicly over their love for and from Sophia Latta (especially at the tavern they regularly visited), causing rumors to spread that she was having sexual relationships with them all (and perhaps she was). Sophia was considered a harlot and a slut by many of the locals.       When Bernardo Latta returned after 10 years in prison (for slaying a man who had raped Sophia), a local woman recognized him despite his having aged, noting him to be the harlot's brother, but her husband hushed her, reminding her of the young Latta's temper. --Vampire Tales#8/2 Note: Whether Bernardo heard these comments or not, he continued on his path, determined to find Sophia.

After Bernardo Latta had been charged with the crime for killing Salino (who had raped his sister), the judge asked Bernardo if he had anything to say in his defense before the court passed sentence upon him.      Bernardo explained that certain family matters could only be resolved in blood, that Salino had attacked his sister and brought disgrace to her and her family, and that it was his duty, with their parents dead, to blot out that stain. "I did not kill a man but rather executed a dog."     The judge countered that in this day and age, they had laws to deal with such men and that personal vengeance would not be tolerated if these laws were to have meaning      Therefore the judge convicted Bernardo of murder and sentenced him to 10 years in prison. --Vampire Tales#8/2

The local police of Tamora were present as Bernardo was tried and convicted for killing Salino. --Vampire Tales#8/2

Within the tavern, the scent of sour wine and wormy meat in the air added discomfort to disgrace, enhancing Bernardo's rage.      The waitress offered him food, wine or (presumably) herself, and he told the "sow" to give him a bottle of wine and some privacy. As the locals drank heavily, the Cormone brothers and their friends toasted Sophia as the woman they all loved, at which point Bernardo toasted the brothers Cormone and their friends, adding, "May their souls rot in Hell!"     The drunken men were no match for Bernard, who fatally slashed them with his knife. He then confronted his waitress, instructing her -- on pain of death -- to tell him Sophia's location. The woman told him that his sister was waiting up by the old Roman ruins, where she waited for them every night. When he accused her of lying, she swore that his sister's sins were a thousand fold worse than her own and that only the devil himself had sinner more, leading Bernardo to slay her as well. --Vampire Tales#8/2 Note: This woman was really undeserving of being killed by Bernardo. Maybe she was a whore, but she was just doing her job as a waitress and presumably trying to get by. Her mistake was criticizing Sophia as a sinner when Bernardo was already consumed with rage.

images: (without ads)
Vampire Tales#8/2: "The Vendetta," pg. 1, panel 1 (Tamora, with Bernardo returning);
          panel 2 (husband & wife) & 3 (and other villagers);
       pg. 2, panel 1 (main street);
          panel 2 (Signora Cella face);
          panel 5 (Signora Cella seated in her home);
       pg. 3, panel 1 (on road to tavern);
          panel 2 (Salino);
          panel 4 (judge & policia, profile);
          panel 8 (judge, front);
       pg. 4, panel 1 (ristorante exterior, with Rico & another);
          panel 2 (ristorante interior with waitress);
          panel 3 (Brothers Cormone & friends, celebrating);
          panel 4-7 (Bernardo slaughtering Brothers Cormone & friends);
       pg. 5, panel 3 (Bernado slaying waitress);
          panel 4 & 6 (Old Roman ruins, Bernardo bathing in stream);

Appearances:
Vampire Tales#8/2: "The Vendetta" (December, 1974) - Carla & Gerry Conway (writer), Joe Staton (artist), Tony Isabella (consulting editor), Marv Wolfman (editor)

Vampires: The Marvel Undead (December, 2011) - Jeff Christiansen, Mike O'Sullivan, and Stuart Vandal (head writers/coordinators); Markus Raymond & Mike Fichera (assistant coordinators); Markus Raymond, Patrick Duke, Ronald Byrd, Roger Ott, Patrick Ryall, Sean McQuaid, Madison Carter, Kevin Garcia, Eduardo Freyre, & Seth Johnson (writers), James Emmett & Joe Hochstein (editorial assistants), Alex Starbuck & Nelson Ribeiro (assistant editors), Jennifer Grunwald & Mark D. Beazley (editors, special projects), Jeff Youngquist (editor)

First posted: 12/06/2024
Last updated: 12/06/2024

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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