For lesbian and bisexual women longing for representation in entertainment, there is no greater blessing or curse than that of the evil lesbian or bisexual vampire character. On one hand, we have the privilege of seeing a character whose romantic interests match our own. On the other hand, well, she is an evil, bloodthirsty vampire.

This tried and true cliché does not just end in film and television. It has transcended genres and is alive and well, of all places, in comic books. And in no other comic book was the evil lesbian vampire personified as completely as it was in Purgatori.

Originally created and written by Brian Pulido, Purgatori is the tale of Sakkara, a former slave girl turned immortal vampire goddess. Sakkara was born in Egypt around 1390 B.C. and lived her life in servitude, working tirelessly to help build a burial tomb for Egypt 's Queen.

When the Queen paid a visit to ensure the slaves were building the burial tomb to her liking, she took one look into Sakkara 's piercing blue eyes and became mesmerized. She took the young slave as her lover and wife, placing her above all of the other kept women. Sakkara had never been happier in her life.

As time passed, the Queen became concerned about a possible slave revolt. She made a marital arrangement with her army's general, Ramses: the slaves would be kept in their place and he would become Pharaoh. His one condition was monogamy; the harem had to go.

Thus one fateful evening, Sakkara walked in on bloodshed as the young women of the harem were being massacred. Upon being seized, Sakkara learned from the Queen that the completion of her tomb was more important than their marriage. Heartbroken, she broke away from the guards and attempted suicide by throwing herself out of a window, only to survive the landing.

Her sadness gave way to a desire for revenge and she sought out immortality from Rath, an age-old Celtic vampire. Rath's bite transformed Sakkara into a winged, horned, crimson-skinned vampire with glowing white eyes. She attacked the Queen and Ramses at their wedding reception and sealed them in the Queen's precious burial tomb. Then, after a failed attempt to take over hell, she was exiled by Lucifer and renamed Purgatori.

Purgatori's sexuality is not merely mentioned in passing or moved to the back burner altogether once the story takes off. Rather, it is fused into her being and is simply one part of her amazingly complex character: vampire, goddess, lesbian. Even when not at the forefront of the storyline, Purgatori's affinity for women is never completely abandoned. Whether she's merely looking for a bite to eat at the local lesbian S&M club or a roll in the hay to pass the time, she is never a lesbian in name only.

Throughout the series, which is comprised of tales from her 3500-year-old existence, her relationships with other women often play an integral part of the storyline of a particular conflict. For instance, in the Godkiller series, Purgatori not only struggles against an ancient god, but also the realization that she is truly beginning to care about her half-demon girlfriend, Rakshasa--something she hasn't felt for another woman since the Queen.

While the overall lesbian aspect and visual illustrations of woman-on-woman lovemaking in Purgatori hold a certain eye-candy appeal for a largely male comic book reader fan base, the stories and strength of this well-rounded main character will keep readers hooked long afterwards. Aside from wondering if the vampiric demoness will ever defeat Lucifer, Lady Death, or another of her slew of enemies, we also wonder (maybe even more so) if she will ever open her heart to love and trust again.

The evil lesbian vampire may not be the most beloved role in television and film, but characters like Purgatori tend to be revered in comic books, a genre where the anti-hero is more often than not just as adored as the superhero. Unlike mainstream comic book publishers like Marvel and DC, more independent publishers such as Chaos! have never shied away from a character's sexual orientation. Indeed, Purgatori's sexuality was the basis of the entire series.

In contrast, only years after her debut did Marvel Comics' editors allow it be known that X-Men's Mystique was, in fact, bisexual and had been in a long term relationship with another woman, not “just friends” as previously portrayed. There was also no hint of Mystique's bisexuality in any of the three X-Men movies. But with a recent incarnation of Catwoman (who is dating a woman) and DC Comics' recent announcement that a new lesbian Batwoman will debut in the weekly series 52 (#11), the tide seems to be turning for lesbian and bisexual main characters in mainstream comics as well.

Chaos! Comics' original Purgatori title ended in 2002 but did make a comeback in October 2005 with a new monthly series now written by Robert Rodi. Check your local comic bookstore for back and current issues as Purgatori is a true collectible for lesbian and bisexual comic book fans.

Find out more about Purgatori at ChaosComics.com.