Vampire (Marvel Comics)

Vampires
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Marvel Mystery Comics #35 (September 1942)
Created by	Al Fagaly
Characteristics
Place of origin	Atlantis
Notable members	Baron Blood Blade Deacon Frost Dracula (Lord of the Vampires) Doctor Sun Hunger Jubilee Lilith Morbius Steppin' Razor Varnae

Vampires (Homines nocturnae) are fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The concept of the vampire has been depicted by Marvel to varying degrees of significance. Bearing a strong resemblance to their literary counterparts, Marvel vampires are mostly an undead species of humans that sustain their immortality and paranormal power by drinking the blood of living humans. Unlike most other depictions of the creature, these vampires have their roots in both the supernatural and biology. Victims are converted to vampirism via enzymes carried in the vampire's saliva, which cause reanimation once introduced into the bloodstream during feedings.

Fictional history

The first generation of vampires appeared in the legendary city of Atlantis roughly 15,000 years prior to modern times. A circle of Atlantean sorcerers uncovered a book known as the Darkhold - an indestructible grimoire of shadowy magics written by the Elder God Chthon. Amid a war, these sorcerers used a resurrection ritual described in the text to raise their fallen enemies, hoping to create a legion of immortal soldiers. However, because of the dark influence of Chthon, these undead were too powerful for their would-be masters. In an act of rebellion, the vampires killed all the sorcerers except for one - the priest Varnae, the first vampire who used the spell to save himself from death. With Atlantis sinking below the sea, Varnae and his kin fled the continent and spread out into the world.

As the eldest and most magically endowed of his kind, Varnae reigned as the unchallenged Lord of the Vampires for many millennia until finally ceding the title to Vlad III Dracula, a 15th century Voivode of Wallachia and a notorious warlord known by the pseudonym of Vlad the Impaler. Carrying the title well into the 21st century, it was not until Doctor Strange - the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth - discovered a ritual within the Darkhold itself that could essentially reverse the magics of the original resurrection spell and exile all vampires into Chthon's realm. Although the ritual appeared to work, with much of the undead population being purged, something went wrong in the invocation itself. While the vampire race was rendered nearly extinct, some - including Dracula himself - survived and continue to propagate their brood.

The different vampire attacks have led to the vampires being hunted by vampire hunters like Blade the Vampire-Slayer.

During the "Blood Hunt" storyline, the release of Darkforce energy from the Darkforce users causes Earth to be blanketed in darkness as a vampire group called the Structure rouses the vampires into attacking mankind. This storyline also reveals that there is a group of ultra-vampires called the Bloodcoven who feed on superhuman blood. With Tutor having been previously killed by Moon Knight and Dracula not leading the group, it is revealed that the Structure's leader is Blade. Blade eventually confesses the truth to the enthralled Black Panther by quoting "Thousands upon thousands of years ago, what was begun with a crime against the universe will see completion, here and now. When I was born for a second time in a stone sarcophagus, drowned in blood,” he explains. When asked by Black Pamther what he is, Blade replies "The first vampire, my nomad spirit clothed in my fated vessel, the Daywalker’s skin. I am Varnae". After Doctor Doom as the new Sorcerer Supreme undid Varnae's Atlantean magic ritual to uncover Earth from the Darkforce, all vampires became immune to sunlight purging them of this traditional weakness and allowing them to walk during the daytime without the threat of crumbling to dust.

Characteristics

The vampires of the Marvel Universe share many of the same attributes of their literary counterparts. These fictional characters are characterized as having superhuman strength and speed and superior senses and accelerated healing, which can be further quickened by drinking fresh blood. Vampires who are centuries old are noted for being both physically stronger and more intellectually refined than younger vampires. While this does not make them invincible to a seasoned supernatural hunter such as Blade, it gives them an advantage over their lesser kin.

Transformation

The transformation from a living creature to a vampire begins moments after a victim dies from being fed upon. The vampiric enzyme introduced into their system triggers a metabolic change within their necrotic cells, which produces a greenish preservative substance known as ichor. Provided the corpse remains undisturbed and, with the heart and brain preserved, the ichor will begin to autonomously flow throughout the cardiovascular system; replacing the blood that was taken as it gradually reconstructs and reanimates the body over several days.

Even if a victim survives being fed upon, the enzyme in their blood will cause temporary anemia and a heightened susceptibility to psychic influence by their attacker. It is also not unheard of for a victim to become erotically fixated on their attacker. Although uncommon, it is theoretically possible for a survivor to begin the transformation if they die before the enzyme leaves their system naturally. It is possible for practiced vampires to drain a victim dry and not turn them by carefully sucking out the enzyme.

Prowess

All newborn vampires are described as experiencing a dramatic increase in the power of both their bodies and their senses upon their resurrection. They can hear a heartbeat across a yard and see in complete darkness and follow a person's scent for miles. Their skin is sensitive to body heat. Their strength and speed are likewise amplified; able to lift a single car with ease and cross a room almost instantaneously and even leap between buildings. This enabled them to catch and subdue any victim with minimal effort, as well as making them highly lethal fighters.

Dracula and his predecessor Varnae are exceptionally strong, having been observed lifting over 14 and 17 tons, respectively. This is believed to be because of their advanced age and special status as successive rulers of Earth's vampires.

Willpower

The overall extent of a vampire's abilities depended upon the strength of the vampire's will. Exceptional vampires with powerful wills, such as Dracula or Varnae, could summon and control thunderstorms, even though the mystical concentration required to do so left them extremely weak for a certain period. The vampire's willpower could also determine the extent to which he or she could master their craving for blood and keep the same personality they had in life. However, most people that became vampires quickly found themselves unable to resist the all-consuming craving for blood. They quickly degenerated into cruel and animalistic hunters of ordinary human beings, even if these new vampires had been kind and sensitive people in their mortal lives.

Summoning and shapeshifting

Vampires could summon and control certain creatures, such as bats, wolves, and rats. The fictional characters, vampires, could also transform themselves into bats, and with some vampires, wolves, while retaining their human intelligence in these forms. Some vampires could even become human-sized bats. Vampires could also transform themselves into mist at will, while still keeping their normal consciousnesses in that form.

Hypnosis

A vampire could make most human beings into his or her temporary slave if he or she could catch their gaze for a sufficient amount of time, usually only a matter of seconds. The exact time that is needed to mesmerize the victim depended on the strength of the will of the vampire and that of his or her victim.

Regeneration and immortality

Vampires were rendered immune to the ravages of disease and of aging. However, if deprived of blood for a lengthy period, a vampire shows distinct signs of aging, such as his or her hair turning gray. Upon ingesting fresh blood, the vampire would revert to the age in which he or she had been at the time of death.

In most cases, vampires could heal themselves from minor injuries within a very brief period. Some vampires, such as Dracula, could heal from severe burns or broken bones within a few hours, whereas most other vampires might require several days to heal from exactly the same injuries. Vampires could not regenerate missing organs or severed portions of their anatomy, except for hair and skin. Apart from periodic inconveniences, injuries like these would not critically impair a vampire's effectiveness. Because the ichor was similar in function to blood, poisons and other toxic substances that were circulated in its bloodstream would adversely affect a vampire, although no dosage was large enough to cause them to die.

Weaknesses and limitations

Weaknesses

Vampires had many limitations imposed upon their supernatural abilities and even upon their very existence.

Destruction

The only substances which could cause a vampire pain were silver and, to a lesser extent, unless it penetrated the Vampire's heart, wood. The surest way to kill a vampire was to drive a wooden stake or a silver blade through his or her heart. The stake or blade prevented the heart from supplying ichor to the rest of the body. If the stake or blade was removed, however, even if the vampire's body had crumbled to dust, the vampire's mystical vitality would restore his or her body to the condition that it had been before the vampire was slain, and return him or her to vampiric "life." Beheading a vampire would also kill him or her, as well as extensive damage to most of his or her body. However, there were only three methods of making sure of destroying a vampire permanently. One was to expose the vampire to direct sunlight and then to scatter the ashes. Another was to pierce the vampire's heart with wood or silver, sever his or her head, burn the head and body in separate places and scatter the two resulting piles of ashes in separate locations. The third was mystical, most notably by using the incantation known as the Montesi Formula (after the late monk who discovered it and first realized its significance). Montesi created the incantation by studying fragmentary copies of the Darkhold. It was lost amid many other documents copied by various anonymous monks over the centuries. Research conducted by various vampire hunters over the past few decades revealed its significance, and it was sought by both those hunters and by Dracula, who wished to destroy all copies of it. The incantation apparently cancelled the mystic curse that allowed any vampire within earshot to exist, causing it to crumble to dust. The danger is that, as the Montesi Formula was created from black magic in the Darkhold, those untrained in the mystic arts who used it would lose their souls.

At one point, a cult who worshipped the elder Demon Gods apparently fixated on Dracula as a recipient of their power. Dracula gave them the fragments of the Darkhold that he had discovered; the cultists (who were low-level mystics) repeatedly recast the original spells that created the first vampires. This increased Dracula's powers considerably, and he lost his vulnerability to sunlight, among others. Dracula could take full control of their minds (as well as anyone around the world that Dracula had ever hypnotized in the past, at will).

Doctor Strange (who at the time was in a great battle with Dracula), was aware of the Montesi Formula. He tracked down the Darkhold, and, using the original source material to study the spells that created Vampires, Doctor Strange created a massive version of the Montesi Formula (backed by his power as Sorcerer Supreme) to wipe out all vampires in the Marvel Universe.

As shown in the Runaways series, staking a vampire is not always completely effective. Nico Minoru shoots the Staff of One completely through the Vampire Topher without permanent damage. However, Topher was defeated when he drank Karolina Dean's blood, which contains pure solar energy (Karolina is a Majesdanian, an alien race that lives within a star).

Pseudo-vampires or living vampires

Pseudo-vampires or living vampires are vampires that were not created with the magic of the Darkhold, but originated through alternate means like science, mutations, or magic other than that of the Darkhold. They usually possess many vampiric qualities, including appearance and many similar superhuman abilities, but rarely possess their vulnerabilities. Examples of these pseudo-vampires include Michael Morbius, the Hunger, and Bloodscream.

Vampire sects

In 2010, Marvel introduced the idea of vampire sects as part of a general "revamping" of the vampires in the Marvel Universe, as seen in "Curse of the Mutants". Sects are diverse as human religions and vampires from different sects might have different characteristics or abilities. The sects shown so far in the one-shot The Death of Dracula are:

Anchorite Sect

The Anchorite Sect are rural outcasts who prefer to hide from humanity and live in peace.

Aqueos Sect

The Aqueos Sect are a race of vampire-converted Atlanteans similar in appearance to the Gill-man from the film Creature from the Black Lagoon. They were thought to have been extinct until human developments in the ocean brought them out of hiding.

Claw Sect

The Claw Sect are Middle Eastern-type warriors. They are rivals of the Krieger Sect.

Charniputra Sect

The Charniputra Sect are a race of gargoyle-like vampire subspecies that are mostly seen flying in the Himalayas. Charniputra also have a tough hide that is complicated to damage without the weaknesses.

Huskie Sect

The Huskie Sect are a race of vampires that are revived as mindless, animalistic creatures. They only follow their base instinct and feed on small animals. The Huskie Sect will not rest until they have completed a task from their human lives.

Jumlin Sect

The Jumlin Sect are a race of vampires that are associated with Native American lore and are allegedly the first vampires on Earth.

Krieger Sect

The Krieger Sect are Western-type warriors. They are one of the strongest sects.

Moksha Sect

The Moksha Sect are a group of vampire prophets who gain their powers by feeding as little as possible.

Mystikos Sect

The Mystikos Sect are a group of business vampires with skills at technology.

Nosferatu Sect

The Nosferatu Sect are similar to Count Orlok from the film Nosferatu and their need for powerful blood sometimes drives them to attack other vampires.

Pureblood Sect

The Pureblood Sect are a group comprising vampires that were born as vampires.

Siren Sect

The Siren Sect are all-beautiful female vampires with powers of seduction.

Tryk Sect

The Tryk Sect are a powerful, parasitic subspecies of vampires that prefer the blood of other vampires.

Other sects

A few sects did not appear in The Death of Dracula. These include:

• The Adze Sect - A race of African vampires who can survive the usually instantaneous methods of vampire destruction for 10 minutes.
• The Ancient Sect - A race of Italian vampires with superior superhuman speed and healing factor compared to that of other vampires.
• The Mortuus Invitus - A sect of vampires who oppose other vampires. They assisted Noah van Helsing's vampire hunters against Dracula.
• The Forgiven - Founded by Raizo Kodo, this legion is composed of vampires who try to maintain their humanity and coexist with humans, drinking blood from animals instead of human blood. Members of this group include former X-Man Jubilee.
• The Yuki Onna - A race of Japanese vampires (named after the mythological creature of the same name) with the power to turn into ice storms rather than fog as most vampires can.
• The Bloodcoven - Led by Bloodstorm One, this elite group is composed of Cruel, Damascene, Megrim, Unusual and Smoke Eater. These six "ultra-vampires" fed on the blood of superhumans and follow different vampiric philosophies, subsisting not only on blood but also on pain, magic, thoughts, and even ghosts.

Known vampires

The following vampires are listed in alphabetical order:

• The Adze - Vampires from Guyana; assaulted the village of Benjamin Alomii, slaughtered half of the villagers and then transformed the other half into vampires; destroyed by Benjamin Alomiij
• Count von Stadt - A mutant turned into a vampire who could shoot laser beams from his eyes; killed by Blade
• Dragoness - A mutant villain; turned into a vampire by the Creed
• Jamal Afari - He raised Blade after Madame Vanity from the age of nine to adulthood; later transformed into a vampire by Dracula; destroyed by Blade then later revived in the modern era and allied with Dracula; briefly transformed Spider-Man into a vampire; destroyed by Blade again
• Katherine Ainsley-Jones
• The Akivashas - Hyborian Age Stygian vampires
• Tara Algren - A reporter for the Mightnight Sun who was killed and transformed into a vampire by Dracula while investigating a cult; later lured her girlfriend Bethany Flynn into Dracula's arms as well
• Benjamin Solomon Alomii - Member of Noah van Helsing's vampire hunters; began hunting the Adze vampires of Guyana after his infected wife devoured their children and half of their village; eventually transformed into a vampire by the Adze; destroyed by Blade
• Anita Alomii - The infected wife of Benjamin Alomii; devoured their children and half of their village after being transformed by the Adze into a vampire; destroyed by her husband
• Alonzo - c. 1926; Former agent of Nick Diablo; sired by Dracula
• Amenhotep - 5,000 years old; forcingly converted into a vampiric tomb guard by Rama-Tut; battled the first Swordsman; died after accidentally exposing himself to sunlight
• Emily Arthurs - A schoolteacher who was transformed into a vampire by Dracula
• Ezra Asher - The ex-wife of detective Antonio Vargus; former ally of Saint Cyrus Leviticus
• Baby
• Baron Blood I (Lord John Falsworth) - c. World War II; Member of the Super-Axis and the Legion of the Unliving; brother of Union Jack I (Montgomery, Lord Falsworth); uncle of Spitfire (Jacqueline Falsworth Crichton); great-uncle of Baron Blood III (Kenneth Crichton); transformed into a vampire by Dracula; mutated by surgery from Nazi scientists; beheaded in modern times by Captain America
• Baron Blood III (Kenneth Crichton) - The son of Spitfire (Jacqueline Falsworth Crichton); nephew of Union Jack II (Brian Falsworth); grandson of Montgomery, Lord Falsworth; great-nephew of Baron Blood I (Lord John Falsworth); transformed into a vampire by Baroness Blood; destroyed by sunlight
• Baroness Blood (Lily Cromwell) - A member of the Axis Mundi; daughter of Dr. Jacob Cromwell who was killed and replaced by Baron Blood I (Lord John Falsworth); led cult to find the Holy Grail; transformed Kenneth Crichton into Baron Blood III; impregnated by him; gained immunity to sunlight by drinking from the Grail; betrayed the cult and Baron Blood III, causing them to be disintegrated into dust by sunlight
• Eddie Baxter -
• Martin Beatering -
• Louis Belski - A former actor for Mallet Studios; transformed into a vampire by Dracula; destroyed by the Werewolf (Jack Russell)
• Bettina
• Bitsy - Ally of Federico Valencia; destroyed by Blade
• The Black Baron (Rupert Kemp) - A vampire/werewolf hybrid; the 7th Baron Darkmoor; kidnapped Courtney Ross and attempted to make her his mate; killed when stabbed through the heart with a silver stake
• Blade the Vampire-Slayer (Eric Brooks) - A dhampir or half-vampire; former member of the Nightstalkers and S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Howling Commandos; son of Lucas Cross; mother killed by Deacon Frost during childbirth; trained by Jamal Afari; once temporarily transformed into a vampire by a bite from Morbius the Living Vampire
• The Blade Doppelgänger - Allegedly created by Deacon Frost at the same time that Blade was born; attacked and absorbed Blade into itself; staked through the heart by Dracula; briefly revived and quickly destroyed by Hannibal King to allow the Son of Satan to separate Blade from it
• Bloodstorm (Dracula clone) - A clone of Dracula created by HYDRA. He would later be called Bloodstorm One upon gaining a new body and led the Bloodcoven during the "Blood Hunt" storyline.
• Bloodstorm (Ororo Munroe) - An alternate vampiric version of Storm who becomes a member of the X-Men Blue
• Jack Bolt
• Bonham - The leader of a subterranean group of insectoid vampires
• Father Bordia - c. 1459; Held the Darkhold scrolls; staked by Dracula
• Lucas Brand - He beat Dracula when he was weakened; later was transformed into a vampire by Dracula; killed Faust; later trained by Dr. Sun to defeat Dracula and become Lord of the Vampires; incinerated by Dr. Sun
• Odette Byelai - A ballerina who underwent a bird-like transformation initially; staked herself as her dancing skills diminished and after Dracula forced her to turn into a bat-woman
• Carmen - A Gypsy girl who lived in c. the 19th century; befriended Frankenstein Monster before she was attacked by Dracula and eventually destroyed by the Monster
• Rosella Carson - c. The 16th century; transformed into a vampire by Dracula; Solomon Kane was sent to rescue her, but destroyed her when he found out that she was a vampire
• Dalton Cartwright
• Charel - A member of a subterranean group of insectoid vampires
• Francois Chicault - Member of the Assassin's Guild; beheaded by Blade
• The Children of Eternity - A legion of vampires who were trapped at their age as children when they were turned into vampires; slaughtered by Blade
• The Children of Judas - A 19th century coven of vampires and servants of Dracula; transformed Elisabeth van Helsing into a vampire
• Roberta Christiansen - A former pilot for the CIA; transformed into a vampire by Dracula; resisted him to the point of her own destruction
• Christina - Also known as Sister Christina; employee at Madame Angela's brothel; transformed Leroy Hayes into a vampire; destroyed by Conrad Jeavons
• John Crichton - The son of Kenneth Crichton and Baroness Blood; suffers from a blood disorder
• Lucas Cross - A former member of the NSA and the Order of Tyrana; father of Blade; transformed into a vampire while in Latveria in order to survive a terminal disease; sought the fulfillment of a prophecy to restore his soul to him
• Tara Cross - The mother of Blade. Attacked and killed by Deacon Frost while pregnant with her son. She was later revived by Dracula.
• Marianne Cutlass - born c. 1873; Her father was a pirate who was transformed into a vampire by Dracula and later destroyed by him; her husband transformed into a vampire by Dracula who, in turn, transformed her into a vampire; begged Dracula to kill her after Blade killed her husband, which he did
• Arthur de la Courte
• Marcos de la Triana -
• Marianne de la Triana -
• Baron Emile de Sevigny -
• Don Santiago de Valdez -
• Nick Diablo - c. 1926; A gangster in Rome; tried to put out a hit on Dracula, but his allies were transformed into vampires and attacked him
• Diana - A vampire child; plotted to revive the 10 most evil people to ever set foot in New Orleans; abducted Rikki Eco and Ize, accidentally killed Ize; placed the spirit of General Butler in Rikki
• Donsah -
• Dina Dracko -
• Draconis - He was transformed when he was a devout priest; became an exceptionally powerful vampire; increased his own power by feeding on other vampires; tried to destroy Blade, but was weakened after Blade drained his blood, then later decapitated him; reanimated when Blade unwittingly fulfilled a prophecy
• Dracula (Vlad Tepes Dracula) - Lord of the Vampires; father of Lilith, Vlad Tepulus, Janus (a.k.a. the Golden Angel) and Xarus; ancestor of Frank Drake; transformed into a vampire by Lianda; destroyed by the Montesi Formula; revived
• Sir Harry Everett -
• Fatboy -
• Jason Faust - An old enemy of Quincy Harker; formerly employed Lucas Brand; killed by Brand after he was transformed into a vampire by Dracula
• Dominic Ferrara -
• Elliot Flanders - A member of the Huskies; wanted to tell his son that he loved him, after which he was destroyed by Blade
• Bethany Flynn - The girlfriend of Tara Algren; transformed into a vampire by Dracula after being lured into his arms by her girlfriend Tara Algren
• The Freak - Agent of Silvereye; stabbed by Blade when he rebelled against his control
• Angela Freeman - An old friend of Misty Knight; destroyed
• Tom Freeman -
• Deacon Frost - A vampire lord and former German scientist c. 1863; inadvertently injected with his own serum when attacked by the husband of a test subject; responsible for the creation of both Blade the Vampire-Slayer and Hannibal King
• Jean Garver - The ex-wife of NYPD Officer Lou Garver; transformed into a vampire by Dracula; destroyed by Lou
• Giuseppe - c. 1926; Former agent of Nick Diablo; transformed into a vampire by Dracula
• Gladys -
• Tabitha Glance - destroyed
• Glory - A member of the Bloodshadows; former lover of Blade; destroyed
• Gordski - empowered by Puishannt
• Grausum - German; former servant of Baron Blood, possibly destroyed by Jim Hammond
• Groza - A member of the Mortuus Invitus; led the group assisting Noah van Helsing's vampire hunters against the Adze; consumed by the spirits unleashed against Dracula by Aamshed
• Rudolph Hagstrom -
• Corker Haller -
• Edith Harker - The daughter of Quincy and Elizabeth Harker; kidnapped and transformed into a vampire by Dracula; destroyed by her father
• Dr. Samuel Harkins - The leader of the Brotherhood of Judas, a Satanic cult whose members were all vampires; destroyed by Morbius the Living Vampire along with the rest of the cult
• Harold H. Harold - An ally of Quincy Harker's vampire hunters, and writer of "True Vampire Stories"; encountered and nursed Dracula when he was weak; ultimately transformed into a vampire by Dracula; destroyed by the Montesi Formula
• Hector -
• The Hellcow (Bessie) - A vampire cow that was transformed by Dracula; encountered and destroyed by Howard the Duck; later revived and became an ally of Deadpool
• Mrs. Hilmerson - destroyed
• Hrolf - The leader of a coven that battled Blade
• Kuai Hua - A former servant of Dracula; removed the stake from Dracula after he was destroyed by Blade's vampire hunters
• The Huskies - A variation on vampires; revive as virtually mindless creatures that try to accomplish one last task from their mortal lives before being destroyed
• Jeanie -
• Jeannie -
• Melissa Jenkins -
• Jubilee (Jubilation Lee) - A depowered mutant and a member of the X-Men; originally infected with a bio-engineered virus by a vampire suicide bomber; was transformed into a full vampire soon afterwards by Xarus, son of Dracula
• Juito -
• Jule -
• Julie -
• Julka - c. 16th century; Daughter of a Transylvanian pastor; transformed into a vampire by Dracula, destroyed by Solomon Kane
• Karla -
• Stefan Kero -
• Khiron (Victor Strange) - The brother of Doctor Strange; also known as Baron Blood II
• Renne Kimbrell - Destroyed by Blade
• Hannibal King - A private investigator; created by Deacon Frost c. the late 1940s; former member of the Nightstalkers, the Midnight Sons and Borderline Investigations
• Kraska -
• Hauptmann Rudoplh Kriss - c. 1944; A Nazi who was possessed by Dracula
• Count Kronin -
• Kruzak -
• The Kuyuk - A group of Charniputra vampires who were consumed by Dracula after his legions failed to stop Noah van Helsing's vampire hunters
• Lala - c. 1459; A minion of Nimrod the First who attempted to seduce Dracula
• Lamia - A former priestess of Varnae in ancient Atlantis; in the 20th century she slaughtered the Bloodshadows and transformed Glory into a vampire
• Thomas Lawson - A former constable; member of the Legion of the Damned
• The Legion of the Damned - founded c. 1862; A group of 99 Confederate soldiers who were enslaved by Dracula and used to save a group of Confederate soldiers containing the family of Annabelle St. John, only 13 survived; the second known group was based in London; also agents of Dracula; killed Madame Vanity and the entire brothel where Blade's mother formerly worked
• Lenore - Formerly kept imprisoned in mist form within a bottle in Castle Dracula; later released by Dracula and sent after Rachel van Helsing and Frank Drake; destroyed when she was pulled in front of a spear by Dracula in order to save his own life
• Ursula Lensky - A woman who was obsessed with Dracula; transformed into a vampire by Dracula and sent to kill Rizzoli; destroyed by the police led by Lou Garver
• Anton Levka - c. 1459; Briefly took over Castle Dracula after Dracula's capture by Turac; later destroyed by Dracula
• Lianda - A Gypsy woman who empowered Dracula; destroyed
• Lilith - Member of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Howling Commandos; daughter of Dracula by his first wife Zofia; transformed by a Gypsy named Gretchen into an unusual vampire; once killed by Quincy Harker after Dracula killed Harker's wife; seeks destruction of Dracula
• Madame Angela - Owned a brothel c. 1930; incinerated by exposure to sunlight
• Maracen -
• Marguerita - The grandmother of Carmen; duped Frankenstein Monster into freeing Dracula; destroyed by him
• Marissa -
• Mary - An American girl who was transformed into a vampire by Dracula in Paris; destroyed herself when he left her
• Millie Pat Mason -
• Ken Mitchell -
• Beatrice Montague - From New Orleans; sister of Victor; destroyed by Monica Rambeau
• Varkis - A vampire created by the vampire cult known as the Creed from some flesh of Wolverine; killed by Wolverine and Blade
• Victor Montague - From New Orleans; brother of Beatrice; destroyed by Monica Rambeau
• Luisa Morelli - c. 1926; Former girlfriend of Nick Diablo; transformed into a vampire by Dracula
• Dr. Michael Morbius / Morbius the Living Vampire - Former member of the Midnight Sons, the Nine and the Legion of Monsters; injected self with a mutated vampire bat serum, which transformed him into a pseudo-vampire (see above); cured when struck by lightning while consuming Spider-Man's radioactive blood; transformed back into a pseudo-vampire by Marie Laveau; further mutated by HYDRA.
• Morophla - From the Hyborian Era; one of the original vampires created in Atlantis; killed by Conan and Red Sonja
• Dr. Heinrich Mortte -
• Navarro - South American Indian who attempted to unleash a biological virus; encountered Hannibal King and was trapped in an explosion
• Laurie Neal - The mother of Angelica and wife of Frank; bitten, then destroyed by Dracula
• The Night Terror (Carl Blake) - Former covert agent and mercenary; transformed into a vampire by Steppin' Razor; served as a host to Varnae; destroyed
• Emil Nikos - Friend and co-worker of Morbius; killed by him after his transformation
• Nimrod - Also known as Nimrod the First; pseudo-Lord of the Vampires; sent by Varnae to challenge Dracula; destroyed by Dracula
• Adri Nital - Son of Taj; transformed into a vampire by Dracula as a young child and kept strapped to a bed in an undead state; destroyed by villagers
• Taj Nital - Former vampire hunter; father of Adri; throat was permanently damaged by a vampire bite, making him mute; eventually killed Adri due to his vampirism; later transformed into a vampire; destroyed
• Nocturne -
• Audra Pennington - Purchased Dracula's possessions from Lilith; transformed into a vampire by Dracula and forced to return his belongings
• Maria Petrella - c. 1926; Former agent of Nick Diablo; transformed into a vampire by Dracula
• Jeff Phillips -
• Amber Piper - An artist who, after being transformed into a vampire, painted a picture of a crucifix to destroy herself
• Ponce - An old enemy of Blade; member of the Legion of the Damned
• Col. William Poprycz - He fought during World War II in the 5th Infantry; captured by Baron Blood and convinced him to transform him into a vampire; slaughtered his troops; destroyed
• Nina Price - A member of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Howling Commandos; daughter of Lissa Russell; she is a vampire/werewolf hybrid; also known as the Vampire by Night.
• The Purebloods - A race of vampires that are the offspring of other Purebloods rather than having been transformed into vampires; known Purebloods are the Ancient Sect, Charles Barnabus, Janus, Legride of Vienna, and the Nosferatu Sect
  • Charles Barnabus - Pureblood; executor of the Bloodstone estate
  • Legride of Vienna - Thought to be a Pureblood; captured by the Nosferati and infected with a hemorrhagic virus
  • The Nosferatu - A group of vampires who attempted to create a blood source for Pureblood vampires; kidnapped Dracula and Charles Barnabbas; plot foiled by Elsa Bloodstone
• Liza Pyne - A former actress who was transformed into a vampire by Dracula; destroyed by Raymond Coker
• Rank - Ally of Blade; has never consumed human blood, so his body is rotting
• Xavier Rath -
• Anton Rizzoli - He stole artifacts from Castle Dracula and sold them at an auction; defended himself from Dracula with a cross; was destroyed by Ursula Lensky under Dracula's direction
• Peter Roak - Member of the Legion of the Damned; destroyed
• Angie Rodgers -
• Stephan Rook -
• Lord Ruthven - c. 18th century
• Morgana St. Clair - A member of a Satanic cult named the Brotherhood of Judas whose members were all vampires; destroyed by Morbius the Living Vampire along with the rest of the cult
• Yves St. Munroe -
• The Saracen - A member of the Ancient; slept until the modern era when he was raised by the Reaper
• Henry Sage - He was transformed into a vampire by Dracula c. 1795; was injected with the Daywalker/Sun-walker formula; destroyed by Blade
• Serge - Agent of Varnae; destroyed by Dracula
• Andrea Simmons -
• Christopher Sinclair - A former anemic patient and friend of Kenneth Crichton; transformed into a vampire by Baroness Blood, but resisted her and allied with Union Jack III (Joey Chapman); destroyed
• Silas - The head of a gunrunning ring; destroyed by Blade, but reanimated when Blade unwittingly fulfilled a prophecy
• Siobahn - An Irishwoman, the former lover of Namor the Sub-Mariner and later Baron Blood I (John Falsworth) during World War II
• Hamilton Slade - c. 1897, London; member of Clan Akkaba; transformed into a vampire by Dracula; his head was teleported off his body by Ferguson
• Ulysses Sojourner -
• Spider-Man - He was transformed into a vampire by Jamal Afari; his radiated blood, according to Blade, would kill the enzymes that turned him into a vampire, which appears to hold true, as Spider-Man appears unaffected by this encounter in all of his other Marvel appearances
• Steppin' Razor - The former head of the Los Angeles Yardi drug operation; empowered the Night Terror; former agent of Marie Laveau and Varnae; destroyed
• Brother Steven - The leader of a cult that were enemies of the Werewolf by Night
• Tatjana Stiles - Formerly of the CIA; captured and tortured by Navarro in order to gain information; transformed into a vampire by Hannibal King to prevent her from dying; uses her abilities against enemies of the U.S.
• Gorna Storski - A vampire from Camenca, Moldavia
• Lyza Strang - c. 1862; directed Dracula to slay her husband so that Otto von Bismarck would become Prime Minister of the German states; betrayed Dracula, but was later transformed into a vampire by him; destroyed by Abraham van Helsing
• Ilsa Strangway - A middle-aged former actress and model; bartered the Black Mirror to Dracula in an attempt to regain her youth by becoming a vampire; allowed herself to be destroyed by Rachel van Helsing
• Maria Terrizi -
• Tessa - Fed on runaways; encountered Cloak and Dagger and was defeated and brought before Doctor Strange
• Aaron Thorne - A follower of Varnae; leader of the Bad Seed
• Tituba - c. 1691; a slave from the West Indies (Barbados); enamored by Dracula and sent to take vengeance among the people of Salem, Massachusetts for the death of Charity Brown
• Topher - Born in 1900; transformed into a vampire as a teen; befriended by the Runaways; attempted to seduce Nico and Karolina; destroyed by the solar energy within Karolina
• Torgo - Former general in the army led against Attila the Hun; inadvertently buried alive; unearthed and transformed into a vampire by a vampire hag that worked in a graveyard; destroyed by Dracula in a duel over leadership
• The Tryks - A powerful generation of vampires that feed on regular vampires; known Tryks are Cilla and Rowskis
• Turac - c. 1459; a Turk who overthrew Dracula as a human; sent him to Lianda, who transformed him into a vampire; later Dracula transforms him into a vampire; destroyed by his daughter, Elianne, upon her discovering his condition
• Sir Winston Twindle -
• Uathacht - From the Hyborian Age; one of the original vampires created in Atlantis; destroyed by Conan
• Undead MC - A group of vampires who encounter Johnny Blaze
  • Charnel - The leader of Undead MC
  • Blivet - Member of Undead MC
  • Hairboy - Member of Undead MC
  • Roadkill - Member of Undead MC
• Federico Valencia - He was transformed into a vampire in the 15th century
• The Vampire Zuvembie - Also known as the Nightspawn; an African vampire turned into a zuvembie slave by having his spirit imprisoned by voodoo magic; battled the Thing and the Black Panther, who were aided by Brother Voodoo; had his spirit restored; disappeared after taking revenge on his enslavers
• The Vampz - Twin siblings who served Marie Leveau
• Elisabeth van Helsing - First wife of Abraham; transformed into a vampire by the Children of Judas; destroyed by her husband
• Rachel van Helsing - A former vampire hunter; raised by Quincy Harker after her parents were killed by vampires; allowed herself to be destroyed by Wolverine after becoming a vampire
• Vane -
• Count Varma -
• Varnae - The first Lord of the Vampires; passed power and title down to Dracula and died; revived in the modern age by Marie Laveau
• Varney -
• Count Varnis -
• Velanna - c. 1809; transformed into a vampire by Dracula; destroyed by her husband
• Darius Venginian - took control of Frank Dalton and later Spencer to control Silvereye
• Verdelet - The heir of Varnae; destroyed
• Count Vicaro -
• Anton Vierkin - The leader of the Legion of the Damned; destroyed
• Sophia von Heinif -
• Isabel Vortok - A Transylvanian barmaid transformed into a vampire by Dracula
• Countess Vryslaw - c. the mid-19th century; transformed into a vampire by Dracula, kept imprisoned for 20 years until discovered by Dracula; destroyed by her husband as he had a heart attack
• Wampyr - A servant of Baron Blood; destroyed
• Wanda Warren -
• Mona Welles -
• Lucy Westenra - The daughter of a wealthy 19th century English family, killed by Dracula and transformed into a vampire known as the "Bloofer Lady"; destroyed by Abraham van Helsing and Arthur Holmwood as recorded in Bram Stoker's novel Dracula
• The Worm-Digger -
• Xarus - The traitorous son of Dracula who orchestrated his death; later killed when Dracula was resurrected by the X-Men
• Aldes Yancey -
• Yuki Onna - An Asian snow vampire; killed the mother of Michiyo Watanabe; allied with Dracula during the Ritual of Ascendance
• The Bloodcoven - A kill team of ultra-vampires led by Bloodstorm One who feed off of superhuman blood
  • Megrim - An ultra-vampire and member of the Bloodcoven who wears a blood-soaked mask
  • Cruel - An ultra-vampire and member of the Bloodcoven who is wrapped in razor wire and can penetrate things like Iron Man's armor
  • Unusual - A silhouette ultra-vampire and member of the Bloodcoven
  • Damascene - A bi-dimensional ultra-vampire and member of the Bloodcoven who can cut through anything, as seen when he wounded Thor and countered the Vision's phasing abilities
  • Smoke Eater - An ultra-vampire who inhales ghosts and can sprout many eyes and limbs that enables her to be a match for Captain Marvel

Other versions

Ultimate Marvel

The Ultimate Marvel version of vampires are the main villains in Ultimate Avengers 3. Their powers and abilities seem to be the same as those from the mainstream Marvel Universe, including sensitivity to religion, silver, and immense sunlight. The vampires are led by Anthony (a.k.a. Vampire-X), a vampire hunter that had been bitten and turned, and had stolen Iron Man's outdated suit to walk around in the sunlight. He was also a mentor to Blade, Stick, and Stone in the past. Since then, Blade has been moving his way through bosses throughout clans over the last 20 years. Vampire-X outmatched and transformed the Nerd Hulk (a clone of Bruce Banner) into a vampire, and had the Nerd Hulk bite Stick and the new Daredevil. Captain America is later bitten and infected in an attack in the sewers, and is led into battle by the Nerd Hulk as the new boss after having killed Anthony with one punch. Later that night, hundreds of vampires are overrunning Nick Fury's Black Ops team guarding S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Triskelion in New York, turning a few reserve Ultimates (like Giant-Men member Dave Scotty) and even killing Perun. However, Captain America's Super Soldier Serum blood later fights back the infection, after which he returns to normal, and uses Perun's Hammer to teleport the Triskelion to Iran. As hundreds of vampires end up dying, Blade then purges his sword into Stick's chest (now wearing Anthony's Iron Man suit) for the kill, while Captain America takes Perun's Hammer and slays the Nerd Hulk.

In other media

Television

• The vampires appear in Spider-Man. This version of the group is led by Miriam Brooks.
• The vampires appear in Blade: The Series, a continuation of the film series. This version of the group is led by Marcus van Sciver (portrayed by Neil Jackson).
• The Existence, a group inspired by the vampires, appears in Marvel Anime: Blade. They are a group founded and led by Deacon Frost and consisting of genetically enhanced vampires and humans who believe that joining the organization would leave them unharmed by the vampires.
• The vampires appear in Avengers Assemble.
• The vampires appear in Ultimate Spider-Man. The episode "Return to the Spider-Verse" Pt. 1 features a reality dominated by vampires and ruled by the Lizard King. Those who were turned into vampires were returned to normal by a fragment of the Siege Perilous.
• The vampires appear in Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.. In the episode "Days of Future Smash: Dracula", the vampires are shown with Dracula when the Leader proposes a plan to block out the Sun using the Gamma Furnace. When the Hulk is hit by a gamma version of the vampire strain, it results in a vampire-dominated present which is ruled by the vampire Lord Hulk, who has done away with Dracula and the Leader and does not possess traditional vampiric weaknesses. After the Hulk uses the Sun that he unblocked to burn away the strain and destroy the Gamma Furnace while defeating Dracula, the vampire-dominated present is undone.

Film

• The vampires are the primary antagonists in the entire Blade film series. In all three films, Blade rises against a certain sect of the vampire community, slowly learning more and more about them while also having to handle his own emerging vampire instincts which he is both warned and taunted about. Vampirism in the films and its spin-off television series are treated as mundane creatures, humans mutated through a virus-like infection rather than a curse. They lack many of the more mystical powers and weaknesses of their comic-counterparts, such as shapeshifting, crosses, invitations, and true immortality (vampires merely age at a slower rate than humans do).
  • In Blade, the main antagonist is Deacon Frost (portrayed by Stephen Dorff), the vampire who murdered and later converted Vanessa Brooks (portrayed by Sanaa Lathan), the mother of Blade. His group mostly comprises young 20-something looking vampires, such as the cocky Quinn (portrayed by Donal Logue) and Frost's lover Mercury (portrayed by Arly Jover), who rally against the older and wiser vampires, such as the vampire elder Gitano Dragonetti (portrayed by Udo Kier), who are seeking peace among the living. Frost's group kills the older vampires and attempt to revive La Magra, an ancient being who will supposedly grant immunity and imprison humanity for the benefit of all vampires. Frost and his entire sect are killed by Blade.
  • In Blade II, Pureblood vampires are exposed to a pandemic known as the "Reaper virus", a mutation who are immune to all weaknesses (except ultraviolet light), kill humans, and turn any vampires fed on into the monstrous creatures that are more sinister than vampires. Vampire Overlord Eli Damaskinos (portrayed by Thomas Kretschmann) recruits Blade to go after the Reapers' leader Jared Nomak (portrayed by Luke Goss), the only Reaper capable of sustaining his new existence, all other infected burning out within a few hours. Eli recruits Blade to join the "Bloodpack", a group of vampires who hunted Blade led by Nyssa Damaskinos (portrayed by Leonor Varela), Eli's daughter and one of the few vampires who actually respects Blade and is sympathetic, and sadistic enforcer Dieter Reinhardt (portrayed by Ron Perlman). After the Bloodpack is killed handling the Reapers, Damaskinos reveals creating the Reaper virus to create a new race of vampires and that Nomak was simply a failed experiment, earning Nyssa's contempt towards Damaskinos confirming Nomak is his "son". While Blade kills Reinhardt, Damaskinos is cornered by Nyssa and Nomak and is killed. After Nomak infects Nyssa with the Reaper virus, Blade and Nomak have a ferocious battle, ending with Nomak committing suicide and Nyssa's dying wish of seeing the sunrise before she succumbs to the virus.
  • In Blade: Trinity, a group of vampire explorers led by Danica Talos (portrayed by Parker Posey) resurrects Dracula, otherwise known as Drake (portrayed by Dominic Purcell). Drake leads a group to create a cure for vampire weaknesses while Blade and his new team create a vampire virus that can spread worldwide. Drake battles Blade one on one, where both seem to be evenly matched. Drake, impressed by this, offers a parting gift for Blade which, depending on the edition of the movie, means Drake either takes Blade's place when the cops arrive or he gives Blade more power, leaving it ambiguous if he has given into his vampire instincts.

Video games

• The vampires appear in Marvel: Avengers Alliance, consisting of Blade, Dracula, Morbius, and various vampiric minions.

External links

• Vampires on Marvel Database, a Marvel Comics wiki