Forget Superman, Batman, and the Fantastic Four, and heaven forbid you should pick up a copy of Archie and the cheerful gang at Riverdale High. Vampire comics have hit the mainstream market with a bloody bang, and they make for toothsome entertainment for any bloodthirsty enthusiast to flip through under the covers with a flashlight. Among the most enduring vampire comic book heroes is Blade, which was adapted for a trilogy of highly successful films beginning in 1998 (see Chapter 15). The comic book character began in 1973 in a supporting role in the Marvel comic Tomb of Dracula, went on to star and costar in several series, and was most recently a feature of the comic book Captain Britain and MI: 13 in September of 2008.

One of the best-known comic book characters is Vampirella, who began her career in 1969 and continued through 112 issues. The character originated as an alien who flees destruction on her home planet and comes to earth to do good deeds. Other well-known vampires and series in comics are Dracula, Midnight Sons, Morbius, Spider, and Baron Blood, along with dozens upon dozens of vampire characters who are featured in the prolific “Marvel Universe” of Marvel Comics.