| Vampires | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Other Names |
Vampire, Shtriga, Vrykolakas, Strigoi, Nosferatu |
|
First Appearance |
European Folklore |
|
Created by |
Unknown |
Origin[]
A vampire is a mythical creature that survives by feeding on the life essence—usually blood—of the living. In European folklore, vampires were undead beings who rose from their graves to harm or kill others, appearing bloated and dark rather than the pale, elegant figures of modern fiction. Belief in vampires existed across many cultures, with different regional names like strigoi (Romania), vrykolakas (Greece), and shtriga (Albania).
The vampire myth gained prominence in 18th-century Eastern Europe, where fear and misunderstanding of decomposition led to grave desecrations and vampire accusations. Though now largely viewed as fictional, similar beliefs persist in some regions (e.g., chupacabra in Latin America).
The modern image of the vampire began with John Polidori’s The Vampyre (1819) and was cemented by Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897), which defined the charismatic, aristocratic vampire that dominates today’s horror literature, film, and media.
Protective measures, or apotropaics, include garlic, crucifixes, holy water, and mustard seeds. Vampires were believed unable to cross running water, enter uninvited homes, or walk on sacred ground. Later traditions added traits like lacking reflections and being repelled by sunlight—features popularized in Dracula.
Destruction methods varied by region, including staking, decapitation, or burning. Vampire bats, though unrelated to European myths, became part of vampire lore after their discovery in the Americas.
Folklore also describes dhampirs, offspring of vampires and humans, especially in Balkan legends. The vampire motif has since expanded into science fiction, with “space vampires” appearing in works by H.G. Wells and later writers, showing the creature’s lasting adaptability and appeal.
Gallery[]
Public Domain Appearances[]
All published appearances of Vampires from before January 1, 1930 are public domain in the US.
Some notable appearances are listed below:
Public Domain Literary Appearances[]
- The Vampire (1748)
- Lenore (1773)
- The Bride of Corinth (1797)
- Thalaba the Destroyer (1801)
- The Giaour (1813)
- The Vampyre (1819)
- The Family of the Vourdalak (1839)
- Varney the Vampire/Feast of Blood (1845–47)
- The Dark Blue vol. 2 (Dec. 1871)
- Dracula (1897)
- Powers of Darkness - Swedish Version (1899)
- The Vampire Maid (1900)
- Powers of Darkness - Icelandic Version (1901)
- Ghost Stories of an Antiquary (1904)
- Dracula's Guest and Other Weird Stories (1914)
- The Hypnotist (1918)
- The Return of the Undead (1925)
- “The Vampire,” by C. A. Dawson Scott (1925)
- The Canal (1927)
- The Horror from the Mound (1932)
- The Brotherhood of Blood (1932)
- The Dark Castle (1932)
- Vampire Village (1932)
- The Fire Vampires (1933)
- The House of Shadows (1933)
- The Nightmare Road (1934)
- The Feast in the Abbey (1935)
- Four Wooden Stakes (1936)
- Doom of the House of Duryea (1936)
- I, the Vampire (1937)
- The Silver Coffin (1939)
- Father's Vampire (1952)
Public Domain Theatrical Appearances[]
- Dracula, or The Undead (1897)
- Dracula - Original Production (1924)
- Dracula - Broadway Version (1927)
Public Domain Film Appearances[]
- Dracula's Death (1921)
- Nosferatu (1922)
- London After Midnight (1927)
- Mark of the Vampire (1935)
- Dead Men Walk (1943)
- Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)
- Billy the Kid Versus Dracula (1966)
- The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973)
Public Domain Advertising Appearances[]
- Count Chocula Cereal Box (1971)
- Count Chocula Commercial (1971)
Public Domain Comic Book Appearances[]
- Adventures into the Unknown #3, 10
- Blue Ribbon Comics #11
- Dark Mysteries #1-2
- Eerie #12
- Forbidden Worlds #2, 11
- Fantastic Fears #2
- Horrific #8-13
- Kid Eternity #4
- More Fun Comics #7
- New Fun #6
- Out of the Night #5
- Prize Comics #44-48
- Psycho #6, 22
- Shield-Wizard Comics #5
- Skeleton Hand in Secrets of the Supernatural #2
- Strange Stories from Another World #5
- Tales of Horror #13
- Terrific #14
- The Hand of Fate #21
- Wonderworld #4, 6
- Strange Worlds #4
Notes[]
- A list of public domain vampire characters can be found here.
- Historic figures such as Vlad Dracula or Elizabeth Bathory have inspired tales with vampires named after them or with the real life individual as a vampire in the tale.
- Australian superhero the Vampire was named after the monster but was not shown to be a vampire herself.
- "Nosferatu" became an iconic synonym for vampire, thanks largely to F. W. Murnau's expressionist film Nosferatu (1922). Although the term had already appeared in Bram Stoker's novel Dracula (1897), which drew on folklore sources such as Emily Gerard's writings on Romanian legends, it was cinema that cemented it in the popular imagination. In the film, the vampire is called Count Orlok, a spectral and pestilent figure who became the definitive representation of nosferatu.