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.

File:Vampirelitteredridinghood02.png|Vampire Version of Red Riding Hood
File:Vampires daughter.jpg|Vampire's Daughter
File:League Of Vampires 002.png|Member of the League of Vampires
File:Dracula eerie 12.jpg|Dracula from Eerie Comics #12
File:Vampira.jpg|Vampire Girl from Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)
File:Count Orlok 001.jpg|Count Orlok from Noseferatu (1922)
File:Zora.jpg|Zora the Vampire with Frankenstein
File:Amworth.jpg|Varney the Vampire
File:Victorvampire.jpg|Horror Host Victor the Vampire
File:Carmilla.jpg|Illustration of Carmilla
File:Count Chocula 1971.webp|Count Chocula
File:Bridesofdracula1111.jpg|Brides of Dracula

All published appearances of Vampires from before January 1, )-(95)}} are public domain in the US.

Some notable appearances are listed below:

*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)
**Count Magnus
*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)

*Dracula, or The Undead (1897)
*Dracula - Original Production (1924)
*Dracula - Broadway Version (1927)

*Dracula's Death (1921)
*Nosferatu (1922)
*London After Midnight (1927)
*Dead Men Walk (1943)
*Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)
*Billy the Kid Versus Dracula (1966)
*The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973)

*Count Chocula Cereal Box (1971)
*Count Chocula Commercial (1971)

*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
*Journey Into Mystery #11

*Castle of the Winds (1989)
*RuneSword II (2001)

*A list of public domain vampire characters can be found [https://pdsh.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Vampire_Characters 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.

*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire Wikipedia]
*[https://comicvine.gamespot.com/vampires/4060-58455/ ComicVine]
*[https://myths-in-media.fandom.com/wiki/Vampire Myths in Media Wiki]
*[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OurVampiresAreDifferent TV Tropes]
*[https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Vampires_(folklore) Villains Wiki]
*[https://darkworldsquarterly.gwthomas.org/vampires-from-space/ Vampires From Space!]
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