For this week’s cover package about vampires (on stands today!), we chatted with writer Neil Gaiman about how vamps have changed through the years, what they stand for and why they should go away. For more on vampires, including our picks for the top 20 greatest vampires of all time, pick up this week’s issue of EW.
EW: How have vampires gone from being monsters to anti-heroes? For example, in contemporary pop culture, we’ve seen vamps make that move from horror flick fear agents to misunderstood social outcasts.
NG: I think mostly what it has to do with is what vampires get to represent. Dracula was a great novel of sexual seduction, full of repeated sexual seduction and rape and sex. So it makes complete sense that your solid Victorian vampires were fundamentally evil. And you can have that nice big stake hammered through them as a way of putting them to rest. After that, I think the next big, huge, cultural, “somebody’s just written a vampire story” is probably Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot. Steve basically wanted to do Dracula again, only in a small town in Maine. At that point you got vampires still sort of representing the “other.” Then Anne Rice wrote Interview with the Vampire, which as a teenager I thought was a rather drippy book. I have to say as a teenager who loved vampire fiction and wanted vampire fiction, I thought they all sort of sat around being miserable.
But I think then the thing that changed everything and that gave vampire fiction a new lease on life and death was AIDS, because you hit the early ‘80s, and suddenly you have something in the blood that is an exchange of blood that kills and is altogether fundamentally about sex. And vampirism essentially came out of the closet as a metaphor for the act of love that kills. Stephen King once said, using the Erica Jung quote, that vampirism is the ultimate zipless f—. And then a sort of continuous transmutation, you had Lost Boys, which is essentially vampirism as wish fulfillment. Finally, of course there’s Sesame Street, which I think may well have created the sympathetic vampire for the world in Count.
EW: Can you touch on the theme of thrill and fear of power?
NG: I don’t think vampirism, at least from my point of view, is ever about power, because it’s always about people exiled to the fringes. Vampires, I think, should be outsiders. They should probably be sexual outsiders. They need to be charismatic. They need to be elegant. They need to be attractive in some way. But they aren’t buying nice suits and calling the shots. And if they are, the book is about something else.
EW: Is there anything else that you’d like to add?
NG: Vampires go in waves, and it kind of feels like we’re now finishing a vampire wave, because at the point where they’re everywhere it’s probably time to go back underground for another 20 years or another 25 years.
EW: So you think they’ve reached the saturation point.
I think so, and it definitely sort of feels like classical vampires have been around enough that if they could go back in their coffins 25 years and come out the next time as something really different, that would be cool.
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Yeah, never thought I’d ever see the day where I’d o.d. on vamps in pop culture – much less get to a point where I not only can’t watch/read it all, but I don’t want to!
Nope, I think vampires are going to stay popular for at least 5-10 more years, True Blood and the Twilight Saga are only beginning to take over the mainstream We still have a long way to go.
No, I think Neil is right, Nerwen. Vampirism has hit its peak – and while things such as Twilight which began as vampirism was surging forward will still be popular, it will be as a remnant of its initial success, not success because of the current trend. Vampires will stay popular for another year or so and then just gradually begin to ebb away and probably be gone in five years. Twilight will remain insanely popular (god knows why!) but I doubt True Blood will have the staying power everyone thinks it will.
Twilight and True blood is not about vampires. Not really.
I was disappointed to see EW’s “ultimate guide” to vampires didn’t mention L.A. Banks’ Vampire Huntress Legends series. Readers should definitely check her out!
I heard Banks speak at a librarian convention last spring. She was terrific. The room heated up.
I love that he mentions the Count!
Oh, I know! I’m a total fan of Sesame Street. The old, good stuff, anyway.
Actually I thought it was the other way around vampires were popular throughout the 80’s (Near Dark, Fright Night, Vamp, The Hunger) then pretty much disapeared throughout the 90’s with the exception of the success of Interview with a Vampire in ‘94 and Buffy the Vampire Slayer on the WB in ‘97. Flash forward ten years and their everywhere, literally. Will the interest in all things undead laast? No, it’ll become more fringe again in about two or three years, and then the cycle will repeat itself.
Just wait until ‘Vampires of Atlantis’!
http://failedscreenwriter.com/2009/03/02/vampires-of-atlantis-pg-13/
What about the Space Vampires!? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLDpqG-dQHo
It’s time someone tackled vamp integration in a sensible way. Wouldn’t vamps make excellent judges, cops, scientists? What could you use to bribe someone who has lived for 500 years and literally Seen It All?
I’d like to see a story where vampirism is not the big point, but a detail among others. All good stories are about _people_. Let’s have one where vamps are just another ethnic group among others. Vampire-americans?
Being Human was a step in the right direction.
Well that is sort of what True Blood is about (and the books even more so).
You should read some of Terry Pratchett’s stuff. Vampires aren’t exactly integrated, but they’re more like an aristocratic group that plays power games alongside werewolves, dwarves, wizards, gods, humans, and orangutans (just read the books, it will make sense and be delightful).
Check out Terry Pratchet’s Diskworld series, their integration along with the dwarfs, warewolves, and others is an ongoing theme.
Kim Harrison also treats them as just one of the groups integrated, there are some great themes in her books.
The webcomic Vampirates (http://vampirates.comicgenesis.com/), while a comedy, does tackle the idea of vampires as victims of an illness who are attempting to live alongside ordinary people. It delves into issues such as government-sponsored medication, blood banks, and marriage.
@mac – i’m pretty sure i’ve read a manga where a vampire was the CEO of an electronics company.
Mac: You just described the Sookie Stackhouse books to the T. The beginning of the books deals very specifically with vampires “coming out of the coffin” and attempting integration with society.
I’ve been thinking this for a while now: Vampires need to go away for a while. There’s just too many stories about them–True Blood being the exception.
Once again, Buffy was just slightly ahead of the curve. Serialized drama? Too early. Vampire pop? Too early. Of course, vamps in that universe were still ostensibly evil, with only a couple charismatic vampire characters (good or evil) emerging from the stake-fodder norm. Just another thought to (sorry) naw on.
Everyone forgets the Count! I’m stoked Neil didn’t.
I think Neil is right to say that we’re reaching a point where there’s an over-exposure of Vampires in fiction these days, but I think he’s wrong to say that this trend is about to wrap up… I think we have another couple years of Vampires on the top of the Horror pile before they retreat again for their two-decade long rest.
I was getting a little upset over their oversaturation but after seeing “Let The Right One In” this past year, I was reminded of the power behind the concept… I’m enjoying True Blood as well, but I think that while the iron is ablaze with Vampire works, there are original stories to be told, concepts that move back to the visceral horror that the Vampire represents, as well as the psychological ramifications of such a monster.
The aftermath of Twilight has yet to take place… The definitive Vampire of the Modern Era, the true horror character has yet to re-emerge… Once he comes out and reminds everyone what Vampires are meant to be, then I think we’ll see the whole phenomenon die down.
“let the right one in” was so very very good. the movie was both chilling and touching. never read the novel though.
the book is even better. I Loved the movie and think it’s the best vampire movie ever. Try the book, too.
The book makes the movie look G-rated. It’s spooky and beautiful and horrible.
I LOVE Joss Whedon for giving us Buffy and Angel, as well as Alan Ball for True Blood. True Blood is an AMAZING show and it’s not JUST about vamps– I think it’ll have at least 3 more seasons.
True Blood is smart, hip, sexy, funny. Twilight is… not. The Twilight vamps don’t feed on blood, they feed on your brains. You know the genre’s in trouble when it’s got thousands of screaming, brain-dead (or is it undead?) teenage fans.
Where the hell are the Masquerade enforcers?
I lol’d. Yeah, I’d like to see what the Prince of Forks has to say.
One Brujah Justicar would turn all the vampires in Twilight to mush.
I hate to differ with Neil, who is a personal inspiration of mine, but I must. The depth and richness of media today (from cable TV to Facebook) means people are being exposed to the vampire archetype who never explored it before. This old lore is quite new and fresh to millions of people. And the new explorations and interpretations of the legend ARE that “something really different” that Neil says would be cool–it’s occuring now! Director Guillermo del Toro and writer Chuck Hogan make my point even better in this July 30 NY Times article, “Why Vampires Never Die” – http://tinyurl.com/mz7xu8
–Diana Laurence, author of “How to Catch and Keep a Vampire: A Step-by-Step Guide to Loving the Bad and the Beautiful,” Oct. 23, 2009, Sellers Publishing
The Twilight books/movies are too much. The vampires “sparkle” in sunlight? Those books are masturbation material for tweens and desperate, lonely middle aged women. Stephanie Meyers when she was a tween/teen, and Stephanie Meyers now.
You, sir, are a jerk. Just because you don’t care for a book doesn’t mean you have to rip it apart and be crude about women. So just shut your gob.
The truth hurts, doesn’t it?
I agree. Twilight ruined vampires for me…
I’d rather the vampires went underground but not to their coffins, out of the mainstream and back to subcultures that worked with them in ways much more interesting than Twilight.
I hate to disagree with you all but vampires have been going strong way before I was born. Now 43, the scary horror movies to books keeps coming back. And to the mass public which are adoring the vampire lore. All of the work of art that writers created should be applauded, and there is room for much more. Hey it would not be fun if it were not a tiny bit possible. As Romania Count Vlad’s creapy existance has brought about Dracula in all sence of the word. As the movies portray the human side of vampires the stories are a thread to our society and issues arising in our streets. But could it really end? Not likely as the conversations are all over the media even here on this blog.
I like my vampires to come with limits. When they can run around in sunlight it diminishes the genre. There should be limits and a downside to being a vampire otherwise why wouldn’t every one want to turn into one. I prefer the stories that provide this such as True Blood. While I enjoyed Moonlight and The Twilight series of books it felt off a bit as there was no discernable downside. I never understood Nick’s agnst because there really was no major problem with him being a vamp.
I completely agree! If there’s no downside, then all you’ve got is a superhero/supervillain with an undefined chip on his/her shoulder.
True Blood. TOO much graphic sex. I am no prude, but the soft core porn is distracting from the actually story. I never thought I would want vamps to go away, but TB is the nail in the coffin for me.
You must not know HBO series then, do you? (Or comparably Shotime series too.) There’s always lots of sex, and I don’t think it’s distracting from the story, especially when one of the main proponents of the graphic sex is a being who feeds off of lustful and debauchery energies.
I am 42yrs. old and vampires have been around since I can remember. Some have been memorible and some not. Vampires will be around for a long time. I am a true fan of Trueblood and have also read all the books. As far as Twlight, I have read all the books and not seen the movie, I thought I was ok, not what I thought. Let’s not forget to meantion Blade, which I thought was good. And also, Angel. There are vampires of all kinds. They just weren’t exposed as they are now. I think vampires will stay around. I hope so!
Interesting discussion but what I really want to know is – when is Neil Gaiman going to come out with a bok for adults again? Love him!
Max Schreck and Jonathan Fried? What kind of cotton candy and twitter-fluff list is this? Your #2 and #3 picks are acceptable, but all the rest are just innane, hollow sterotypes of the aforementioned pioneers of the genre.
Not all vamps need to get dusted. There will always be room for brilliant films like “Let The Right One In” and amazing shows like “True Blood.” But Twilight mania has afflicted some people like a disease, blinding Twilighters to how manic and obsessive their behavior can be. They are obsessed fans in love with a sparkly vampire stalker and his insipid girlfriend. There hasn’t been this dangerous a level of fandom since young Germans offed themselves in imitation of Goethe’s “Sorrows of Young Werther.” Twilighters are in ecstasy, nothing can shake their faith that these are the best books and movies ever created. They are as happy as a Jonestown cult member with a big mug of crazy kool-aid.
I enjoyed Twilight immensely, then everything got crazed and I don’t even consider myself a part of the fandom now. Meyer is an amazing writer, but people have ruined Twilight forever, and it saddens me. At least she has The Host to fall back on, which is an even better story, in my opinion. So yes, let’s dust poor abused Twilight.
Meyer is an awful writer. Sorry to burst the bubble, but she couldn’t write her way out of a paper sack.
There are still books and films that do original things with vampires, like Let The Right One In and the just released Korean film, Thirst.
Yes, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN was one I never would have considered until I read Ebert’s critique of Twilight (which he thought would appeal to teen girls and their grandmothers, and I agree). During this critique, he says if you want a real vampire movie try LTROI. So, I did and was delighted and had to have the book (which, I believe, is also a best seller). There will be an American version which will ….forgive me…suck. So, see the Swedish movie first. The book explains everything.
Also disappointed that you didn’t include L.A. Banks Vampire Huntress series. L.A. provides a multi-cultural and urban flavor to the traditional vampire legends.
Yeah, where is L.A. Banks!?
The idea of vampires is almost as traditional as they are. I don’t think you can modernise that, or if you do you ain’t doing vampires you are doing something else.