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Generally the old stories like Dracula and Carmilla pitted humans against the vampires --- light vs dark, humans saving humans from an unnatural entity.

Modern fictional vampires are often at odds against other vampires, and themselves, in order to protect humans.

Both sides may have human allies (Renfields), but increasingly the conflict has become Olympian. Gods vs gods, but vampires are unique because of the blood sacrifice.

It almost seems as if fictional vampires are evolving into martyr-like figures. They begin as humans who are chosen, and who struggle with dark urges, but who pursue a higher goal (to defeat the really, really bad vampires).

Do you think superheroes fill a void in our world right now? Do you agree that vampires are evolving into superheroes?

Given their god-like qualities: the heroic odyssey, blood sacrifice, and martyrdom, does vampirism have the potential of developing into a religion? Is this a good thing?

They absolutely fill a void for us. Through metaphor, they show us that even the unbreakable can be broken. Even the perfect can be flawed. It teaches how even the food chain needs respect. A vampire, many times a person who wants so bad to leave this world to escape human chains... cannot even exist on that side without humanity.

vampirism is a bigga part of society today just as much as any so called normal religion!!!

its a belief and a following and life style ! just like christianity and judahism and the muslim faiths !!

also star wars fans have tried to get the jedi as a recognised faith!!!

and on the subject of superheroes ! DRACULA is a super hero the the followers of vampirism,

DRACULA has also featured in many dc comics with batman!!!
so yes a vampire can be a superhero it just depends on the viewers perspective!!!

yes they do fill a void in our life . And to some point I think they do play god with the human race because the ones they pick to be vampires can live for ever .

It's my personal belief that faiths that regard themselves as deities can be a scary thing. When you focus less on everyone else, feel you are the end all/be all... what real hope is there for respectful human interaction? It sounds like a world of ego and no compassion. I think that would be a negative thing. But that is just my understanding of that type of thing.

I have to agree with everyone here! They fill a void in our life's, and play a role of Gods because they can live forever

I hate to do this... but I am referencing 90s TV series Buffy the Vampire. From the very beginning you saw the exact struggle of good versus evil inside of a supposedly tainted creature (Angel and Spike). We've humanized the once villainous vampires and morphed them into a lense of viewing ourselves. Our struggles with morality and our masochistic tendencies that glorify martyrs is no different than Angel’s pull to the dark side, or Spike sacrificing his life for sake of good old Sunnydale. They becomes heros.

In their stories, even the rotten apple’s become heroes. It this martyrdom fetish that we see religious, mythological, TV, film, and other works of literature tap into our human psyche about the call to sacrifice and honoring others sacrifices.

Will vampirism turn into a religion? I doubt it, but some of the modern day tendencies of vampires sure strike a spiritual chord for many of us.

In our articles section. Not directly related in the superhero aspect, but still excellent and informative:

Vampire religion

I agree with what meeper said. We have humanized the once villanous vampires. I don't really think it's a bad thing. Not everyone wants to see vampires as evil creatures who care for nothing and no one. For instance, I like Lestat in Queen of the Damned. He showed his human side. That he still cared. Angel from Buffy was the same way. He had to fight the battle of good and evil within himself even.

As for vampires becoming superheros, I would say that we are making them that. Vampires like Blade fight for the humans. To me that's a superhero. He fights the bad guys to save the good guys.

On the religion part, I think some people already see vampirism as a type of religion. They practically worship the vampires.

yes they do fill a void for example "Blade" is a superhero that we as humans have created to balance the scales sort of speak.

i think that vampires do fill a void in this world with every one focused on the " right " thing and not whats there in front of them , i believe that vampirsm could become a religion but it would be looked down as satanic because no one would understand it and fear it but on the whole yes i believe that the vampire is evolving in to a better creaturet and person on the whole

well people have always feared what they do not understand , lots of closed mined people out there .
Ya Buggy Angel and Blade are al great refrences. ALl had the desire to help the humans.

well yes more and more vampires in fictional reading are good fighting bad but i think its just a superhero thing and if vampirism became a religion i wouldnt mind as long as people arent killing other for some reason or defying other that is wen religion crosses the line

I think most of us want to see the good overcome the evil in life. Even in movies or stories, there are underdog vamps and we want them to make it too and be ok. Even in the new HBO show, True Blood, there is the nice vamp that is all sensual and you want him to be ok.

In Buffy, Spike was a nice guy and finally gave in to his good guy side. But was still naughty.

it wont be a religion becas we are all scaterd and probly beat the shit out of each uther if we all got to geather and we feed a lone exsept of the doner

I wouldnt say Vampires are superheros but they have become as hugh to certain people. It is common fact now that the vampire is more favoured in the community now.

on depiction of society i would say vampires still remain outcasts in society, yet movie roles seem to be coming forth as vampires doing good a change from the old dramatic ways of movies as hunters and pure evil. so i do see that they could be in a way.

I think it is more that they are trying to keep the peace so they dont get found out and become victoms of a mass manhunt. Over the years once man has descovered vampires they have been hunted down and slaughtered. So I would fathom that they would try to keep their secret hidden at all cost even if it means hunting there own.

Developing into a religion? It practically is a religion. More like an advanced cult.
If vampires were real as fiction portrays them, it would be like worshiping humans or animals. They're inconsistent. They can either be good or bad. That would make for a pretty horrible god. I'd hate to lay my life in the hands of somebody who I couldn't trust...isn't that the point of having a god?

I always enjoy your threads! I do think there already is a vampire church. But I think people always need some form of a superhero role model type figure. I know mine sort of motivates me. Nobody can produce a good movie anymore where the vampire is the bad guy with out over doing the blood, guts and gore and fit in a good story line. I miss cheering for the bad guy sometimes. I'm not real sure where the Olympian theme ties in though.

it motavates me when some one does something extra grand :)

I feel that yes, superheroes do fill a void and vampires are fast becoming that.


I think that anything like this can be good if moderate. Obviously if all you do is focus on superheroes and vampires it's excessive and like anything else can form addiction.

Blood sacrifice was part of the mythos required to invest the chosen one with godliness.

who knows what vampirism will turn into whether that be a religion or not who can say, i will say that today vampires have turned into our heroes and our romeos, it's really interesting to see the ramifications these new stories have had on society as a whole.

Do you think superheroes fill a void in our world right now?

Yes superheroes fill our void. We have to face reality everyday, just escaping a bit from it, it doesn't hurt. I would say it is even a need, just as long it does not get extreme, as in refusing reality at all and start living in an imaginary world.

Do you agree that vampires are evolving into superheroes?

Yes vampires are evolving into superheroes, due to modern fictional books, movies and series.

Given their god-like qualities: the heroic odyssey, blood sacrifice, and martyrdom, does vampirism have the potential of developing into a religion? Is this a good thing?

Never thought about it, but I think it can happen. I don't think it'd be a good thing; we'll have more people believing seriously they are vampires, simply because they saw a movie! Why that would be bad?

Well that would be connected to answer number 1, when escaping reality becomes extreme and not just a refuge to fill our void. I don't want to have people around me telling me: 'Let me bite you and turn you into an immortal.'

Sorry ~Bloodmother~ this thread is just too easy to nit-pick at. I can write a couple of very long paragraphs stating my opinion(s) regarding the superhero pyschie that the media throws around for the sake of society needing something to sooth their grief when it comes to matters of wartime.

As far as vampires, this is again, too easy... Those who crave the vampire as a lifestyle will surely flock to the religious conotations, the impressionable individuals out there that fall into the HLV (Human Living Vampire) archtype always fall prey to the like avenues of their "sub-culture" if you want to call the new masquerade a "sub-culture", it seems more like a new phenomenon much like that of the star trekkies, or WoW players, taking the "game" too far and honesty, too seriously.

As for the Gods, according to the "vampire church", they are already "Gods" to begin with, claiming to be at the top of the food chain... Give me a break. Go ahead and put the vampire into the deified archtype or the superhero blunder... More power to them.