In its presentation Thursday at the Diamond Retailer Summit at C2E2, Marvel seems to have all but confirmed an "X-Men vs. vampires" storyline with the announcement of The Death of Dracula.

In its extensive overview of the summit, IGN.com reports that Arune Singh, the publisher's manager of sales and communications, said the demise of Marvel's lord of the vampires isn't simply a throwaway story or an attempt to draw in horror fans.

"One of the biggest changes in the Marvel Universe in years starts here," Singh is quoted as saying. It's unclear from the report whether The Death of Dracula will be a one-shot, a miniseries or a banner for a crossover. Presumably, more details will be revealed this weekend in Chicago.

Dracula, who made his Marvel Universe debut in 1972, most recently appeared in the Hugo Award-nominated "Vampire State" story arc of the now-canceled Captain Britain and MI13. He was shown seemingly being destroyed at the end of the storyline, dispatched by an Excalibur-wielding Faiza Hussain.