Comic books and vampires have a long and storied history together; from the very dawn of the medium, comics have often featured the immortal creatures of the night within their pages in one way or another. From the horror comics of EC to Marvel and DC's output and beyond - there have been countless 4-color bloodsuckers throughout the years.
While some of the industry's fanged fellows have been relegated to bit-part payers or foes for more established and heroic characters, some titles have portrayed the humble vampire as more. They have put them front row and center to the story, and many times, have bathed in the brilliance that has followed.
10 The Vampirella Magazine First Introduced The Titular Horror Host To The World
The original and still the best vampiric host in comics, Warren Publishing's Vampirella first introduced Vampirella as the host of one of the all-time greatest horror anthology comics way back in 1969. Filled to the gills with countless strips full of monsters, zombies, ghouls, and of course, vampires, this title was a monster-mashing good time for all.
Featuring main strips detailing her own origins and adventures, readers the world over also got a look into Vampirella herself, which was somewhat of a rarity for hosts of the time. Still funny, shocking, terrifying, and eye-popping - it is well worth checking out in one of Dynamite Comics' brilliant reissues.
9 Buffy The Vampire Slayer Continues Where The Iconic TV Series Left Off
A continuation of the much-loved television series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer has been a long-running series that follows the subsequent adventures of The Scooby Gang as they do battle against the dark forces of the world. Highly regarded by the fanbase, this is the perfect title to pick up for readers that can't get enough Buffy in their lives.
Written by series creator Joss Whedon, this series fits right in line with the tone and feel of the show and features the likeness of the cast and characters - making it feel as if it never went away in the first place.
8 30 Days Of Night Has One Of The Most Tantalizing Premises In All Of Vampire Fiction
Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith's original comic book 30 Days of Night features a small town in Alaska that goes dark for a month once a year - so a group of vampires decides to move in and get to work doing what they do best. Adapted into a successful series of films and many sequels and spin-off comics, the original still stands as a juggernaut of the genre. Featuring sharp writing and incredible artwork, this title is sure to have readers engrossed for its entirety - and is an absolute must for fans of vampires everywhere.
7 Vampire: The Masquerade Is A Brilliant Adaptation Of The Iconic RPG
Written by a phenomenal writing team that includes the likes of Tim Seeley and Tini Howard, fans of the eternally popular World of Darkness tabletop RPG Vampire: The Masquerade knew that this series would be in good hands - and they weren't wrong. Published by Vault Comics, the title includes all of the edge-of-your-seat social and political intrigues you have come to expect from the franchise. Full of shocking twists and turns and backstabbing aplenty, this is one book that will have readers turning the pages as fast as they can to find out what happens next.
6 Sacred Six Expands Upon The Vampirella Universe To Great Effect
A spin-off title from Christopher Priest's ongoing Vampirella series for Dynamite, Sacred Six features a team-up between all of Vampi's most iconic supporting cast - Vampirella, Draculina, Nyx, Pantha, Chastity, and Lilith. Following their adventures as they do battle against the religious, bigoted city of Sacred, it is as politically charged as it is impossible to put down.
Christopher Priest has done phenomenal things with his time on the Vampirella books, and this is one of the definite highlights - setting up a whole extended universe that has already spawned many subsequent titles and continues to send ripples through Dynamite to this day.
5 Vampironica Brings Blood And Guts To The Archie Universe
In one of the most bizarre, and welcoming surprises, of comic books in the modern era - 2018 saw the publication of Greg Smallwood's fantastic Vampironica - a grisly, gruesome vampiric take on the iconic and much-loved and wholesome Archie universe.
Introducing a vampiric version of Veronica, who stalks the streets of Riverdale drinking the blood of its citizens - Vampironica has been such a smash-hit with fans that it has extended into an entire, horror-themed universe of Archie comics that has spawned other such titles as Jughead: The Hunger. The success of these titles has also no doubt inspired the recent turn to horror and supernatural seen in newer seasons of the Riverdale TV show.
4 Tomb Of Dracula Is Classic Marvel Horror At Its Very Best
Arguably the greatest, and most fondly remembered, of all of Marvel's original horror comics - Tomb of Dracula and its landmark runs by superstar writers Gerry Conway, Archie Goodwin, Gardner Fox, and Marv Wolfman (with iconic art by Gene Colan) has gone down in history as defining the character of Dracula in comic books forever.
Unique in its use of a villainous vampire as its main protagonist, this title also introduced the character of Blade to the world - who would go on to become an icon in his own right, and whose film adaptations became the first of many blockbuster cinematic hits for the comic book company.
3 Preacher Reinvented The Vampire For The 90s Generation
Before Buffy, and Post-Interview With The Vampire, Preacher's Cassidy would be a breath of fresh air to the canon of long-running vampires in fiction. Smart, witty, brash, and anarchic, Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon's bloodsucker is a vampire that defines the Generation X sensibilities of the time.
A character as iconic as the series he comes from, this is a series that deserves all of the high praise and acclaim that it receives. Recently brought back to the forefront of pop culture in the Preacher TV show, this only proves once again that this vampire's popularity is truly immortal.
2 Christopher Priest's Vampirella Is The Best That The Character Has Ever Been
Christopher Priest's 50th-anniversary celebration of Vampirella has been a truly defining and monumental addition to her canon, with Vampirella being the cherry on top of it all. A title that is as heavy on social issues and psychoanalytical theory as it is nail-biting action and explosive adventure - Preist's Vampirella is a great place to start if readers are looking to check out the character for the first time.
Developing Vampi's character more than it ever has been before, it is going to be incredibly tough to top this series going forward. Guaranteed to go down as a classic, fans both old and new alike can't wait to see what Priest does with the character in the future.
1 American Vampire Tells The History Of America Through The Journey Of Its Immortal Characters
Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque's epic magnum opus (with backup stories by Stephen King!) takes readers on a decades-spanning, blood-soaked journey from the Wild West all the way to the present day through the eyes of its undying main cast of characters.
Touching, hyper-violent, gory, and emotional; this title has it all for fans of horror, and indeed, comics in general. With each skip in time, readers are treated to a new era in American history and are constantly delighted by seeing the different ways in which our protagonists try to adapt and change to fit in - or, in many cases, don't. With Snyder and Co. recently finishing work on the final series, American Vampire: 1976, there has never been a better time to check it out.