The following contains spoilers for DC vs. Vampires: Hunted #1, now on sale from DC Comics
The reality of DC vs. Vampires has taken some seriously dark turns, with even the likes of Superman and Wonder Woman falling under the sway of a frighteningly effective evil Nightwing. But there's one vampire still resisting Grayson's rule, and it's the perfect figure considering his multiverse counterparts.
DC vs. Vampires: Hunted #1 (by Matthew Rosenberg, Neil Googe, Antonio Fabela and Troy Peteri) reveals that Damien Wayne has remained an independent hero despite being turned into a vampire and has more or less become his world's answer to Marvel's Blade.
The Damien Wayne of DC vs. Vampires has found himself in a unique position. Damien was caught completely off-guard along with the rest of the Bat-Family by the revelation that Nightwing was the true King of the Vampires. While most of the Bat-Family either escaped (like Alfred and Cassandra Cain) or were killed in the ensuing battle (like Batman, Red Hood, and Tim Drake), Damien was the exception. His last-minute charge against Grayson only got him bitten and turned into a vampire himself. But unlike the rest of the vampiric horde who seem to obey Grayson's every command with undying loyalty, Damien has been able to resist this and remain a heroic figure.
Under the guise of becoming Grayson's assassin, Damien was able to help Alfred sneak assorted heroes into hiding. Damien was also able to arrange an (ultimately doomed) assassination attempt against King Nightwing, all in a bid to get revenge for his father's death. But even his drive for vengeance was muted by his lingering human emotions, something that catches Grayson by surprise. Nightwing admits to a captured Alfred Pennyworth that his emotions set Damien apart from other vampires. Damien still cared about Alfred, to the point of risking his life to save him This in turn impresses Grayson enough to spare Damien and Alfred's lives afterward, allowing them to escape out of the hope that Damien's compassion could be the key to uniting vampires and humans down the line.
Damien's role as a cursed vampire hunter contending with his humanity makes him a clear stand-in for Marvel's own Daywalker, Blade. Like Blade, Damien has found some advantages to his vampire side, including a speed boost that even Nightwing admitted was impressive. Damien refuses to feed on the living, something Blade has typically also combated with a serum meant to replicate the effects on his half-vampiric physiology. Both are determined fighters, with an additional edge thanks to their unlikely supernatural forms. Both have also been given chances to join the vampire nation, and continue to resist the draw.
Notably, this isn't the first time a vampire hunting Damien has appeared with a different backstory leading to a similar role for the Nightmare Robin who appeared in the short-lived DC videogame Infinite Crisis. It's also not the first time a variant of Damien has embraced a supernatural curse to become a more dangerous hero, such as in the reality of Batman 666. But as the world of DC vs. Vampires continues to go down dark paths, it's important there are characters like Damien still fighting against their hordes. In fact, the Damien of this world might end up being a key player in either brokering some kind of peace with the villainous Grayson (who expresses a hope for that eventuality) or even taking him down in the long-run.