#batman vampire

[vertigoartgore]

1994's Batman: Bloodstorm GN cover by artist Kelley Jones and Les Dorscheid. Source

[ledesaid]

"The mirror is broken?👀🔨▲▼←🦇

→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→ Billy: Excuse me, Mr. Pennyworth... may I ask you a question? Alfred: Certainly, Master William. How may I assist you? Billy takes out a small mirror and slides it across the kitchen counter. Billy: Is it possible that mirrors... can mirrors stop reflecting? Alfred: Ah, I believe I understand your concern... Alfred's smile made Billy feel less afraid. Alfred: How about I prepare a cup of hot chocolate while I recount an old story, one as ancient as this mansion. Billy: Thank you... Alfred: Well, my dear boy, when the Wayne family arrived in Gotham two hundred and forty years ago, these lands were teeming with wizards, witches, and other beings who bewildered the locals. One such individual had a dispute with an ancestor of this family and cast what we might colloquially term a "curse" upon all their Wayne descendants... And as you seem to have discovered, they cannot be seen in mirrors, something that has become quite the folklore often associated with... Billy: Vampires... Alfred: Precisely, Master William. However, times have changed, and we are now allies with various sorcerers who have aided the family in leading a normal life. Billy: But I can't see myself in the reflections, Mr. Pennyworth. Alfred: Fret not, young sir. Just like your older brothers, you will become accustomed to it in due time. They revel in making jokes about it. Why not give them a call? They all delight in sharing their own escapades. Billy: So now I'm officially a Bat? Alfred: Absolutely, Master Billy! Welcome to the family.

[adrianastrix]

I've read/watched a few "what if Batman was an actual vampire" stories at this point and they are cool and all, but most lean a bit too hard on the "tortured tragic monster" side of things.

The real goldmine, for me, is how clever he would have to be to keep Gotham criminals from finding and exploiting his numerous ridiculous vampire weaknesses, like garlic or being compelled to count small things. Also: the Bruce Wayne persona having to hide yet another layer of secrets by still having to deal with said weaknesses.

I mean, I don't HATE "tragic monster" vampire stories, but Bruce is a freaking billionaire. He can buy expired bagged blood in bulk and/or run a cover story that he needs daily blood transfusions due to some rare bs disease. But it's not so easy to keep himself from having to turn away from a crucifix (the version with Jesus body on it, not any old cross, you heathens) or from being "damn, now I'm really thirsty and have to turn in early to avoid killing people" after punching a mook and making his nose bleed way too much.

[liljester]

"But I'm hungry, there aren't enough hugs at all

I'm opening your veins

drinking all your blood

But after drinking you dry, I feel thirsty

I cut you into pieces

then I eat each one"

Song: Карусель для друзей - Мало тебя

[gsd-420]

[lakecountylibrary]

Chilling Alternatives (for the semi-chilled)

It might not be Halloween season* but it sure is damp out there! But warm or hot, it's never not the time for some enjoyable tales of horror. While Dracula and Frankenstein might be classics, why not try cracking open something more nontraditional or unexpected?

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith

You might (or might not) be familiar with the movie, but did you know it started as a novel? Fictional horror elements are weaved well into the historical moments surrounding the life of President Lincoln that this book touches upon as the man has encounters with vampires hidden among the American community, even encountering a greater conspiracy that could make this nation everything it stands against. The pacing isn't too slow, and the world is immersive.

Star Wars: Red Harvest by Joe Schreiber

“A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…” a Sith Lord, who runs an academy for training new recruits, accidentally unleashes a plague on the planet in his attempts to gain immortality. The result: a horde of Sith zombies!

This was something rather unexpected when I came across it. A Star Wars horror story? Fans of the series, new and old, get a look at the lengths the Jedi's long-time enemy, the Sith, will go to in order to cement their power, no matter the risks.

Five Nights At Freddy's Fazbear Frights #1: Into the Pit by Scott Cawthon and Elley Cooper

The beginning of a series of books based on the popular indie horror series, this is a collection of three frightening vignettes (plus the start of an ongoing story featured across the rest of the series' collection) in an alternate universe from the games. New readers will be disturbed; fans of Five Nights at Freddy's will recognize familiar characters (or allusions to characters, too, possibly). If you're looking for a quick but scary tale, this might be just for you!

Batman: Vampire by Doug Moench

What happens in an alternate universe where Dracula invades Gotham City? A dark story where a Dark Knight becomes even darker. Indeed, to take on this new foe and his growing list of children, Batman himself may have to become his worst foe in order to even the odds (even with help). But then… what happens next? How long can a vampire keep the dark urges in check (especially when he's out fighting crime)? Highly recommended for fans of an older style of comic book art, horror enthusiasts, or just people who love Batman.

See more of Garrick's recs

(*Editor's note: j/k we are aware that April is, in fact, close enough to Halloween for Tumblr.)

[thesquidgame]

Um... Okay. I’m not sure whether to fangirl because a vampire is finally Batman or have a panic attack because a vampire is finally becoming Batman. So, yeah.

[vertigoartgore]

House-ad for Batman: Bloodstorm (1994). Art by Kelley Jones and Les Dorscheid.