Werewolf By Night Blood Moon 1 review. So I just read issue 1 of Werewolf By Night: Blood Moon. It feels like Marvel is yet-again doing a soft reboot of their Gothic monsters The story begins with the implication that Jack doesn't usually retain his mind when he changes on the full moon, which is partly true since Jack (in earlier comics) could take man-wolf form at will and retain his mind (mostly) during those transformations, which could also be triggered by rage or pain. The story has Jack waking up in a cell where he had been psychically manipulated by Dracula, who is collecting monsters, to build a pack to protect himself from a yet-unrevealed threat. Jack breaks free with the psychic aid of Man-Thing, who he is apparently meeting for the first time. This feels like a prequel for Werewolf by Night (Disney+ Direct-to-streaming movie). Jack acting as if he's meeting Man Thing for the first time was jarring for me since I can recall the two being on the same team several times in the past. Jack has been a part of the Legion of Monsters roster as well as The Midnight Sons. He even once resided in Marvel's city of monsters. Marvel has, in the last few decades, been very careless with the continuity of their Gothic monsters. I never quite got over when an Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D comic had Coleson refer to The Legion of Monsters as simple minded and easy to manipulate with an ESPer. (the roster at the time containing N'Kantu, AKA The Living Mummy, who is very intelligent.) And this was never corrected. And around that same time The Frankenstein Monster was depicted as inarticulate in a Deadpool comic, speaking in very broken English like a parody of the Zeitgeist depiction of the Frankenstein monster derived from the Bride of Frankenstein movie. Marvel's Frankenstein Monster is supposed to be intelligent and articulate. Disney / Marvel also have the bad habit of only dusting off their Gothi monsters now for the Halloween season. There was a time they used these characters all year long.
Despite my complaining, Werewolf by Night: Blood Moon IS off to a good start. Dracula is portrayed well. Jack is sympathetic. The art is decent and i'm curious to know what threat is frightening Dracula where he's recruiting other monsters (even if it is against their wills. I love Marvel's depiction of Dracula.
This is interesting. If this turns out to be true, it means Vlad The Impaler didn't die in 1476 / 1477 after all. The article also claims that the common belief is he died in battle. The most common account is actually that he was assassinated while in prayer and that his head was delivered to the Ottoman Sultan. But if this new information turns out to be true he was actually captured (while alive?) and was later released to his daughter in Italy and lived into the sixteenth century.
A few years ago there was a rumor that Dracula would be portrayed as a black man in the newest live action incarnation of Blade. I always felt that whoever plays Dracula should feel like they were once Voivode of Wallachia. It's virtually impossible to separate Dracula from the historic Vlad Dracula now, especially with Marvel's version. That being said here are a few POC men that I feel fit the criteria. Isaiah Mustafa - Look at your vampire, now back to me. (Not sure who might remember the reference there). I feel this man has the charisma and elegance needed for a good portrayal of Dracula.
Idris Elba - He has the dynamic presence that feels like a world leader. And you can imagine him having his own code and sense of honor. Morgan Freeman - Though a bit old I'd still love to see it. He played Dracula back in the 70s for the educational TV show The Electric company so it would be a clever Easter egg to consider if he played a serious depiction. Ncuti Gatwa - Any person who played The Doctor in Doctor Who gets a free pass that he is probably able to play any character he feels like. And remember how much fun Matt Smith had in Morbius hamming it up. Now imagine a Dracula with that camp (and who can sing.). Keith David - He's Keith f--king David! I mean... I think he's a good actor with a very distinct voice. (cough.) Ariyon Bakare - He played a very underrated role in Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. He was also a werewolf in an Amazon Prime series so he has experience as supernatural beings that can shapeshift. Kevin Grevioux - This man has an underrated knowledge and appreciation for Gothic horror, from vampires to Frankenstein so he would bring a lot to the role.
"Hero Dracula"
Dracula and Sherlock Holmes are the two most adapted characters in classic literature, appearing in comic books, video games, short stories and novels by other authors, TV shows, and movies. But Dracula has the unusual quality of having switched idealistic or moralistic alignments more times than any other classic villain. In the new Epic Universe Theme park's Dark Universe in the Frankenstein Experiment: Monsters Unchained, Dracula is actually the HERO! It's a bit annoying that a lot of the Youtubers critiquing the ride have called him the villain. Dracula and the other monsters were abducted by Victoria Frankenstein who wants to enslave and dominate all of them. The whole premise of the ride is she wants us (the audience) to witness her breaking Dracula's will but Dracula escapes and frees the other monsters. He even implores to the riders "Who is the true monster? The ones in chains or the one who put us here?" I think those that believe Dracula is the villain in the ride have entirely missed the point that there's a mad scientist trying to bend every classic monster to her will. And for what? For an army of supernatural beings? An Evil Petting zoo? You surely don't think it's to reform them, do you? But I digress. My point is there's an interesting phenomena where Dracula is one of the only classic literary villains to have had multiple heroic, protagonist, or "Good guy" portrayals. Here are just a few examples. Fred Saberhagen's Dracula books. Ten novels, and three short stories in which Dracula is the main protagonist. The first book in the series features Dracula retelling the events of Dracula from his own point of view and though his version is a bit... sketchy, he's still mostly in a positive light. The Hotel Transylvania movie series. In this film and TV series Dracula created a hotel for monsters which doubles as a fortress to protect his very sheltered daughter. It also serves as a sanctuary for any monster needing shelter from the threat of humans. Welcome to Monster High - During the second generation of the Monster High franchise the soft reboot CG animated movie borrows heavily from Hotel Transylvania and has Dracula found the school "Monster High" as a shelter from humans and a place to educate monster children. And again he's protective of a very sheltered daughter. This version of Dracula appears in a slightly modified form in the live action Monster High movies for Nickelodeon. The Halloween that almost wasn't AKA The Night Dracula saved the world. A 1979 kid-friendly TV movie / TV special in which Dracula and the classic monsters have to ...well, save Halloween, when The Wicked Witch refuses to fly across the moon. Love at first Bite - Also from 1979, in this film Dracula and Renfield (now apparently quasi-immortal) come to New York to find Dracula's new bride. If you have never seen it, I consider it the vampire equivalent of Splash (even though this came first). The Drak Pack - A Saturday morning cartoon from 1980 in which Dracula acts as the commanding officer for a team of children of the classic monsters, out to atone for their ancestors past misdeeds. Little Dracula - Short explanation, it's about a bald, child, son of Dracula that is basically a knock-off of Casper the Friendly Ghost.
Scooby Doo and the Ghoul School - A 1988 animated TV movie that may have been intended for a backdoor pilot for a TV series that never happened (It could have been so good!). In this, Scooby, Shaggy, and Scrappy, get hired as Physical education teachers for a private boarding school inhabited by the daughters of the classic monsters (Possibly the inspiration for Monster High). The classic Monsters have "Gone soft" thanks to being parents and the villain of the story wants the classic monsters to be evil again. Marvel's Dracula - Though he's often been the villain there are occasions where Dracula has been the hero or anti-hero of some Marvel comics. At the very least he is sometimes a likable protagonist who does not see himself as evil. He's even trained Blade on how to fight monsters worse than himself. Dear Dracula - A children's book and animated TV movie in which a little boy sends a letter to Dracula instead of Santa Claus. The Munsters - Yes, though sometimes going by "Sam Dracula" the Grandpa Munster character is supposed to be THE Dracula. Castlevania - Okay, so maybe he destroyed a few villages in a rage when his wife was murdered but to quote Leslie Neislon's Dracula "They had it coming." In all seriousness, it seemed to be a bout of madness after a long redemption and the end of the series had Dracula and Lisa both given a second chance on life and neither seeming interested in homicide. Dracula's Curse - A movie in which Dracula is a vampire hunter using a new persona. Frank Wildhorn's Dracula The musical / Dracula das musical - Where Dracula chooses to die rather than condemn Mina to a life as a vampire. Dracula: The Un-dead by Dacre Stoker - in This novel we essentially get Phantom of the Opera: Love Never dies but with the cast of Dracula. Mina's son is actually Dracula's and Dracula is revealed to be a misunderstood vampiric hero out to defeat the actual villain vampire.
Hellsing / Hellsing OVA - An anime (and manga first) in which Dracula wasn't killed at the end of the Dracula novel but instead enslaved by Abraham Van Helsing and now serves the Van Helsing bloodline as a monster hunter fighting evil. Monster Mash - The 2024 film in which Dracula recruits the classic monsters called The Avengers... I mean "The Outsiders" to take on Dr. Frankenstein who makes to place his own soul into a new immortal body and possibly take over the world. In the 1970s Morgan Freeman (yes, really) played Dracula as a recurring character in the educational TV series, The Electric Company. Please know I will not list Count von Count since he's not actually Dracula, the character Morgan Freeman played is Dracula, himself, but pretty much served a similar purpose. Night Gallery episode A Question of Fear - Dracula takes on Nazis. I've found it very annoying and lazy when I stumble across pop culture depictions of Dracula being pro-Nazi or on the side of Hitler. The simple fact is, if Dracula is the historical Vlad the Impaler he'd NEVER side with someone trying to spread an empire that would exploit, torment, and murder Wallachian (Romanian) citizens. Just look how he reacted to the Ottoman Empire. The depiction of Dracula in this Night Gallery episode felt very right and very refreshing. Dark Prince: The True Story of Dracula - A story of the historic Dracula, very respectful to history and the Romanian perception of him as a misjudged hero, but heavily implying he becomes the famous vampire. Dracula Untold - Dracula accepts vampirism as a means to protect his son and his people from the Ottoman empire. There are many more but this is just a few examples. Dracula has the unusual trait of being the only classic horror villain who have also (several times) been portrayed as a hero. I find it fascinating. And no, I'm not bothered by it at all. There are plenty of depictions where he's pure evil. I prefer the nuanced, more complex, predatory, yet potentially honorable, depictions of Dracula.
Dracula and his weird thing for disco
So thanks to Dracula Daily it's that time of year again when Dracula is on a lot of folks minds. He is also a recurring hyperfixation for some Gothic horror fans. Now here's a Dracula topic many people never talk about... His weird pop culture fascination with 70s disco. Anne Rice's The Vampire Lestat may have woken himself up from a century long rest by 80s rock music but Dracula has been into pop music since the 60s but for some reason he became heavily associated with disco in the 1970s. In 1962 the song Monster Mash by Bobby "Boris" PIckett Jr.. had a line "now everything's cool, Drac's a part of the band and my Monster mash is the hit of the land." And that was the last we heard of Dracula doing pop music until the 70s. It started in 1975 when a very odd song was released called Soul Dracula by Hot Blood. The song can be heard in the movie Only Lovers Left Alive.
In 1979 however... That's the year Dracula apparently really discovered disco. In 1979 Andy Forray released a disco song called Drac's back. In 1986 a cover of the song was released by the Bollock Brothers so this song has been done at least twice.
In the 1979 movie "Love at first Bite" Dracula comes to New York City where he seeks out his bride, a woman named Cindy. Dracula dances with her to the disco song "I love the Night life" by Alicia bridges. Curiously, when the movie was released to DVD the song was replaced with generic disco music that didn't quite fit the dance scene. It was only when Shout Factory finally released the movie as a Blu Ray double feature with Once Bitten that the song was restored to the movie.
And the end credits featured another disco song by Pat Hodges called Fly by Night. 1979 also brought about the TV movie "The Halloween that almost wasn't," alternately released with the title "The Night Dracula saved the world." The final scene of this kid-friendly TV movie is Dracula dancing disco with The Wicked Witch. Dracula transforms his classic (Universal studios Zeitgeist depiction) tuxedo into a white Saturday Night fever style outfit and starts dancing with The Wicked Witch to the song "Keep on Thinking" by Zenobia.
And most recently in 2010 a Halloween novelty album was released by the artist "Count Crow" (implied to be Dracula, himself, using a punny name playing on Counting Crows). And the album features a vampiric parody song of "I will Survive" but as "You won't Survive."
(Imagine from Count Crow's Facebook page. Yes, really.) Conclusion... Dracula not only had a thing for disco in 1979 but he probably is still obsessed with Disco today! (If he, as a vampiric entity and not just a fifteenth century Voivode, was real that is...)
Clearing up some misconceptions about the Frankenstein Experiment: Monsters unchained ride
The other day I was told a headcanon that the Frankenstein monster in Epic Universe's Dark Universe ride, Frankenstein Experiment: Monsters unchained, is actually "the 10th attempt" and "The one playing the piano is a previous version."
If you are a Gothic horror lover you already know why this "headcanon" hurts my brain.
Okay, first... There are fourteen animatronics in the ride, not fourteen Frankenstein monsters.
Second, despite the ride's name, there's only one Frankenstein-created monster walking around.
Yes, he is not the first Frankenstein monster. The first one is in the cue of the ride, apparently dead (but not necessarily unrevivable). This is the "second version" made by Victoria Frankenstein. The original was by Henry Frankenstein. (Victor's name was changed to Henry in the 1931 movie).
The premise of the ride is that Victoria has captured all the classic monsters and is trying to enslave them to her will. Only one of them was actually made by her. They aren't all her creations.
The ride is set in Frankenstein manor in the village of Darkmoor in an unspecified central to Eastern European Country. Think of it as a Gothic fairy tale setting. It's present day but there are aesthetics of the Victorian era and even some medieval, a bit like a Castlevania game or Hammer Horror movie or more recently Asylum's Monster Mash movie from last year.
The "Experiment" in the ride's title isn't the creation of monsters despite that being what we associate with "Frankenstein Experiment." It's Victoria's attempt to capture and control the monsters, making herself Queen of the Monsters.
In reality Dracula is the deFacto King of the Monsters. Though he was never actually the first vampire in Universal's lore (or the novel), he did self-title himself King of the vampires by the time you got to the Frank Langella Dracula movie of 1979. And by other depictions he became king of the monsters. Now before you say "I thought King Kong was king of the Monsters." or "I thought Godzilla was king of the Monsters." That's Kaiju (Really big monsters). Dracula is king of the humanoid monsters. This is why Victoria is obsessed with enslaving him because once she has him, the other monsters are completely ensnared and she can claim her crown as Queen of the Monsters (despite being human).
The characters that appear in the Frankenstein Experiment: Monsters unchained ride are as follows:
Igor / Ygor (Henchman to Victoria Frankenstein)
Frankenstein Monster version 2
Victoria Frankenstein (descendant of Henry Frankenstein) Quasimodo AKA The Hunchback of NotreDame. (Classified as monster even though he was just physically deformed in his story. There is still the question of how is he alive in present day when his story is set in the fifteenth century. Is he a ghost?)
Erik AKA Phantom of the Opera. (Classified as monster despite just being physically disfigured Frenchman. There's no explanation as to how he's alive in present day. Possibly an immortal sorcerer. He practiced magick in the original silent film and was a gifted hypnotist. Also that wasn't a piano, it was an organ.
Dracula - Vlad Dracula, historic figure turned vampire. Victoria Frankenstein is obsessed with breaking his will and he ends up escaping and leading a monster rebellion, proclaiming that she's the real monster.
Dracula's brides - Women he turned into his vampire minion over the centuries. (Note: When Dracula das musical is performed in Germany they add grooms to the brides. I kind of wish they did that here. Most depictions of Dracula are bisexual now, playing on some hints from the novel).
Gillman AKA The Creature from the Black Lagoon - Ancient, re-generative aquatic merman creature from South America.
The Wolfman - An immortal werewolf, Lawrence (Larry) Talbot. (He was confirmed as being immortal in the original black and white movies. The only thing that can really kill him is silver and even that is negotiable). Larry attended school in America (to account for his American accent) but his father was a country Lord, probably in England.
The Mummy - It's unclear which version of The Mummy this is but it is likely a Royal woman from Egypt (North Africa). Around the time you see The Mummy on the ride, Dracula gives his speech about who the real monsters are. Weirdly, many people have mistaken the speech as coming from The Mummy. No, it's Dracula talking in the scene. These are captured monsters. None of them were "Made" by Victoria Frankenstein except the Frankenstein monster version 2. Version 1 is dormant in the cue and if you know the movies, you know the original brain isn't even in the body anyway. The brain that was in that monster by the end of the franchise was Ygor (played by Bela Lugosi).
Since there's going to be a movie of Abraham's Boys based on the short story by Joe Hill in which Doctor Abraham Van Helsing is an abusive father who may actually be delusional and vampires aren't actually real (ala Frailty) , which honestly sounds terrible to me, I half expect the end credits will look something like this. An A. Lucard production. Produced by Alexander Lucard. Directed by Vlad D. Script adapted by Kazıklı Voyvode and Kazıklı Bey Cinematography by William DeVille.
Production design by Drake Devill and D. D. Denim. V.O. narration provided by Robin Bloodworth Edited by C. Alucard Sound mixing by Vladislaus Drakulya Sound editing by Vladislav III of Wallachia Set design by Bassarab Storyboards by B. Nightflyer Music composed by with Prince Vlad of Szekely and Danny Elfman Catering / Craft services by Wladislaus Drakulea of Țepeș Kabobs Lighting by Alexander Greyson Hotel accommodations by Voivode Vladislav Draguwya curtesy of Hotel Transylvania Research and development by Dr. Emil Corday, Jonathan Thorn, Matthew Maule, and Dr. Acula Main Kickstarter contributor Alucard @ protonmail dot com This has been a "Screw you, Van Helsing!" production
I know Asylum films aren't that deep buuuut I think I figured out a hidden identity of one of the "Outsiders" (Dracula's monster team) in the 2024 Monster Mash movie. The werewolf, whose human identity goes by the name Charles Conliff. First, Charles Conliffe (just with an "E" at the end) is the name of the father of Larry Talbot's romantic interest in the 1941 Wolfman. That's a nice little Easter Egg right there! Second, Charles in Monster Mash, appears to be a hermit living in a cabin on the bayou. He has an American Southern / Western accent. Charles can regenerate his body parts and he is mostly immortal (much like the Universal Wolfman and the version depicted in the movie Monster Squad) but Charles has an edge over the Universal Wolfman. He retains his mind in his wolf-form. I think The Werewolf in Asylum's Monster Mash is the infamous Rougarou. First Ethan Daniel Corbett as Dracula is far better than the movie deserves. He's just really good. Then Adam Slemon (who plays The Mummy) is Middle Eastern / North African. (The actual right racial background for The Mummy!) And now I think The Werewolf (Whose very name is a homage to Universal's The Wolfman as an Easter Egg) might be the Rougarou. I love this silly little movie! I wish it was the cult classic I think it deserves to be.
The weird science behind Dracula's sunglasses
As many of you know, in Bram Stoker's Dracula, the count could venture out by day. Night was just his more natural time. He was nocturnal. The 1992 Bram Stoker's Dracula movie gave him a pair of cobalt blue pince-nez sunglasses.
Then in the 90s the manga and anime Hellsing (and then the Hellsing OVA) depicted Dracula (going by the name Alcuard) in round, red (or orange), sunglasses.
This is probably an aesthetic choice but there actually is some science behind these choices. First we'll discuss Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992 movie). In the late nineteenth century it was believed that different colored sunglasses could treat different ailments. Round, brown-tinted "tea shades" (old term for Lennon style sunglasses) were often worn by light sensitive people when out for sunny, afternoon tea. It was also a convenient way for Opium users to hide their bloodshot eyes. Blue or specifically cobalt was for seriously light sensitive people who had eyes that were frozen in dilation or have trouble dilating. The dark blue tricks the brain into thinking it is dusk and the eyes will adjust for dimmer lighting. They are very effective sunglasses but have the draw back that if you remove them while still in sunlight you will feel like you suddenly left a dark theatre for the harsh light of day. This is part of why blue sunglasses aren't so popular anymore, because they so accurately simulate the sky at dusk that some people consider them harmful. In general they would be excellent for nocturnal creatures. ___________________________ Now for red. Red sunglasses filter light very clearly while creating a red light filter. Nocturnal animals like bats, coyotes, racoons, skunks, and cats, are actually not bothered by light when it's filtered through red. Red light will not upset the natural cycles for a nocturnal animal, or frighten, confuse, or disorientate them. They would also work well to hide if eyes changed color to red or were red. So red is actually good for nocturnal animals (of which Dracula shares traits and can transform into). And blue (cobalt) replicates the sky at dusk and with human eyes it tricks the brain and eye dilation into thinking it is dusk. This could be useful for keeping one such as Dracula alert by day. Bonus: Lestat's violet sunglasses described in Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles likely contain useful aspects of both of these.
I'm starting to see a lot of people asking why Dracula is a Count in Stoker's novel and not a prince.
There's actually an in-novel explanation. Van Helsing says "He must indeed be the Voivode Dracula who won his name against the Turk." Voivode is Prince. But Dracula was posing as his own descendants and relatives over the centuries and so the title eventually shifted to Count.
Nosferatu 2024
I will say this, the movie has a great ambiance. It is aesthetically gorgeous. Nosferatu will hopefully rekindle a trend in classic style unironic, un-deconstructed, Gothic horror. That being said the movie's premise is almost exactly like the original 1922 film, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, since many people haven't seen the original silent film. (Side note: I want a remake of F. W. Murnau's 1926 Faust in this style from the same production team!). The few changes are mildly disturbing, including ...grief necrophilia? Anyway, the original 1922 film was the very first time a vampire died via sunlight in fiction, before Universal studios would borrow it for Son of Dracula in 1943 and from 1943 onward American films and TV usually had vampires burning in the sun. So, of course, the way Count Orlok is destroyed had to remain in tact. One change that annoyed me slightly was the film indicated that Nosferatu is a particular TYPE of vampire that spreads plague. It's true there were plague rats in the original 1922 film but Nosferatu, the word, just means vampire- not a specific type of vampire. I do like that there is some new emphasis on the idea that Count Orlok was a sorcerer when he was alive and there was apparently more occult content. As the original Nosferatu was a "version of Dracula with the serial number filed off" you will notice there are some similarities to the 1992 film Bram Stoker's Dracula, aesthetically, and plot-wise. Nosferatu's plot was always Dracula with some minor changes and character name changes, and the count getting a physical redesign. Bram Stoker's widow even successfully sued the 1922 production and a court ordered that all copies of the film be destroyed. Thankfully prints of the film survived long enough for Dracula to go into the public domain so the court order did not have to be carried out. (Let's hope someone doesn't try to have it enforced one day to try to squeeze some money over to the Stoker estate). So in short, Nosferatu (2024) IS an aesthetically beautiful Gothic horror film that I hope will initiate a trend in the style. But I will say this, I still think Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) is a better movie even though it adds a love story that was not in Stoker's novel, most of it, otherwise is still (in my opinion) the most faithful adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel. That Mina / Dracula love story is a guilty pleasure of mine, by the way. This latest Nosferatu movie makes the Blue Oyster Cult song, about the 1922 film, get stuck in my head. Also Bill Skarsgard is really starting to make a name for himself playing monsters. I hope it lasts. I still say Doug Jones is the best current monster movie actor. But Bill comes close. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gts2yGraydk
There's a funny Halloween album called Count Crow's Halloween spooktacular. It features such fun parody songs as "You Won't Survive" (to the tune of "I will Survive") and Shout the Boo.
I have a little headcanon that makes it even more amusing. The character in the album is named Count Crow but based on the song lyrics and character art I've seen on the album and its re-release my headcanon is that Dracula pulled a Lestat.
That is to say Count Crow was Dracula's attempt at a rock persona, stealing the punny name from Counting Crows. There can be only so many Romanian count vampires who know and lead the other classic monsters.
Remember where I said I noticed a small Monster Mashup (classic monsters interacting) trend starting in again in popular culture? If this was closer to Halloween I'd say it was just the season for it but we've had a small surge of monster mashups in media lately. I'm not sure how long it'll last but I'll enjoy it while it's here.
The movie Monster Mash from Asylum just came out last month.
Universal Studios just struck a deal with Mattel to make a new high budget Monster High movie (not including the direct-to-video animated movies or the TV movie musicals).
A new The Munsters revival is in development.
Castlevania: Nocturne.
The Witcher is filming season 4 right now, and has a new animated movie coming out later this year.
Season 2 of Wednesday is filming, (Wednesday Addams attending a school divided up in factions of classic style monsters),
And now it's been announced that there will be a new TV show spin-off of Hotel Transylvania. This will be the second time Hotel Transylvania has had a TV series.
Hotel Transylvania (a sort of kid-friendly introduction to the classic monsters) is a franchise currently consisting of four movies, and now a second animated series. This one to be called "Motel Transylvania" for Netflix. The previous Hotel Transylvania TV series was on The Disney Channel.
Last night I heard a great quote from Maven of the Eventide (Vampire media critic).
She said (Paraphrasing here) "Vampire romances are supposed to be uncomfortable and taboo. The fact that it's problematic and creepy is not a bug, it's a feature."
It made me think of all the times I've seen people online complain about the Louis / Lestat romance, or Dracula and Mina in the movie Bram Stoker's Dracula or Fred Saberhagen's Dracula books (Yes, I know they weren't lovers in the Dracula novel by Bram Stoker) or Carmilla and Laura, or even Bella and Edward from Twilight.
In fact, I, myself, am guilty of complaining about the Twilight one but then I realized how hypocritical it was because when I was fifteen I was perfectly fine with shipping Buffy and Angel and he liked to watch her sleep and look at that age gap. And I'm still a sucker for a good Dracula / Mina story even though I know that's very different from what was in Stoker's novel.
Again, the creepiness is not a bug, it's a feature.
Vampire love stories are supposed to make you a little uncomfortable.