Dracula - Blog Posts
I love that gothic literature is so often queer coded✯
This movie is my guilty pleasure and I need others to suffer living in my brain
quick dracula from the 2004 van helsing (does anyone even remember this movie?? i sure do xP) for some practise. I really should have used some refrence picture for this one but i decided ‘nah, i know how to do it i’ll be fine’ ...so here we are
Been reading Dracula and so far my favourite parts are when Jack Seward detours from writing about the undead bullshit to talk about some insane guy, they give Reinfield zero relation to the plot for the first half of the book other than Jack thinking he’s neat. Like yes king, tell me that work tea
Gonna have to start adopting the brilliant Dr Van Helsing strategy of shouting obscure metaphors and riddles at the homies when they aren’t on board with my insane schemes until they are too confused to say no
OH OH I GOT ANOTHER ONE
DRAC AND JOHNNY
girl….can we just have one platonic relationship between an older gay character and a younger gay character please s'il vous plaît por favor
Wait a minute, they used Na Na Na in Renfield, a vampire movie... Which presumably means that they paid My Chemical Romance for use of that song... Which means....
They finally did it. MCR got their vampire money!
So, I’ve been reading the Buffy Season 8 comics, and I have a question. Well, several questions actually, but these are all about one particular panel.
[Image ID: A screencap from the Buffy Season 8 comics which shows Dracula walking away from Renée and Xander, cape swooshing behind him, left hand raised in a dramatic flourish as he speaks. His speaking text reads “It’s not possible, manservant. These powers you speak of--they’re part of the ancient magics. I risked my very soul to attain them. I am their worldly guardian.” The word ‘soul’ is italicized in his speech. End ID]
Does... does this mean that Dracula has a soul??
And if so, how long has he had one? Did he have it when he faced Buffy at the beginning of Season 5? Did he get it between then and now in the comics, and if so, how and why, or else how and why did he get it in the first place? Was he cursed like Angel, or did he fight for it like Spike, or is there some other way to get a soul in the Buffyverse? Why would he want one if he did get it willingly?
Is this otherwise unmentioned soul the reason why he’s willing to fight against other vampires by Buffy’s side in this arc of the comics, or is he another example of a soulless vampire acting for the common good for probably at least partly selfish reasons like Spike circa season 5 (although it’s worth noting that Dracula is doing it without a chip)? Is it because he really likes Xander (as a friend or as a crush), or just a personal grudge against the Japanese vampire group that, in his eyes, “stole” his powers?
Perhaps more significantly, does this make Dracula a third eligible party besides Angel and Spike who might be the subject of the Shanshu prophecy, seeing as he is also a vampire with a soul?? (And how mad would Angel and Spike be if that turned out to have never been about either of them this entire time?)
Or, am I jumping on the soul thing a bit too much? Could he maybe speaking... metaphorically for some reason? Does he mean something different by “soul”, like say, the poetic essence of who he is as a vampire or his honor or some such, rather than his human conscience as it is to Spike and Angel?
Or is he aware of his soul outside of himself somehow, like how when vampires don’t have their souls they’re apparently just out in the nether somewhere, available to be summoned when called upon? If it can be put at risk but isn’t inside of him, then is Dracula’s human soul in some sort of Heaven somehow while his vampiric self is causing mischief on earth, and yet somehow vampire!Dracula is aware of his human soul elsewhere and is aware that his earthly actions may somehow put it in jeopardy? But Spike and Angel seem convinced that they’re fated for hell for being vampires (which irks me, but is a rant for another day), so why would Dracula be an exception? Could he have somehow sold his soul for these powers when he didn’t even have access to it? Does he just mean that he risked his soul back when he initially became a vampire specifically to attain access to these powers? But wouldn’t the specific use of the term “risked” and not “lost” imply that, while there was peril to his soul, the peril ultimately did not persist, hence his soul was neither lost nor damaged, only at temporary risk of being in some sort of harmed state?
Why would the comic writers put emphasis on the world “soul” in a throwaway line that isn’t revisited at any point in Dracula’s stint in the comics so far (I’m just through with the Fray crossover arc now and no one has said another word about this that I can recall) when vampire soul lore is such a complicated and contentious aspect of the Buffyverse? Did they just... forget the significance of the whole soul thing? What could this line possibly mean other than that Dracula has had a soul this whole time without mentioning it to anyone, and yet he casually let it slip while talking about his secret transforming powers?
To put it more briefly, I’ll quote Xander in “Something Blue”: What? How? What?
Okay, so it turns out I have many questions. Well, some of that was more like my own speculations and theories posed as questions since I was on a roll, but anyone can feel free to respond to any of the many questions I put here, honestly. It’s such a small moment but I saw the word “soul” there and it just sent me reeling because... well, it raises all of my above questions and then some. Anyways, I’d love to hear the fandom’s thoughts on this and the possibility of Dracula being a third vampire with a soul(tm).
Edited to put an actual TL;DR: Dracula implies in this panel of the comics that he has a soul!? Thoughts??
Aahh, thank you for thinking of him, @greenfinchwriter 😭
When you're a smol vampire but still want to do home reno, do it lizard-fashion on the wall
The Dance of the Rats (circa 1690)
Attributed to Ferdinand van Kessel
Voilà, lots of sillies and... other things. If you wish me to elaborate, let me know 🤣
@vladimirsangel @blackforrestpunk @whyisthereacentaur @blackghostm2o @nalesnik-z-morela @ruvyn29 @greenfinchwriter No pressure tags, if like me you hesitate to post photos because you live in a gremlin nest and can't take any pictures without getting photo bombed by A) rubbish or B) demons, never mind!
First 3 photos are from past posts: Blood Box Bandits, Pharoga Kitty Kisses, Camp Vamp.
tagged by @bossboudicca
six non-selfie photos from my camera roll
tagging a few babies don't feel compelled to do this if you don't wanna
@rockygetsrolling @ethantheannus @terrasilvershade @windforkthewriter @pandapool @moosekababs
In my defence, two of these belong to a friend (naming no names). They sent me the meme, and it's not my fault I decided to add to it.
Happy Valentine's Day to all my favourite weirdos (that includes you if you wish it)!
@blackforrestpunk asked @vladimirsangel for a Dracula pinup. Who am I if not a provider of cursed things?
Don't let Aurik see this, please, I have no intention of horrifying him. Unless he wants it for his collection.
Monster pinups are a thing now. Oh yes, I still owe Vlad a Gossamer pinup. (Why is this my life now?) Grinch pinup here.
Random question: What fictional character do I remind you of?
It's been on my mind since someone recently told me I looked like Mavis Dracula from "Hotel Transylvania" (by a happy coincidence, I have her hairstyle). Would love to collect more of my fictional doppelgängers/matching weirdos.
Romance authors, we have beef!
I came across this while turning off my brain with Kindle before sleep. I became very awake.
Where to start? Christine Daa? seems a good place. Then there's Musique D'ange. My French education is rolling on the floor in agony.
And which part, please, is this unique? I've seen one too many attractive Phantoms for my sanity lately, so I'm getting out the beef. I won't argue with people's interpretation of fiction, to each their own, but I DO have a problem with people taking away Erik's right to be unattractive.
Dracula is fair fodder. Appeal is part of his monstrosity, although I'm not happy with how attractive they make him as it distracts from the fact that he is supposed to be hated by his victims when they are lucid. (All hail Eggers' Nosferatu.) But Erik? Author, you crossed a line with me using Erik's name. Your rightful portion is Mr Y. Take him and welcome. I take it personally when people fudge around with Erik's reputation. Leave my cellar gremlin alone to be amoral in a way that is actually portrayed as amoral instead of an extension of his dark broody attractiveness.
Honestly, so many "morally grey" characters in fiction are actually "morally dark and handsome and does horrible things in the name of love." Not the same, shouldn't be taken as the same.
Bah, sorry about that. If you didn't hate it, my rambles about other POTO adaptations here
Thank you, @greenfinchwriter , for tagging me in this tag game! I know we're supposed to reblog, but I can't hide long posts when they're shown on the "my posts" tab and that sometimes gets my goat, so I hope it's all right if I make a separate post!
Last TV show: Arcane
Last movie: Hammer's Dracula... I think? I've completely lost all sense of time.
Last book: A vampire romance in which the vampire, I kid you not, conjures cheesecakes.
Last thing I searched: Just checked. It's "bub meaning." I wish I could say it's "Sherlock Harpoon," but that was this morning.
Sweet/savoury/spicy: You are asking the gremlin who puts sugar in soup. Sweet.
Relationship status: extremely occupied with matchmaking my original characters.
Favourite drink: Cocoa, tea, soup, blood
Songs playing 24/7: "Judas" by Lady Gaga, "Love me normally" by Will Wood
Current favourite character: Van Helsing and Mina Harker (specifically from the Dracula book)
Fun activities I wish to get into: I want to try animating softwares, but it'll have to wait until I have a computer again. My antique PC is sadly ignoring me.
Last video game: Good grief, this ancient Undead hasn't played one in ages. Probably the Halloween game on Google Doodles?
Anyway, I drew Sherlock with a harpoon ages ago.
Oh, yes, I forgot to tag! @frommarshtheycome @windforkthewriter @t4z-0n-p4wz @whyisthereacentaur
Vampurr necessities
Would YOU pass the vampire certification test?
My name is Amanda, and I listen to Taylor Swift, so I get to make these jokes. Zaida is a real name for a Victorian vampire-witch lady from Aylmer Vance and the Vampire.
As much as I adore gamourous vamp fashion, @vladimirsangel and I were talking about how we would be a danger to the public if we wore anything fancy. I would wreck a white tuxedo with vampiric speed, but at least it won't be a health hazard.
Spat out my tea reading my Dracula annotation.
[Ha! That's rich, talking like you have a coachman!]
Context: the great Count Dracula has no servants. Blood-slaves? Thralls to his hypnotism? Nah. Just little old him and three vampire ladies who don't help with the chores and try to steal his snacks (and/or his lawyer).
I just started a new journal for the first time in years. Of course, I'm addressing my entries to Count Dracula.
I quote: 'let this Undead creature address her woes to a dead Undead who wouldn't care less if she was putrefying from coffin-rot (bed-rot).'
I had to find some way to amuse myself while trying to be my own therapist.
Vampire and his partner run into vampire hunters. Cleopatra was a literature student. She knows vampire literary symbolism well.
Crew of Light live reaction:
From my novel in progress, which is basically fanfiction of all my favourite gothic literature Frankensteined into one story.
Remember when I talked about the good old-fashioned vampire-smiting method of sucking their gums? That's definitely what's going on here.
Also, Book Dracula and his Van Helsing:
In my defence, I have none. Very proud of how I drew Monster Dracula's face. Good bye.
Everything about this drawing makes me happy, but the detail that makes my Undead heart sing is the yellow-covered copy of Dracula. It's the 1897 edition, designed to evoke the appearance of the 'yellowback' - the cheap sensational fiction sold at railway stations at the time. Dr Watson was mentioned reading one in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. (Above is the miniature version I made for my haunted dollhouse.)
Cover me in sunshine...Shower me with good times
Tell me that the world's been spinning since the beginning....And everything will be alright
What can I say, my little nosferatu loves yellow. Get some sleep, Aurik.
watercolour and gouache with coloured pencil detailing, a little white ink for highlights.
Haitus is over! It's been over for a while, but every time I try to say so, some accident occurs.
History/book/blog content will be posted @purrlockholmesbooksblog while this will be my art and monologue blog. Most posts will be reblogged to @purrlockholmesbooks but since it's still not fully functioning, I won't directly post there.
We're coming (back)! The drawing one cat a day series will be continued, as well as new daily posts! Blog posts will be returning on the weekends. Thank you all for sticking with the literary cats!
Vampire-themed sestina
Feedback accepted and appreciated. I don't bite. Honest. Inspired by the part in Dracula where Mina turns back to human when he dies, so here the vampire narrator ends their own life to set their lover free. Thanks to @academic-vampire for asking to read my writing and for introducing me to the format! You can read his sestina here.
If the Dracula cast had social media (shudders)
Dracula - Closeted webtoon reader, also likes BitLife and maybe he’d post the most unfunniest memes to the discord server that just has the Dracula cast in it.
Johnathan - Instagram filled with food pics + life blog/vlogger (I AM LIVING WITH AN ACTUAL VAMPIRE IN HIS SPOOKY CASTLE ((NOT CLICKBAIT)))
Mina - Audiobook youtuber, she’d have the best voice for it and she sure as hell could voice dramatic scenes well #girlboss + maybe a Facebook page with cute photos of her and Johnathan and a LOT of her and Lucy being cute and having fun.
Lucy - Twitch Sims Streamer, she seems like such a simmer… even sul sul becomes a vocal stim for her eventually
Helsing - Literally only uses Facebook to play those cute farming games + he would absolutely love playing those mystery click and find games
Smash that like button for pt 2 this post was sponsored by Raid Shadow Legends ((/nsrs))
Johnathan: *ranting about foods*
(Meanwhile Dracula is waiting for this bisexual solicitor to get his ass over here so he can have a nibbl)
I literally just finish S2 of Castlevania and I’m SOBBING WHAT THE FUCK S3 ISN’T GONNA BE THE SAME WITHOUT THAT CRUSTY OLD MAN SOBS
The way I would read the shit out of this story!!
Great Mouse Detective version of Dracula happening simultaneously as the events of Dracula, so there’s just five mice in Victorian clothes unnoticed by the human cast desperately trying to kill a bat.
