Everybody Likes Vampires and I Do Too

I know I've mentioned before that I have a certain fondness for the vampire mythology. I have since I was like 13 years old and it has always horrified my mother. I know it shows up here from time to time...my love for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, etc.

I generally don't like to go around shouting about it because well a couple of reasons. The first being that some people have more than a mere interest in vampires--they are obsessed. They file their teeth into fangs, wear nothing but black, and join little vampire cults where they drink each other's blood. Yeah, I'm not like that. I can go for months without even thinking about vampires. :)

The other is that some people are not very open minded about the idea and might try to perform an exorcism on me or something.

But there's just so much to love in a well written vampire story. Angst, forbidden love, quest for redemption, good vs. evil, etc. And the past few years, vampires have been explosively popular. I think part of it is due to Stephanie Meyer's series of books. (I haven't read those--but I have my own vampire YA series I love from when I was young) But I think the vampire mythology will always be reasonably popular if not explosively. Last fall CBS had a vampire series called Moonlight that quickly amassed a very devoted fan base. Not enough to keep it on the air, sadly. HBO is now introducing a new series this fall based on the popular series by Charlaine Harris. It's called True Blood and maybe it will be succeed where Moonlight failed. Now of course I don't get HBO, so I'll have to keep my fingers crossed for a DVD release.

Now, having said all of that I'd like to discuss...what's the appeal of vampires? I think part of what I love about the vampire mythology is always the vampire who seeks redemption. I loved Spike's arc on BTVS once he got his soul and sought redemption, and even continuing on into the fifth season of Angel. That same self-conflict in Mick St. John on Moonlight. Then of course there's the celebration of humanity in every vampire story. Haven't you noticed they usually wish they could be mortal again? And there's so much sorrow just in the living forever killing people sort of life.

On the flip side, we all know vampires in real life..the people who feed off of the life forces of others. We can hate them vicariously in a vampire horror story.

Do you enjoy vampire stories? If so, which are your favorites? Why do you think they are so popular? Please share! (also what do you guys think about the new embedded comments feature? yay or nay?)