The rumor mill has been cranking out the Dracula gossip for over a year, and another set photo from Moon Knight is once again spurring the speculation. The picture in question reveals Ethan Hawke, who was announced as the series’ unnamed antagonist, sporting long, grey hair. That has led theorists to wonder if he is playing Marvel's Dracula.
Even before Moon Knight was announced, there was speculation that Dracula would appear in the upcoming Blade reboot. It has created more excitement for the Lord of Vampires than ever before.
DRACULA’S MARVEL HISTORY
Quite possibly, Dracula is the most unlikely addition to the Marvel-616. In the 1970s, he was one of the early horror characters inducted under the Marvel Comics banner. For decades, the Comics Code Authority ruled the industry with an iron fist. It banned any elements it saw as unfit for impressionable, young minds. One of the first things to go was anything associated with horror.
By the ‘70s, the CCA relaxed its rules to allow publishers to use literary characters from previously-published works. That cracked the door just enough for Marvel to incorporate the three most famous classic monsters; Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, and their very own versions of the Wolfman.
Almost immediately, Dracula began crossing over with the world of superheroes. He squared off with the Silver Surfer, Spider-Man, the X-Men, and even Thor. Most famously, Blade would debut in the Tomb of Dracula series.
With Marvel Studios bringing vampires and zombies into the MCU, there are persistent rumors that the original vampire himself will become MCU canon in either the Blade reboot or the Moon Knight series. For that matter, he could appear in both and link the two worlds.
The end result has been an increased demand for those oh-so-’70s TOD keys, beginning with these three.
TOMB OF DRACULA #1
There’s just no beating Dracula’s Marvel debut. Obviously, the first appearance is the one collectors want, but Neal Adams’ talent was on full display on the cover art for these early issues. They are worth having for Adams’ artwork alone.
DRACULA LIVES #1
After the success of TOD and the other monsters, Marvel printed the first of 13 issues of Dracula Lives, a horror magazine from the Curtis Comics imprint.
What makes this comic particularly special is it features Dracula’s origin and introduces Lilanda, the creature responsible for turning him into a vampire in the first place.
GIANT-SIZE CHILLERS #1
Whether or not Dracula makes it into the MCU is the big question. Even if he is not featured in a Marvel movie or streaming series, there is a chance that his daughter, Lilith, could make her grand entrance in Moon Knight or Blade.
THE COMING INVASION
It will be 1998 all over again in the coming years. Between Moon Knight and Blade ushering vampires into the MCU and the Interview with the Vampire AMC series on the horizon, all we need is Twilight to get a reboot to put the final stamp on the matter.
What do you think the future holds for Marvel's Dracula? Let us know in the comments!
