Crushing the Creation Myth: Explaining Vampires through Science

Crushing the Creation Myth: Explaining Vampires through Science

We’re headed back to Atlantis [https://vampirecampfirepod.substack.com/p/from-egypt-to-atlantis-how-vampires] this week to continue asking: if vampires are figments of the Gothic imagination, why do so many authors insist on examining them under a microscope? If our nightmares haunt us with fears of the unknown, what exactly do we gain from the paragraphs on paragraphs of exposition that tell us exactly how those monsters came to be? In other words, have sci-fi vampires been defanged (and are they just compensating with their big, nasty teeth)? In this episode, Hannah and Rebecca dive deep into the history of the mad scientist as brought to us by Mary Shelley and Universal Pictures, unpack the link between 20th-century B-films and the atomic bomb, and consider whether vampire-as-plague works better as a metaphor than a plot device. Hannah is traumatized by weird-ass ant brain fungus, Rebecca is scarred by having to discuss I Am Legend yet again, and they both demand to know what the hell a “nano” actually is. Come vamps, join us around the campfire. Major Spoilers: * The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9780199536221] by Robert Louis Stevenson, 1886 * Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, directed by Charles Barton, 1948 * Ultraviolet, directed by Kurt Wimmer, 2006 Other media mentioned in this episode: Fiction * Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9780141439471] by Mary Shelley, 1818 * The Family of the Vourdalak by Aleksey Tolstoy, 1839 * Carmilla [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9781941360385] by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, 1872 * Dracula [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9780141439846] by Bram Stoker, 1897 * I Am Legend [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9780765357151] by Richard Matheson, 1954 * Anno Dracula [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9780857680839] by Kim Newman, 1992 * Argeneau [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9780061750625] by Lynsay Sands, 2003-2025 (series) * The Passage [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9780345504975] by Justin Cronin, 2010 * V Wars: A Chronicle of the Vampire Wars [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9781470829315] edited by Jonathan Maberry, 2014 * Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9780804173148] by Anne Rice, 2016 Film * Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, directed by F.W. Murnau, 1922 * Dracula, directed by Tod Browning, 1931 * Frankenstein, directed by James Whale, 1931 * The Wolf Man, directed by George Waggner, 1941 * House of Frankenstein, directed by Erle C. Kenton, 1944 * House of Dracula, directed by Erle C. Kenton, 1945 * The Vampire, directed by Paul Landres, 1957 * Nosferatu the Vampire, directed by Werner Herzog, 1979 * Nadja, directed by Michael Almereyda, 1994 * From Dusk Till Dawn, directed by Robert Rodriguez, 1996 * Blade, directed by Stephen Norrington, 1998 * Shadow of the Vampire, directed by E. Eilas Merhge, 2000 * Dracula 2000, directed by Patrick Lussier, 2000 * Blade II, directed by Guillermo del Toro, 2002 * I Am Legend, directed by Francis Lawrence, 2007 * Daybreakers, directed by Michael Spierig and Peter Spierig, 2009 * Morbius, directed Daniel Espinosa, 2022 * Nosferatu, directed by Robert Eggers, 2024 * Van Helsing, directed by Stephen Sommers, 2004 TV * The Vampire Diaries, 2009-2017 * The Strain, 2014-2017 * V Wars, 2019 * Midnight Mass, 2021 * Wednesday, 2022-2025 Additional Reading * Catherine Pugh, “The Deathbird of Disease: Count Orlok and the Monstrous Virus,” in Nosferatu in the 21st Century, 2022 Liked this episode? You’ll also like… The Hottest Newest Oldest Vampires: Nosferatu, Sinners, and AMC’s Interview with the Vampire [https://open.substack.com/pub/vampirecampfirepod/p/the-hottest-newest-oldest-vampires?r=5lznr0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web] How Many Vampires Does it Take to End the World? [https://open.substack.com/pub/vampirecampfirepod/p/how-many-vampires-does-it-take-to?r=5lznr0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web] From Egypt to Atlantis: How Vampires Explain Their Origins [https://open.substack.com/pub/vampirecampfirepod/p/from-egypt-to-atlantis-how-vampires?r=5lznr0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web] The Campfire: The Argeneaus [https://open.substack.com/pub/vampirecampfirepod/p/the-campfire-the-argeneaus?r=5lznr0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web] The Campfire: Morbius [https://open.substack.com/pub/vampirecampfirepod/p/the-campfire-morbius?r=5lznr0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web] Want more vampire content in all your feeds? Follow us @vampirecampfirepod on Instagram [https://instagram.com/vampirecampfirepod] and TikTok [https://tiktok.com/vampirecampfirepod] for podcast updates & vampire memes. Find us on Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/vampirecampfire/] and Goodreads [https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/192806109-vampire-campfire] for a peek at what we’re consuming next. Consider becoming a paid member of our Substack to get bonus episodes — the first one is available now! This episode was written, recorded, and produced by Rebecca Glazer & Hannah Spiegelman Note: We’re an affiliate of Bookshop.org [http://Bookshop.org] and earn a small commission if you purchase through our links — allowing you to support indie bookstores and an indie podcast at the same time! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vampirecampfirepod.substack.com/subscribe [https://vampirecampfirepod.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

The Campfire: The Argeneaus

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit vampirecampfirepod.substack.com [https://vampirecampfirepod.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7] Welcome back to the Campfire — our special bonus section! In this episode, Hannah regales Rebecca with tales from Lynsay Sands’ long-running Argeneau vampire romance series. Yes, these are the vampires from Atlantis we mentioned in our last episode [https://vampirecampfirepod.substack.com/p/from-egypt-to-atlantis-how-vampires], and no, learning more details does not make it make sense! They discuss nanobiotech, Stockholm syndrome, …

From Egypt to Atlantis: How Vampires Explain Their Origins

Vampires are creatures of folklore. So why do some writers feel the need to create their own origin stories for how the first vampires came to be? Do we really need to know, especially if it involves reptilian creatures that live in long-lost, technologically-advanced cities (no names)? Are they tying themselves in knots trying to answer a chicken–egg question nobody asked? In this episode, Rebecca, Hannah, and very special guest Jay Martin explore the gamut of vampire mythologies, from the slightly-more-sensical origins in magic and religion to those that appropriate real-world cultures and give them a vampiric spin. They encounter #1 frenemy of the pod, Lord Byron; shout out monster-f*ckers everywhere; try to unpack Anne Rice’s most questionable choices; and travel from the cradle of civilization to Virginia, USA, as fast as Damon Salvatore in a sports car. Come vamps, join us around the campfire. Content warnings: mention of suicide in fiction Major Spoilers: * Ganja & Hess, directed by Bill Gunn, 1973 * The Queen of the Damned [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9780345351524] by Anne Rice, 1988 * My Soul to Keep [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9780061053665] by Tananarive Due, 1997 * Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9780804173148] by Anne Rice, 2016 Other media mentioned in this episode: Fiction * “The Vampyre” [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9780199552412] by John William Polidori, 1819 * Dracula [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9780141439846] by Bram Stoker, 1897 * The Vampire Tapestry [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9781250343635] by Suzy McKee Charnas, 1980 * Memnoch the Devil [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9780345409676] by Anne Rice, 1995 * Pandora [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9780345422385] by Anne Rice, 1998 * Blue Bloods [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9781368081757] by Melissa de la Cruz, 2006 * Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9780446563079] by Seth Grahame-Smith, 2010 * Blood and Ash [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9781952457463] by Jennifer L. Armentrout, 2020- (series) * Immortal Dark [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9780316570398] by Tigest Girma, 2024 * Argeneau [https://bookshop.org/a/123999/9780061750625] by Lynsay Sands, 2003-2025 (series) Poetry * “The Bride of Corinth” by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1797 * “The Giaour: Fragment of a Turkish Tale” by Lord Byron, 1813 Film * The Hunger, directed by Tony Scott, 1983 * Vampire in Brooklyn, directed by Wes Craven, 1995 * From Dusk till Dawn, directed by Robert Rodriguez, 1996 * Dracula 2000, directed by Patrick Lussier, 2000 * Atlantis: The Lost Empire, directed Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, 2001 * Queen of the Damned, directed by Michael Rymer, 2002 * Dark Shadows, directed by Tim Burton, 2012 * Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, directed by Timue Bekmambetov, 2012 * Da Sweet Blood of Jesus, directed by Spike Lee, 2014 * Nosferatu, directed by Robert Eggers, 2024 * Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler, 2025 TV * Dark Shadows, 1966-1971 * Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 1997-2003 * True Blood, 2008-2014 * The Vampire Diaries, 2009-2027 * The Originals, 2013-2018 * From Dusk till Dawn: The Series, 2014-2016 * What We Do in the Shadows, 2019-2024 * First Kill, 2022 * Interview with the Vampire, 2022- * Dimension 20: City Council of Darkness, 2026 Games * Vampire: The Masquerade, 1991 Liked this episode? You’ll also like… Schools & Rules [https://open.substack.com/pub/vampirecampfirepod/p/schools-and-rules?r=5lznr0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web] An Episode of Fangs & Fate [https://open.substack.com/pub/vampirecampfirepod/p/an-episode-of-fangs-and-fate?r=5lznr0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web] Unholy Communion: Vampires and the Church [https://open.substack.com/pub/vampirecampfirepod/p/unholy-communion-vampires-and-the?r=5lznr0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web] Want more vampire content in all your feeds? Check out our Pinterest [https://pinterest.com/vampirecampfirepod] @vampirecampfirepod to capture the aesthetic of this episode [https://www.pinterest.com/vampirecampfirepod/how-vampires-explain-their-origins/]. Follow us @vampirecampfirepod on Instagram [https://instagram.com/vampirecampfirepod] and TikTok [https://tiktok.com/vampirecampfirepod] for podcast updates & vampire memes. Find us on Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/vampirecampfire/] and Goodreads [https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/192806109-vampire-campfire] for a peek at what we’re consuming next. Consider becoming a paid member of our Substack to get bonus episodes — available now! This episode was written, recorded, and produced by Rebecca Glazer & Hannah Spiegelman Note: We’re an affiliate of Bookshop.org [https://bookshop.org/shop/VampireCampfire] and earn a small commission if you purchase through our links — allowing you to support indie bookstores and an indie podcast at the same time! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vampirecampfirepod.substack.com/subscribe [https://vampirecampfirepod.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

The Campfire: Dracula 2000

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit vampirecampfirepod.substack.com [https://vampirecampfirepod.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_7] Welcome back to the Campfire — our special bonus section! In this episode, Rebecca and Hannah tell our very first Vampire Campfire guest (Hannah’s mom!) all about the extremely 2000s movie Dracula 2000. As a pretty ridiculous member of the Dracula-verse, this time-capsule film has it all: a teeny tiny computer, a massive Virgin Megastore, high-flying leeches, Judas Iscariot, questionable justifications for vampires’ fear of silver, dream-like visions, garden tools, and a neon Jesus. It was also definitely not produced by Wes Craven, despite all evidence to the contrary. Come vamps, join us around the campfire. Content warning: mention of suicide in fiction Major Spoilers: * Dracula 2000, directed by Patrick Lussier, 2000 Other media mentioned in this episode:

Comedy, Camp, and Parody: When Vampires Make Us Laugh

Intentionally or not, vampires (and their associated tropes) are pretty good at making us laugh. What we want to know is, when are we laughing with them, and when are we laughing at them? Is our mocking mean-spirited, or does it come from a place of love? In this episode, Rebecca and Hannah venture into the land of comedy, camp, and parody to see how these genres not only add a spin to our most familiar stories, but may lie at the very heart of the Gothic itself. They trace 18th-century satire all the way to 21st-century humorous horror, uncover some remarkably strange tropes (including glow-in-the-dark vampires?!), demand justice for definitely-not-a-dummy Jonathan Harker, explore the studio’s sound board, and pay respects to two of their favorite childhood comics. Come vamps, join us around the campfire. Content warnings: discussion of misogyny, racism, homophobia, and other bigotry in fiction Major Spoilers: * The Fearless Vampire Killers, directed by Roman Polanski, 1967 * Love at First Bite, directed by Stan Dragoti, 1979 * Vampire in Brooklyn, directed by Wes Craven, 1995 * Dracula: Dead and Loving It, directed by Mel Brooks, 1995 * What We Do In the Shadows, 2019-2024 * Renfield, directed by Chris McKay, 2023 Other media mentioned in this episode: Fiction * The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole, 1764 * The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe, 1794 * Vampire City by Paul Féval, 1867 (trans. Brian Stableford, 2003) * Dracula by Bram Stoker, 1897 * Goosebumps: Vampire’s Breath by R.L. Stine, 1996 Non-fiction * Dissertations upon the Apparitions of Angels, Dæmons, and Ghosts, and Concerning the Vampires of Hungary, Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia by Dom Augustin Calmet, 1746 Film * Dracula, directed by Tod Browning, 1931 * Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, directed by Charles Barton, 1948 * Dracula, directed by Terence Fisher, 1958 * The Hunger, directed by Tony Scott, 1983 * Once Bitten, directed by Howard Storm, 1985 * The Lost Boys, directed by Joel Schumacher, 1987 * Bram Stoker’s Dracula, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, 1992 * Buffy the Vampire Slayer, directed by Fran Rubel Kuzui, 1992 * Dracula 2000, directed by Patrick Lussier, 2000 * Twilight, directed by Catherine Hardwicke, 2008 * The Twilight Saga: New Moon, directed by Chris Weitz, 2009 * Vampires Suck, directed by Aaron Seltzer and Jason Friedberg, 2010 * The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, directed by David Slade, 2010 * Breaking Wind, directed by Craig Moss, 2012 * Only Lovers Left Alive, directed by Jim Jarmusch, 2013 * What We Do In the Shadows, directed by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, 2014 * Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler, 2025 TV * Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 1997-2003 Stage * Twihard: An Unauthorized Twilight Musical Parody, Otherworld Theatre, 2025 Additional Reading * “Notes on ‘Camp,’” Susan Sontag, 1964 Liked this episode? You’ll also like… * From Monster to Muppet: Making Vampires for Children [https://vampirecampfirepod.substack.com/p/from-monster-to-muppet-making-vampires] * Romanticizing the Vampire & the Gothic Story [https://vampirecampfirepod.substack.com/p/thanksgiving-special-romanticizing] * The Hottest Newest Oldest Vampires: Nosferatu, Sinners, and AMC's Interview with the Vampire [https://vampirecampfirepod.substack.com/p/the-hottest-newest-oldest-vampires] Want more vampire content in all your feeds? Check out our Pinterest [https://pinterest.com/vampirecampfirepod] @vampirecampfirepod to capture the aesthetic of this episode [https://www.pinterest.com/vampirecampfirepod/when-vampires-make-us-laugh/]. Follow us @vampirecampfirepod on Instagram [https://instagram.com/vampirecampfirepod] and TikTok [https://tiktok.com/vampirecampfirepod] for podcast updates & vampire memes. Find us on Letterboxd [https://letterboxd.com/vampirecampfire/] and Goodreads [https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/192806109-vampire-campfire] for a peek at what we’re consuming next. Consider becoming a paid member of our Substack to get bonus episodes — the first one is available now! This episode was written, recorded, and produced by Rebecca Glazer & Hannah Spiegelman Note: We’re an affiliate of Bookshop.org [http://Bookshop.org] and earn a small commission if you purchase through our links — allowing you to support indie bookstores and an indie podcast at the same time! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vampirecampfirepod.substack.com/subscribe [https://vampirecampfirepod.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]