When I was a teen, those who liked vampires dressed all in black, hung out in cemeteries, listened to goth music and probably had some part of their body pierced. Others thought them strange for their love of these blood sucking creatures of the night and the popular crowd poked fun. But these young aficionados defended their love of vamps fiercely and carried around their Anne Rice books with pride.
Today vampires are no longer fringe. Everywhere I look this week I see posters, books, and memorabilia of Edward Cullen, the Harry Potter of the vampire world. Twilight has become a cultural phenomenon and every teen girl in America seems hooked. I mean, there were riots at Hot Topic when they had the stars visit the store – and the movie hasn’t even come out yet!
So how did these dark, fierce, blood sucking creatures of the night metamorphosize into CW star lookalikes? How did they become so mainstream? Did it start when Tom Cruise donned fangs to play the role of the vampire Lestat? (Much to author Anne Rice’s dismay!) Or was it Joss Whedon, introducing the world to Buffy, the slayer who loved vamps, that made vampires first accessible to the general population? Making them no longer alpha beasts, out for blood, but rather brooding Emo boys who would trade in their fangs for love’s true kiss at a moment’s notice.
Is that the appeal? Is that the baseline fantasy that feeds the vampire phenomenon? That a creature with so much power would be willing to give everything up for the right girl? Or is it their power—the fact that they can protect you and shield you from harm—that’s so appealing in today’s unstable, scary world? Could it be their wardrobe? After all, the supernatural metrosexual, always dressed to the nines, can seem sexy in a world of Gap t-shirts and Levis jeans. Or maybe it’s their utter devotion—to the vampire, you’re the only thing that matters. They’ll never leave you home alone to go watch football and drink beer with the guys.
Even as a YA vampire author myself (Boys that Bite, Stake That!, Girls that Growl) I’m still not positive what the appeal of these creatures ultimately is. Why teenage girls write me, saying they wish they could become vampires, too. Do they want to live forever? Or just find a hot guy with good teeth?
All I know for sure is these fanged creatures have hit the mainstream, big time, and there’s no telling where they can go from here. Do they have lasting appeal for the average CW teen? Or will they fade back to obscurity and once again become the domain of those who wear black and hang out in cemeteries?
Only time will tell. In the meantime, I’m sure enjoying the ride.
Marianne
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I think power is the ultimate aphrodisiac and let’s face it, a vampire has power. Desire for immortality is everyone’s dearest dream and a vampire’s kiss has the power to grant it.
But one thing that makes sense to me about the vampire legend is that in order to grasp the prize, there is a price. The immortal life is a hollow one, filled with the need for blood–the ultimate spiritual currency, and restricted by a number of rules. The fact that a vampire’s power isn’t free satisfies a need for some sort of balance–a “take what you want, but pay for it” sense of justice in the universe.
I can’t wait for the 4th Blood Coven Book!!!!