Vampires With Suntans

Paul faplad Finch · 12 December, 2009, 09:09:18 PM

So I'm reading Skullduggery Pleasant as part of my exploration of the teen section of the bookshop. Seems like there's more stuff in there for me than the sci-fi/fantasy section lately.

Anyway, there are Vampires in this book. Thats no spoiler, theres pretty much every kind of mythical creature, it's tahat kind of book. These VAamps though are different. Sunlight doesn't kill them, but rather it dampens there powers to the point that they are effectively mortal. In this mortal form they can go about their business during the day, and then they revert to their vampiric form at night.

This struck me as a unique take on an old idea but I realised long ago that I'm a lot less well read than a lot of folk on here so does anyone know if this has been done before?

locustsofdeath! · 12 December, 2009, 09:12:06 PM

I know that in the show 'Moonlight' (which my wife forced me to watch - honest... okay Sophia Miles does it for me) the vampires could go out in the sun and didn't die but were considerably weakened...

Richmond Clements · 12 December, 2009, 09:15:18 PM

QuoteThese VAamps though are different. Sunlight doesn't kill them, but rather it dampens there powers to the point that they are effectively mortal. In this mortal form they can go about their business during the day, and then they revert to their vampiric form at night.

This struck me as a unique take on an old idea but I realised long ago that I'm a lot less well read than a lot of folk on here so does anyone know if this has been done before?

It has indeed- if memory serves, this was what happened to Dracula in the original book.

Paul faplad Finch · 12 December, 2009, 09:24:46 PM

Quote from: His Lordship rac on 12 December, 2009, 09:15:18 PM

It has indeed- if memory serves, this was what happened to Dracula in the original book.

See, now I'm just embarressed.

I have to confess, though I have a copy - two actually if I still have the copy that came free with SFX - I've never actually read Dracula. Shocking though it is to say. Still, I did say I wasn't very well read.

M.I.K. · 13 December, 2009, 09:00:51 PM

I think the whole disintegrating in sunlight thing was pretty much down to Nosferatu. Can't remember seeing any mention of it in anything that predates that film.

locustsofdeath! · 13 December, 2009, 09:44:43 PM

Wasn't the vampire in Varney the Vampire disposed of by sunlight? I may be entirely wrong, as it's been maybe 5 years since I forced myself through that one...

M.I.K. · 13 December, 2009, 09:50:00 PM

Quote from: locustsofgoodtidings! on 13 December, 2009, 09:44:43 PM
Wasn't the vampire in Varney the Vampire disposed of by sunlight? I may be entirely wrong, as it's been maybe 5 years since I forced myself through that one...

I thought he [spoiler]jumped into a volcano[/spoiler]?

Professor Bear · 13 December, 2009, 09:51:47 PM

They disposed of Dracula using sunlight in that episode of Centurions. If it comes to a choice between three American heroes who save the world about once a week or some drunken gypsy with less teeth than a hen, I know who I believe.

Dark Jimbo · 13 December, 2009, 09:55:58 PM

Quote from: M.I.K. on 13 December, 2009, 09:00:51 PM
I think the whole disintegrating in sunlight thing was pretty much down to Nosferatu. Can't remember seeing any mention of it in anything that predates that film.

You're absolutely right. The film pretty much single-handedly started the whole sunlight/vampire fallacy - although it was often the case in previous fiction and the earlier folklore that sunlight would weaken or slow them down. Nosferatu simply took this idea one stage further.

And yes, Varney [spoiler]jumped into a volcano[/spoiler] to end his undeath.

locustsofdeath! · 13 December, 2009, 10:09:15 PM

Ah, thanks for that! I couldn't remember, but as soon as I read about the volcano it cleared itself up!

Mardroid · 04 January, 2010, 07:49:40 PM

With Dracula I think the weakening was only by degrees. I.e. he lost his shape-shifting ability and possibly other powers, but there's a daylight scene where he still uses superhuman strength. Strangely when he's sleeping in his coffin in the day, he seems to have to rely on his stare to keep people away though. I guess it's a bit like when we stay up all night, we might feel tired but we can keep on going the next day. But if we go to bed and sleep it's more of a struggle. But yes, the sunlight doesn't harm him.

The vampires in Being Human aren't harmed by the sun either, although they don't like it very much. I don't think they lose there power though, but I haven't really seen much in terms of power apart from heightened strength and mesmerisation. Oh, and the usual undead immortality. Probably a bad example since it a very recent show, but I just wanted to provide another example of vampires not harmed by daylight. These are particularly unique in that they can go without blood and eat food too. Blood's an addiction for them, but they can survive without it. The Type 3 vampires in Stephen King's Dark Tower books are like this too.

TordelBack · 05 January, 2010, 06:41:13 AM

Quote from: Dark Jimbo on 13 December, 2009, 09:55:58 PM
The film pretty much single-handedly started the whole sunlight/vampire fallacy

Don't you just hate it when Hollywood twists the facts like that? No respect for reality.

James Stacey · 06 January, 2010, 01:02:21 PM

The vampires in Lost Boys had to wear sunglasses during the day

May have been the case with Lost Boys 2 but I never got past the opening scene.

Mardroid · 07 January, 2010, 02:24:50 AM

Quote from: James S on 06 January, 2010, 01:02:21 PM
The vampires in Lost Boys had to wear sunglasses during the day May have been the case with Lost Boys 2 but I never got past the opening scene.

The Vampires in Lost Boys couldn't come out during the day. Oh, wait you mean the main character who drank from the bottle? Yeah, he was only partly turned at that point. He seemed to have their powers and a degree of sensitivity to sunlight without the full affect so to speak.