Hi friends!

This week we had a special conversation about the history of vampires! We talked about the roots of the myths and what has led to their existence in folklore, along with what brought the legends to the United States and made them take root in our culture here. We also discussed the medical reasons for the beliefs in vampires and the scientific reasons behind these beliefs.

Finally, we dug into the crossover from myth to media and the way vampires have come to exist in modern storytelling! We chatted about early vampire stories like Carmilla and Manor, and their queer roots, along with other stories with social or political themes. We talked about the creators of these stories and some of the queer roots vampires have, and how the perceptions of vampires have changed and adapted in media over time.

Also, Nell gave a very detailed rundown of the plot of Sinners, so please be aware that if you do not want spoilers, you are encouraged to skip over that section, which is about 4 minutes long.

If you have totally normal feelings about vampires (or any other mythical creatures in media), please come yell with us! You can reach us on Bluesky, Tumblr, or email us at [email protected].

You can also find the episode "American Vampire Panic" from The Dollop Podcast here and if you'd like to read the short story Manor mentioned in this episode, you can find an English translation here