Literature vs. Adventure Time Vampires

I was looking at some funny comics about Adventure Time, and got some great laughs from some that featured Marceline and Marshall Lee!  But then I realized there is a lot of these comics (& heck the show itself) that are not really based on the literary legacy of vampires.  I’ve done a lot of fan fictions based on a relationship between Marceline and Finn, and I try to make them work, even though Marceline’s abilities and attitudes don’t really match what most literature about them says.  As far as comparing AT vampires to classic lit vampires, I refer to Marceline since we have seen her in several episodes, and I assume that Marshall Lee has extremely similar abilities and attitudes.

Vampires in literature going back a century or so share a lot of things in common that are rarely seen in TV or movies over the last 20 some odd years.  For instance, vampires are driven by a bloodlust that is insatiable.  That makes them very anti-social, since they can barely contain themselves around anything that has red blood coursing through its veins.  Since they kill and wound humans to eke out a living, they are portrayed as evil, although just like in nature, it’s hard to fault a mountain lion killing Bambi if that’s the only way they know how to live.   Vampires are also portrayed as ugly and repulsive, although they can make themselves attractive for short periods of time to attract victims.  When I was researching on vampires, I did not have the internet readily available, and most books in the library don’t paint a rosy picture of them! 

Fortunately for us movie goers, most of this is ignored.  Ugly evil anti-social vampires are OK as villains, but it gets harder and harder to make a lot of movies based on this premise.  Also, there is a lot of superhero-esque qualities about vampires that make them attractive as ‘good’ beings, with the ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ spinoff ‘Angel’ being a recent example. 

-------------------------------  

Regarding Adventure Time, the following things aren’t quite right according to vampire legends;

2)    Vampires are ‘allergic’ to sunlight.  When they are caught in it, they get typical reactions that people do from allergies, although they are somewhat magnified.  Their skin gets a rash (in AT Marcie’s skin burns) and they have fits of coughing and sneezing.  However, they are quite capable of getting themselves to cover, and even if they are caught in the sunlight, they can manage for a short while.  In Adventure Time Marceline becomes nearly helpless from the first sunbeam!

4)    Of course we know that Marceline and Marshall Lee eat shades of red, and do avoid blood as a meal.  It is implied from other Adventure Time writings that both AT vampires love the flavor of red from blood, but avoid it because it can drive them crazy with bloodlust!  This is totally against the legacy of vampires.  I am personally glad they chose this route since they can easily co-exist with the beings in Ooo.

We have not seen any real indication of sexual desire or activity from either Marceline or Marshall Lee in Adventure Time, other than their having a past relationship with Ash and I assume Ashley.

Marceline does not seem interested in charming anyone!  She often seems to go out of her way to make people stay away from her.  She may have this ability, but chooses not to use it.

Marceline has shown the ability to change into a number of forms that are much larger than herself.  She can change into a giant tentacle monster, and she can change into a giant zombie.  She may be able to change into these forms and others because of her demon heritage.  She has never shown the ability to change into a vapor, but we don’t know whether she can or not, since we have never seen her in any situation where this would be useful.