With Twilight coming out and everyone getting so excited I thought I'd ask people out there a question: why is that people like vampires so much? Now, I'm not hating on Twilight, I haven't read any of the books yet and therefore cannot make an opinion one way or the other, but I really don't see what people think is so cool about undead bloodsuckers.

In ancient times vampires made a lot of sense, most cultures all over the world had some version of a bloodsucking, human-looking monster. Blood was a very mystical thing, after all, if you lost too much of it, you died. They didn't know why it happened, so they figured blood had powers. Blood determined family, exchanging blood with someone made them your brother and drinking the blood of your enemy was supposed to give them your strength. So the idea of some thing drinking your blood and killing you was a legitimate threat. Then again, ancient people also believed that mirrors would steal your soul and regular bathing was bad for you. So what's the excuse today?

The popular mythology of vampires today (derived from Bram Stroker, Anne Rice and Stephanie Meyer) tells us this about vampires: they are immortal except for sunlight, fire, beheading and a stake to the heart (except in Moonlight stake merely paralyzed a vampire but didn't actually destroy them.) They are stronger and faster than humans and have heightened senses and they have to feed on human blood (or the blood of any living creature). And this is where I start to have a problem: if something is immortal, why does it have to eat blood? What's going to happen to them, are they going to starve to death? Um, no, because they immortal . And they can't lose their strength, because once again, immortal.

Not to mention in every movie, show I've ever seen, when a vampire sucks blood the victim always looks like they have the times of their lives. I've had blood drawn for tests in the past--and it was one of the most unpleasant instances of my life. And name one person who lets a mosquito live if they see the lil' twerp near their bodies. So that's unrealistic as well. Also the whole killing people doesn't make a whole lot of sense. In most stories vampires are created out of normal people, not psychotic cannibals. And since they can't die (once again: IMMORTAL)there is no need for a killing spree--even with the powers they gain. Demons on the other hand make sense when they murder: they are the damned fallen angels cast into hell--so that makes them inherently evil, so they kill because they like it. And werewolves have no control, once they go into furry mode, conscience goes right out the window. But Vampires tend to be depicted not only with all their senses, but as downright cunning and charming. So they know what they are doing is bad, and unnecessary. So you can see why I don't think they are all that cool. Then again, I guess people always like the badboy.

I will say there are a couple of vamp related things I've watched and enjoyed: Moonlight, Hellsing and Vampire Princess Miyu. Moonlight was more like a superhero show and Vampire Princess Miyu was a demon hunter more than gothic 17th century dress undead aristocrats. And well, Alucard is plain cool, without need for defense. Still this is one thing that will never quite make sense to me.