Friday, March 21, 2008

1970's Flashback: Lilith, Daughter of Dracula


Lilith, the Daughter of Dracula, first appeared in Giant-Size Chillers #1 (June, 1974). Lilith is Dracula's child by his first wife Zofia; in a marriage forcibly arranged by his father. After Dracula's father died, he quickly renounced Zofia and forced her and their infant daughter to leave Castle Dracula so that he could marry the woman that he truly loved. Lilith was subsequently raised by Gypsies after her mother's sudden suicide. Lilith's foster-mother was the gypsy Gretchin. When Lilith was a still young girl, Dracula (now a vampire) attacked and murdered Gretchin's son Arni, enraging her into seeking revenge. She cast a spell upon Lilith to make her into a vampire, but one with rather different powers: Lilith did not fear holy symbols, and was not harmed by being out in the daylight. As part of her curse, she would haunt Dracula; forever opposing him, until Dracula was finally destroyed. Whenever Lilith was "killed", she would soon reappear by possessing the body of a woman who hated her own father and wished for his death; this granted Lilith the ability to shift forms (and clothing) between her own form and that of her new "hostess".

Lilith normally appeared as a tall, beautiful woman with long black hair and a family resemblance to Dracula, dressed in a skin-tight costume with a bat-like ornament in her hair. As a vampire, she could change into the physical forms of a wolf, a bat, or even mist, and she had limited control over weather, as well as the ability to command wolves, bats, and rats. Although she can drink blood, she is not dependent upon it for sustenance.

Lilith made memorable appearances in Tomb of Dracula, Dracula Lives, Marvel Preview #12 and has recently returned as a member of Nick Fury’s Howling Commandos.

1 comment:

Mr. Karswell said...

Another Silver Age fave of mine! I always wanted to see her take on Satana... or Devilina.