Varney the Vampire

The modern-day vampire story has its roots in an unlikely source: cheap paper pamphlets that were sold on street corners in Victorian England. Called "penny dreadfuls," these pamphlets strung out sensationalized tales over dozens—and sometimes even hundreds—of episodes. Varney the Vampire is a classic of the genre, and many of the elements of classic vampire lore originated in this sprawling, deliciously pulpy tale.