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.