The Vampire Issue: Faith Hunter, L.A. Banks, Anne Rice, Buffy vs. X-Files

Monster Complex Magazine #1

Vampire Author Interviews, Features, Lists, Quizzes, and More

Welcome to the premiere issue of Monster Complex Magazine! (Yes, it’s a website page. Just go with me here.) For this first “issue,” Monster Complex features vampires in literature, TV, and cinema.

We’re thrilled to offer exclusive interviews with urban fantasy authors Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock) and Delizhia Jenkins (Vampire Hunters Academy), our tribute to L.A. Banks (Vampire Huntress Legend), and overviews of Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles and Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter. Test your knowledge of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the X-Files, and the Universal Monsters, check out the Top 5 Underrated Vampire Movies, and peruse our list of 50 Vampire Book Series. If you want even more—check out BONUS links to other websites about vampire books, vampire movies, vampires on television, and vampires in comics.

Enjoy!

Will Christopher
Editor, Monster Complex Magazine

P.S.—What do you want Monster Complex to feature in future issues? Be sure to take our poll below!

FEATURES

Faith Hunter
In this exclusive interview, Faith Hunter shares how her shapeshifting Cherokee vampire hunter Jane Yellowrock has grown over the course of the books, explains why she doesn’t write sex scenes, and reveals how she’ll know when it’s time to end the series.

L.A. Banks
Taken from classic interviews, how urban fantasy author L.A. Banks crossed genre lines, the elements of her childhood that made their way into her stories, and why she called Dracula the “Hugh Hefner of vampires.”

Anne Rice
A look at what Anne Rice calls the the “most significant and thrilling deal” of her career, plus an overview of the impact of The Vampire Chronicles on literature, screen, and the stage—and the future with AMC.

Laurell K. Hamilton
The author reveals the origins of the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series, outlines the arc of Anita Blake’s love life, and explains why her combination of romance, mystery, and horror is here to stay.

Delizhia Jenkins
Vampire Hunters Academy author Delizhia Jenkins talks about her inspiration for the series, gives us a peek at the latest book, and reveals why you shouldn’t fall in love with a vampire.

LISTS

Top 5 Underrated Vampire Movies

50 Vampire Book Series

POLLS AND QUIZZES

Poll: What’s Your Favorite Type of Monster Story?

Quiz: How Well Do You Know The Universal Monsters?

Quiz: Was That Monster On An Episode Of X-Files Or Buffy The Vampire Slayer?

LINKS

More About Vampire Fiction

More About Vampire Movies

More About Va mpire TV

More About Vampire Comics

Features

“She goes from hating vampires to working with her worst enemy.”

New York Times bestselling author Faith Hunter has written more than 40 books in a variety of genres, including urban fantasy, thrillers and mysteries. Her Jane Yellowrock novels are part of a dark urban fantasy series starring a Cherokee who is a shape-shifter and vampire hunter for hire. In this exclusive interview, urban fantasy author Faith Hunter shares how her shapeshifting Cherokee vampire hunter Jane Yellowrock has grown over the course of the books, explains why she doesn’t write sex scenes, and reveals how she’ll know when it’s time to end the series. Read the Faith Hunter interview!

“I was like, ‘When I grow up, I’m going to write something and this will not happen. My guys are gonna make it.’”

Urban fantasy author Leslie Esdaile Banks (1959-2011) wrote the Vampire Huntress Legend series under the pen name L.A. Banks. In her career, she wrote more than 40 novels in various genres, including African-American literature, romance, women’s fiction, crime suspense, dark fantasy, horror, and non-fiction. In this retrospective feature, excerpts from classic interviews explain how Ms. Banks crossed genre lines to create her own brand of science fiction, the elements from her childhood that made their way into her stories, and why she called Dracula the “Hugh Hefner of vampires.” Read the L.A. Banks article here!

“It’s always been my dream to see the worlds of my two biggest series united under a single roof.”

A look at Anne Rice’s comprehensive deal with AMC Networks, which she calls the the “most significant and thrilling deal” of her career. Also, we have an overview of the impact of The Vampire Chronicles on literature, screen, and the stage—and their future with AMC. Read the overview here!

“I decided I would try to even things up. I may have overcompensated just a little.”

Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter is a series of urban fantasy novels, short stories, and comic books by Laurell K. Hamilton. The books, which have sold more than six million copies, star Anita Blake—a St. Louis-based vampire hunter, zombie raiser, and supernatural consultant for the police. The long-running book series celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2018. In these interview excerpts, the author explains where she got the idea for the Anita Blake series, talks about how Anita’s love life has evolved over the course of the series, and reveals why her combination of romance, mystery, and horror is here to stay. Read the Laurell K. Hamilton roundup here!

200+ Monster Book Series

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“This book prepares the readers for the next phase in Sanaya’s journey as a Huntress, which will be nothing but total darkness.”

Delizhia Jenkins is an urban fantasy and paranormal romance author whose love whose works include The Vampire Hunters Academy series and The Lost Queen: Mercury’s Heir. In this exclusive interview, Miss Jenkins talks to Monster Complex about Vampire Hunters Academy, shares about her inspiration for the series, and explains the problem with loving vampires. Read the interview here!

50 Vampire Book Series

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Lists

Five Essential Vampire Flicks To Sink Your Teeth Into

Filmmakers have been cranking out movies about vampires for nearly as long as filmmakers have been cranking out movies. In fact, Dracula has been the subject of more films than any other fictional character—with the exception of Sherlock Holmes. Over the years, the silver screen has seen vampire films make billions of dollars. But for every blockbuster vampire film, there are scores of films that fell through the cracks—or have fallen out of favor with modern movie audiences. Monster Complex friend Van Barnett offers five vampire movies that deserve a second look. Discover more about these movies here!

New 'Dracula' Film Coming From Director Karyn Kusama

Flashback: Blacula (1972)

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Including series from Stephanie Meyer, P.C. Cast, Charlaine Harris, MaryJanice Davidson, Richelle Mead, Kim Harrison, Faith Hunter, L.A. Banks, and a whole bunch more!

Vampires have captivated readers and audiences for more than a hundred years—in literature, on screen, in comics, and anywhere else you can plant your stake and tell a vampire story. Here are no less than fifty book series that star vampires and the people who love and/or kill them—including series from author Stephanie Meyer, P.C. Cast, Charlaine Harris, MaryJanice Davidson, Richelle Mead, and a whole bunch more!

Urban Fantasy Showcase: 21 Authors To Know

200+ Monster Book Series

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Poll and Quizzes

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Monster Complex ™

The Vampire Issue: Faith Hunter, L.A. Banks, Anne Rice, Buffy vs. X-Files

Monster Complex Magazine #1

Vampire Author Interviews, Features, Lists, Quizzes, and More

Features

“She goes from hating vampires to working with her worst enemy.”

RELATED

“I was like, ‘When I grow up, I’m going to write something and this will not happen. My guys are gonna make it.’”

RELATED

“It’s always been my dream to see the worlds of my two biggest series united under a single roof.”

RELATED

“I decided I would try to even things up. I may have overcompensated just a little.”

“This book prepares the readers for the next phase in Sanaya’s journey as a Huntress, which will be nothing but total darkness.”

Lists

Five Essential Vampire Flicks To Sink Your Teeth Into

Including series from Stephanie Meyer, P.C. Cast, Charlaine Harris, MaryJanice Davidson, Richelle Mead, Kim Harrison, Faith Hunter, L.A. Banks, and a whole bunch more!

Poll and Quizzes

FURTHER READING