Blacula
a vampire of African decent
Name:
Blacula
Publisher:
Real name:
Mamuwalde
Aliases:
- Prince Mamuwalde
Birth date:
None
Gender:
Male
Powers:
- Unarmed Combat
- Vampirism
First issue:
Monster Madness (1972) #3
Creation
Blacula is a character from blaxploitation films who debuted in the 1972 feature film Blacula, directed by William Crain and produced by American International Pictures (AIP). Played by William Marshall, Blacula is actually Mamuwalde, an 18th-century African prince who, upon seeking Count Dracula's help to end the slave trade, is betrayed, transformed into a vampire, and cursed with the name "Blacula."
The film was a huge box office success, despite mixed reviews, and innovated by blending gothic horror, African-American culture, and social commentary, a rarity in cinema at the time. In 1973, Mamuwalde returned in the sequel Scream Blacula Scream.
