Vampire by Night

Vampire by Night (Nina Price) is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is the niece to Jack Russell and has the ability to become either a werewolf or a vampire between dusk and dawn.

Publication history

She first appeared in Amazing Fantasy Vol. 2, #10 and was created by Jeff Parker and Federica Manfredi.

Fictional character biography

Through her mother's bloodline, Nina became part of a long family curse. This curse had originated with Nina's 18th century ancestor Grigori, who had been tainted by the Darkhold, a grimoire of black magic, and was subsequently bitten by a Werewolf who served Dracula. Because of this, all the descendants of Grigori were cursed to become Werewolves upon their 18th birthday. Nina's mother Lissa Russell was a victim of the curse until an altercation with a sorcerer named Glitternight altered her standing and she was freed from being a Werewolf. Lissa then married a wealthy business tycoon named Mr. Price and gave birth to Nina. Although her mother was able to alter the curse's path against her, the curse continued its course to Nina. At some point Nina was attacked and bitten by a Vampire who attempted to change her into the undead. This attack altered the curse for Nina somewhat and caused her to become both Werewolf and Vampire in one. By day Nina Price seems to be a normal Human, but once the sun goes down she becomes a Vampire. Due to the Werewolf's bite, Nina became a white wolf during the full moon, and she used her father's money and status to reserve a zoo or park, in which she would cage herself until the full moon was over and she was no longer an animal (so she would not hurt innocents). However, Nina had no problem using her supernatural abilities to harm criminals, as she found them acceptable targets for her Vampiric thirsts, feeding on rapists and thieves once the sun went down.

Falling in a trap set by S.H.I.E.L.D. during an adventure with her uncle Jack, Nina soon after became a reluctant member of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Paranormal Containment Unit, nicknamed the Howling Commandos.^[1] Working at a secret military installation called Area 13, Nina was placed as part of a supernatural team working for the government set to handle situations that dealt with more of the macabre side of life.^[2] During her time there she was partnered with another Werewolf named Warwolf (real name Vince Marcus) and fellow Vampire Lilith, the daughter of Dracula.^[3]

As part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel event, Nina becomes a member of S.T.A.K.E.'s Howling Commandos.^[4]

Powers and abilities

Nina is hybrid of a Vampire and a Werewolf, and possesses the abilities of both, but only after sunset. Her Vampire powers make her supernaturally strong and fast, and unable to cast a reflection (which makes it impossible for people to take her picture at night). She can hypnotize people with her stare, an ability she often uses to immobilize her prey. Like a normal vampire, she must feed on human blood, but she focuses her thirst on criminals. Due to her hybrid nature, sunlight is not lethal to Nina (as it is to most Vampires) and she heals amazingly quickly from even the most serious of injuries.

She is also gifted with the power of lycanthropy and when the moon is full, she becomes a wolf. Unlike her uncle Jack, she doesn't become a humanoid werewolf, but becomes an actual white wolf (strongly resembling an arctic wolf). In her bestial state, Nina has superhuman senses of hearing and smell, and powerful jaws and deadly fangs and claws. She is also overwhelmed by the wolf's feral instincts, and often shuts herself away from others to prevent herself from killing innocent people.

In other media

Film

Nina Price appears in the animated movie Hulk: Where Monsters Dwell, voiced by Chiara Zanni. She appears as a member of the Howling Commandos.

References

External links

• Vampire by Night at Marvel.com
• Vampire by Night at Comic Vine
• Vampire by Night at Marvel Appendix