Character Spotlight: Barnabas Collins

Hey everybody, welcome to another great character spotlight, right here at ComicAttack.net! You know, I may be dating myself here slightly, but I can remember a time when a show called Dark Shadows was in syndication (on PBS I think), and was pretty creepy and cool! OK, maybe some of you will disagree, but I thought it was good, and that’s my opinion. You know what, though? Right now, Dynamite Entertainment has resurrected (see what I did there) the comic book version of Dark Shadows, and none other than Mike Raicht (The Stuff of Legend – Th3rd World Studios, Infestation – IDW) has been writing some great stories since issue five (now up to 11) when he assumed the duties on it!
The main character, Barnabas Collins, is the subject of today’s spotlight, so let’s get to it! Barnabas was created by Dan Curtis in the television series that aired from 1966-1971 (Barnabas debuted in 1967).
Barnabas Collins is an 18th century man who lived in Collinsport, Maine, in the Collinwood estate, which belonged to a wealthy family that has many members and friends with which to entertain themselves. Once upon a time, long ago, Barnabas had an affair with a woman named Angelique. He broke it off, and then was to be wed to another woman, Josette du Pres. This infuriated Angelique, so she used her black magic to conjure up a bat, that subsequently bit Barnabas and turned him into a vampire.

Currently in the Dynamite offering, Barnabas has been caught up in a whirlwind of deceit, murder, and other misfortunes. He has a close relationship with Quentin Collins, a man that knows his secret, but also harbors one himself. For you see, he’s a werewolf. He and Barnabas have recently run into one of Barnabas’s old acquaintances, or should I say victims! The man was turned into a vampire when bitten by Barnabas decades earlier. He has waited, and schemed, and plotted for the perfect time to strike, but Quentin and Barnabas are more than prepared and have sent him packing.
Now Barnabas has found a “cure” for his vampirism, by wearing a certain mystical talisman. This idea has a feeling of wonderment to it for an age old vampire, but it does have repercussions. These are very evident in the latest issues, but I’ll save that for my reviews! Most people probably won’t give a character like this a chance, but believe me, it’s quite a nice twist to the vampire scene compared to the sparkly types, or traditional blood spattered pages of other reads.
As usual, check out my recommended reading list along with some great covers starring the mysterious man himself! Enjoy!
Recommended Reading
Dark Shadows The Best of the Original Series vol. 1 (Gold Key)
Dark Shadows: Book 1 (1992) (Innovation)
Dark Shadows: Book 2 (1993) (Innovation)
Dark Shadows: Book 3 (1993) (Innovation)
Dark Shadows (2011) #1-current (Dynamite)