Marguerite D'Alescio (Dracula character, Blade foe)

MARGUERITE D'ALESCIO

Real Name: Marguerite, Lady D'Alescio

Identity/Class: Human agent of vampires, Blade enemy

Occupation: Unrevealed

Affiliations: Pawn of Dracula, liaison to Legion of the Damned

Enemies: Blade

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Townhouse in Mayfair, London

Appearances: Vampire Tales#9 (February 1975),

(Marvel Preview#3(named)

Powers: Lady D'Alescio did not possess any superhuman powers herself. She possessed considerable political and financial power in London. She also was in almost constant mental contact with Dracula, which caused other vampires to follow her direction.

History: Marguerite D'Alescio presumably gained her political and financial status via inheritance. At some point in the past, she was bitten, but not killed by the vampire lord, Dracula. Since she did not die, she did not become a vampire, but instead came under his mental influence. Dracula used her townhouse, wealth, and political power to further his own agenda.

Dracula directed Marguerite to act as his liaison to a coven of vampires known as the Legion of the Dead. The Legion's ultimate goal was to develop an experimental "Sunlight Serum," which would enable vampires to survive exposure to sunlight. The Legion followed her plans and successfully developed the formula, but Legion leader Anton Vierken chafed at her rule and sought to bring himself into a position of power above her.

The Legions plans brought them into conflict with the vampire hunter Blade. Blade initially believed she was a vampire, but learned the truth after capturing her on film. The Legion kidnapped his girlfirend, Safron Caulder, and framed him for the murder of a young girl, Josie Harper. He tracked her down to her townhouse, destroyed all records of the sunlight serum, and slew Vierken. Blade was accompanied by policewoman Kate Fraser, who had discovered that Vierken, in his efforts to bring down Marguerite, had recorded all of their conversations. While this was not sufficient to arrest a person of Marguerite's political stature, Kate used these tapes in Blade's defense, presumably clearing him of all charges.

Comments: Created by Marv Wolfman, Chris Claremont, and Tony DeZuniga.

Marguerite's fate following this encounter is unknown. She could be continuing to serve Dracula, or, perhaps more likely, he could have slain her for failing him.

The Sunlight Serum is possibly based upon the process by which nazi scientists made Baron Blood I able to survive sunlight. It resurfaced again in Marvel Team-Up II#7, as the Sun-Walker formula. Marguerite may or may not have had anything to do with these formulae.

Last updated: September 3, 2001