KATINKA

Real Name: Katinka (presumably her first name)

Identity/Class: Human, minor magic user

Occupation: Vampire Hunter

Group Membership: Vampire-Hunters

Affiliations: Blade, Frank Drake, Inspector Judiah Golem, Marlene McKenna

Enemies: Dracula; Vampires in general

Known Relatives: mother (deceased)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Washington, DC

First Appearance: Tomb of Dracula III#2 (1991)

Powers/Abilities: None known. Katinka has extensive knowledge of vampires, the effects of vampires on others, and apparently she has advanced medical and medicinal training as well. She may or may not be a doctor.
She is also an albino, making her eyes and skin unable to tolerate bright light. This is most likely a magical affliction, rather than genetic.

History:
(Tomb of Dracula III#3 (fb)) - Katinka's mother was killed by Dracula while she was in labor with her. Katinka's life was saved, but her exposure to her mother's vampire-tainted blood caused her to suffer from an affliction similar to vampirism.

BTS - Katinka's origins presumably drove her to study and oppose vampires. She has worked to try to develop a cure for the vampire taint.

(ToD III#2) - Katinka was called in by Blade to try to free Marlene McKenna from Dracula's control. Marlene claimed to be free, but Katinka placed a drop (a mixture of various herbs) in her eye that caused her great pain, revealing Dracula's taint was still within her.
(ToD III#3) - Katinka initiated a full blood transfusion on Marlene, in further attempt to cure her. As intended, their efforts drew the attention of Dracula, who broke into her facility to stop them. Blade and Drake managed to injure Dracula, but it was Katinka who pressed a crucifix into his face, setting his head on fire and driving him off.
(ToD III#4) - Katinka and the others uncovered the involvement of the Belonging with Dracula. They confronted him at Arlington National Cemetery as he called on the power of the Belonging. Katinka saved Drake from an army of corpses animated by Dracula, by smashing through them with her jeep. Drake, in turn, saved her from the corpses which had managed to grab hold of her vehicle.
After Dracula was consumed by the power of the souls of the Belonging, Katinka said her goodbyes to Frank and Marlene. With Blade locked up in a mental institution, she decided that it was time for them to rest, and for others to pick up the fight. She decided that it would not be hard to find others to join the fight--as she saw Judiah Golem on a nearby street corner.

 

Comments: Created by Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan.

Katinka's accent/dialect--Girl, you t'ink you be in love, but he be spookin' you wit' his power--indicates she may be from Haiti or another island with similar speech.

Katinka's origin--her mother being killed by a vampire while in labor--is virtually identical to that of Blade. The difference being that her mother was vamped by Dracula, while Blade's was by Deacon Frost.

I think Katinka would good member of the Legion of the Night--in case ANYONE knows who they are--or cares.

Each time I read this series, or review it for a profile, I notice something new. In the 3rd and 2nd from last panels from the end of ToD#4, as Katinka makes contact with Judiah Golem, Dracula himself can be clearly seen wrapped in her curtains, and then fading away to mist. Whether this was artistic license, or it just meant that Dracula was not really destroyed at all. Maybe it was only his spirit, which had to search the world for a form to inhabit--as it eventually did in the form created by the temporary merging of Frank Drake and Hannibal King from Nightstalkers#18 and Blade#1-3.

CLARIFICATIONS:
No known connection to:

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Other appearances:
Tomb of Dracula III#1-4 (1991) - Marv Wolfman (writer), Gene Colan (pencils), Al Williamson (inks), Terry Kavanagh & Mark Powers (editors)

Last updated: 11/17/02

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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