LOUIS BELSKI

Real Name: Louis Belski

Identity/Class: Human, vampire

Occupation: Bloodsucker, former actor

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Liza Pyne

Enemies: Raymond Coker, Dracula, McGruder, Gary Stone, Werewolf (Jack Russell)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Dracula

Base of Operations: Mallet Studios, Los Angeles, California

First Appearance: Dracula Lives#4 (January, 1974)

Powers/Abilities: Louis Belski possessed all of the abilities of a vampire, including sharp fangs used to suck blood from victims to replenish his own life, enhanced strength, and the ability to transform into a bat,

History: (Dracula Lives#4 (fb) - BTS) - Louis Belski was an actor who began working for Mallet Studios in 1927 when they first opened, and took on a variety of roles in horror films. Although contemporary horror performers such as Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr. and Bela Lugosi fascinated some women, Belski was (or believed himself to be) repulsive, and as the years went on, he became more frustrated with his lot in life as a b-movie actor. He was, however, extremely proud of his portrayal of Dracula, and claimed that he brought down the house during a performance in London.

(Dracula Lives#4) - After completing the film "Fangs of Dracula," Belski displayed it to his producer, McGruder, claiming that it was an ideal comeback for him, but McGruder hated the film, and loathed Belski's performance of Dracula. Belski returned to his dressing room, and took to drinking whisky. Later that night, he found McGruder beating on Liza Pyne, one of Mallet Studios' actress, and Belski sprang to her defense, claiming to be Dracula. He threw McGruder against a wall, killing him with the concusssion. Belski then tried to suck Liza's blood, but couldn't break her flesh, and was driven off by other hands at Mallet Studios.

Returning to his dressing room for another drink, Belski was confronted by the real Dracula, who had been insulted by the way Belski had portrayed him in films. However, Belski thought Dracula was another actor trying to steal his thunder, and tried to kill him with a gun, only to have the bullets pass through mist.

(Werewolf by Night I#17 - BTS) - Belski continued to evade the authorities, hiding on the Mallet Studios lot.

(Dracula Lives#4) - A week later, Liza returned to the lot with her lover, Gary Stone, who quickly abandoned her when they found the body of Donaldson, a Mallet employee who had apparently been killed by Belski. Belski attacked Liza and chased her through the lot, still claiming to be Dracula, and hating Liza for not being grateful to him for killing McGruder. Liza tried to make Belski think that she liked him, but Belski claimed that women had never found him attractive. Just as he was about to try to suck her blood again, Dracula returned, and angrily declared: "That my life was presented on the stage has forever amused me-- but always before the humans playing me have had stature-- a nobility of their own. Lugosi showed my fearsomeness-- Carradine my nobility-- and Lee presented my strength. But you-- you are a clown-- a fool not fit to play my most lowly servant, let alone lord of the vampires. How dare you take the name of Dracula and trounce it through the filthy mudholes that you wallow in? HOW DARE YOU, HUMAN-- HOW DARE YOU??" So saying, Dracula threw him aside.

After sucking Liza's blood, Dracula turned back to Belski, who had revived and was about to attack him again, but Dracula simply glared at him, and brought Belski to sobs at his feet. He demanded that Belski rise and accept his fate.

(Dracula Lives#4/Werewolf by Night I#19 (fb)) - Liza and Belski awoke in the Los Angeles morgue, and discovered that they had become vampires. They found Gary Stone nearby, oblivious to their presence.

(Werewolf by Night I#19 (fb)) - Liza and Belski decided to leave Stone alive with his nightmares rather than kill him, and set out as bats to find more blood. They decided to return to Mallet Studios for "old times' sake," and attacked Jack Russell, the Werewolf. Their fight drew them to a film set of a lunar surface.

(Werewolf by Night I#19) - The two vampires had nearly overcome the Werewolf when Raymond Coker, another werewolf appeared. Although the Werewolf was at first wary of Coker, they soon joined forces against the vampires. Belski hoped that their actions would please Dracula, who he now considered to be his master. However, in a final charge at the werewolves, the Werewolf threw Belski into a model of the Earth, and he was impaled on a sharp piece of wood. Liza was similarly dispatched by Raymond Coker.

Comments: Created by Marv Wolfman, Mike Ploog and Ernie Chua.

The last page of the story from Dracula Lives#4 was reenacted in Werewolf by Night I#19, but although it was clear in the first story that Gary was a victim of the two vampires, they don't even harm him in WBN I#19.

"Mallet Studios" is an obvious homage to Hammer Films, the Britain-based movie studio responsible for many horror films from the 50's onwards, but which by the 1970's, was in a state not dissimiliar to that of Mallet Studios.

Louis Belski's name is a play on that of Bela Lugosi, star of the 1931 (loose) adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula.

In Blade III#12 a prophecy was fulfilled that brought back all vampires that ever died. This most likely included Belski as well. We'll have to wait if he resurfaces.
--Markus Raymond

by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Louis Belski should not be confused with:

• Bela, servant of Dr. Doom, @ Super-Villain Team-Up#6
• Bela, vampire-like member of the Brotherhood, @ Brotherhood#4

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

Back to Characters