PRUDENCE MANN
Real Name: Prudence Mann
Identity/Class: Human vampire (17th century)
Occupation: Unrevealed
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: None
Enemies: Caleb
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Salem
First Appearance: (As witch) Journey Into Mystery I#15/5 (April,
1954); (as vampire) Vampire Tales#2 (October, 1973)
{in Italia: Corriere della Paura#8/5 Editoriale Corno
(gennaio 1975)}
Powers/Abilities: Prudence had sharp canine teeth which she could hide and use to kill and drink human blood. Uncharacteristically for a vampire she could withstand sunlight and she seemingly possessed only normal human strength. She probably had a certain degree of control over some animals, like horses, and she could control her bloodthirst. Bullets harmed and weakened her.
History:
(Journey Into Mystery I#15/5) - In 1686 Prudence arrived in
Salem with a cart and all her possessions.
A man of the village, Caleb, spotted her lot of
gold and noticed that she was alone, so he started to scheme to gain the woman's
wealth.
Prudence was frequently visited by Caleb until he asked the elders of the village for her hand, but Prudence refused his proposal firmly.
After a while the revenge of Caleb came.
He hid a forbidden book in Prudence's
house, and accused Prudence to be a witch. That same night a tribunal condemned
Prudence to death by hanging. The sentence was executed immediately, but some horses went mad and ran
through the square of the village, giving Prudence the opportunity to
escape.
The hunt started, Caleb leading the men, to track down Prudence
in the woods. They shot at her and wounded Prudence.
Prudence was very tired when she found a boat and crossed the river, but her pursuers
were too close. She managed to hear that Caleb was wounded and had been left alone by
the others and, despite the fact that she could be found, went back to get her revenge on Caleb. She showed her true vampiric nature to Caleb and her teeth found his throat.
Comments: Created by unknown writer and Mannie Banks (pencils and inks).
Prudence was probably found and killed shortly thereafter.
It is impossible that Prudence lived in Salem going out only by night. When she arrived in the village it was not night. It is very rare to see a vampire with resistence to sunlight.
The story was originally printed in Journey into Mystery I#15 as the fifth story and reprinted in Vampire Tales#2 (October, 1973) retitled "Witch Hunt".
She was a witch in Journey into Mystery I#15 as Gammatotem pointed out, but a vampire in the modified reprint in Vampire Tales#2.
--Loki
Her last name was revealed in Vampires: The Marvel Undead#1 (December, 2011).
Profile by Spidermay.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Prudence has no known connections to
Caleb has no known connections to any other character.
Caleb was a greedy, evil man and a liar.
Caleb did not love Prudence, but was only interested in her gold.
When she refused his proposal, the proud Caleb sought revenge. He hid a black book, bones and blood in Prudence's house and then accused her to be a witch. Prudence was immediately condemned, but managed to flee during her execution.
Caleb led the hunt, but a wound to the leg forced him to stay behind while the others kept hunting. Prudence found him and killed him sinking her teeth into his throat.
--Journey Into Mystery I#15/5
images: (without ads)
Vampire Tales#2/3, p1, pan1 (Prudence, full image)
Vampire Tales#2/3, p4, pan7 (Prudence, head shot)
Journey Into Mystery I#15/5, p4, pan7 (original ending)
Vampire Tales#2/3, p2, pan2 (Caleb)
Appearances:
Joureny into Mystery I#15 (April, 1954) - Mannie Banks (artist), Stan Lee (editor)
Vampire Tales#2 (October, 1973) - revised ending
First Posted: 11/14/2010
Last updated: 08/11/2020
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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