LIANDA
Real Name: Lianda
Identity/Class: Human vampire (15th century, possibly active earlier - see comments)
Occupation: Healer
Group Membership: Servant of Varnae
Affiliations: Vlad Tepes Dracula
Enemies: Lord Turac
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Gypsy camp, Wallachia, Transylvania
First Appearance: Dracula Lives! I#2 (September, 1973)
Powers/Abilities: As a vampire, Lianda possessed all the abilities of a vampire, such as immortality and superhuman strength (she could lift (press) 650 lbs.), stamina and reflexes. She also displayed the ability to shape shift into a wolf. Before she was turned, Lianda worked as a gypsy healer, using her knowledge of herbs and other folk remedies to help treat a variety of ailments.
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 110 lbs.
Eyes: Red
Hair: Grey
History: (Dracula Lives! I#2 (fb) - BTS) - Lianda was a well known gypsy healer who operated from her small caravan in Transylvania. Unbeknownst to all, she was also a vampire.
(Bizarre Adventures I#33/4) - She secretly worked for Varnae, lord of all vampires. He had set in motion a chain of events that would turn the young Wallachian Prince Vlad Dracula into the new lord of all vampires.
(Dracula Lives! I#2 - BTS) - In the year 1459, Turkish warlord Turac, as part of the Turkish forces occupying Transylvania, fought Prince Vlad Dracula. Severely wounding him, Turac decided it would be best to keep the boy alive as a vassal for the Turks.
(Dracula Lives! I#2) - Turac brought the dying Dracula to Lianda's caravan, offering to pay the gypsy a considerable amount for her services. Lianda agreed and told Turac to return the next day. Like most Transylvanians, Lianda despised the Turkish occupation of Transylvania and had no desire to have the Prince become Turac's political puppet. Acting on Varnae's orders, Lianda bit Dracula, turning him into a vampire. Within minutes, the impatient Turac barged in again, demanding to know how Dracula was doing. Lianda told him he had to wait a full day and demanded Turac paid her immediately. Fed up, Turac slapped the old woman in the face, telling her he'd only pay her with death. Having had enough of the charade, Lianda showed her true vampiric nature and assaulted Turac. However, she was impaled through the chest by his wooden spear. Turac left with Dracula as Lianda turned into a pile of bones.
(Bizarre Adventures I#33/4) - After Turac left the caravan, Lianda managed to resurrect herself, transforming her rotting corpse into a wolf. Still impaled by the spear, she ran all night to reach her master, Varnae. Upon reaching her master's abode, she revealed that she had successfully turned Dracula into one of the undead as promised. Lianda hoped that as a reward, Varnae would heal her. However, he destroyed her, figuring she had served her purpose.
Comments: Created by Marv Wolfman, Archie Goodwin and Neal Adams.
In Tomb of Dracula I#70, an old woman was shown to have turned Torgo Nia
into a vampire during the 5th century. Perhaps this could have been
Lianda. As Torgo noted, "Sound familiar, Dracula? War, battle, death..
the old woman? Familiar eh? I'm certain of it."
--I suppose we do not know how
long Lianda had been a vampire. It's certainly possible that she was
vamped waaaay before 1459, which would allow her to be active in the
5th century and be responsible for Torgo's vamping during the 5th
century. Then again, it could have just been a coincidence and Torgo
was simply mockingly comparing his own origins as a vampire to
Dracula's. -Proto-Man
In Blade III#12, a prophecy was fulfilled that brought back all vampires that ever died. This most likely included Lianda as well.
Lianda has appeared in several flashbacks over the years, recalling how she'd bitten Dracula, although no new information has been revealed about her. The flashbacks include: Tomb of Dracula I#15, Tomb of Dracula I#47 and Dracula: Lord of the Undead#1.
Lianda, as part of the Vampires entry, received a
profile in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe
Edition#20. She was also listed among the vampires in the Vampires: The
Marvel Undead handbook (2011).
Profile by MarvellousLuke
CLARIFICATIONS:
Lianda has no known connections to
images: (without ads)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe II#20, Vampires entry (main image)
Dracula Lives#2, p5, pan5 (closeup)
Dracula Lives#2, p6, pan5 (bites Dracula)
Bizarre Adventures#33/4, p49, pan8,9&10 (destroyed)
Appearances:
Dracula Lives! I#2 (September, 1973) - Marv Wolfman, Archie Goodwin (writers), Neal Adams (pencils, inks), Roy Thomas (editor)
Bizarre Adventures I#33/4 (December, 1982) - Steve Perry (writer), Steve Bissette (pencils, inks), Denny O'Neill (editor)
Last updated: 09/09/14
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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