TURAC
Real Name: Turac
Identity/Class: Human (Turkey) vampire (15th century)
Occupation: Former Turkish warlord
Group Membership: Turkish army (Gordo and unrevealed others)
Affiliations: Baron Korda
Enemies: Maria Dracula (second wife of Dracula), Vlad Tepes Dracula, Vlad Tepulus (son of Dracula), Lianda
Known Relatives: Elianne Turac (daughter), wife (deceased), son (deceased)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Turac Keep in Ankara, Turkey
First Appearance: Dracula Lives#2/1 (September, 1973)
Powers/Abilities: Turac possessed the standard set of powers that come with vampirism, including enhanced strength, speed and shape-shifting, and the weaknesses, including aversions to religious symbols. He was also an experienced warrior.
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 265 lbs.
Eyes: Red
Hair: Bald (black moustache)
History:
(Dracula Lives#2/1 (fb) - BTS) - In 1459, Lord Turac led the Turkish army in battle against Dracula's forces as part of a third attempt at conquering Transylvania.
(Bizarre Adventures#33/4 - BTS) - Varnae, lord of the vampires, tricked Dracula by making him have a prophetic dream in which he saw Turac and Baron Korda agree on their war strategy: attack Dracula from the east. In reality, the Turkish forces would strike from the west.
(Dracula Lives#2/1) - Because of Varnae's ruse, the Turkish army defeated Dracula's warriors. Afterwards, lord Turac appeared on the battlefield, explaining to Baron Korda they had to conquer all of Transylvania because it was a strategic spot between Turkey and all the countries they desired to conquer. Baron Korda spotted a Transylvanian survivor moving among the slain warriors and prepared to kill the man. Turac recognized the man as Dracula himself and told the Baron to stand down because taking the Prince alive could serve their purpose of taking over Transylvania without spilling too much blood. Gordo, one of Turac's soldiers, suggested they took the severely injured prince to Lianda the gypsy, known to cure men even if all hope was lost. Turac and his men went on the long trek to reach Lianda's wagon, offering to pay the gypsy a considerable amount for her services. Linda agreed and told Turac to return the next day, but she was secretly a vampire working for Varnae. She immediately bit Dracula, determined to turn 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. In response, Turac slapped the old woman across the face, telling her he'd only pay her with death. Fed up with the charade, Lianda showed her true vampiric nature and attacked Turac. However, he was able to impale her with the wood of his spear, turning Lianda into a pile of bones while he dragged the unresponsive Dracula back to his castle.
(Dracula Lives#2/1 (fb) - BTS) - After returning Dracula to his castle and chaining him in his dungeon Turac and his soldiers raped Dracula's wife Maria in front of his unconscious body. He then planned to use Dracula's family to persuade him to work for them.
(Dracula Lives#2/1) - Eventually, Dracula woke up as a vampire, though he wasn't aware of his transformation. The equally unaware Turac continued his threats, parading Maria and their newborn son in front of him and promising to hurt them if he refused to cooperate. Right before Turac's soldiers could kill Maria, Dracula yelled at them to stop and offered to aid the Turks. Turac left the Draculas alone for a few moments, allowing Maria to reveal she'd been raped by Turac and his soldiers. Overhearing the conversation, Turac grabbed Maria because he planned to sleep with her again that night. Frantic, Maria scratched open her aggressor's face and tried to run away. In her fear, she accidentally tripped and hit her head against a column, which killed her immediately. Not knowing his own powers, the now infuriated Dracula broke his shackles and killed one of Turac's soldiers. Now aware he was a vampire, Dracula grabbed Turac and drained his blood. Turac's dying screams attracted the attention of the remaining Turkish soldiers who also proved no match for him. Dracula also killed them.
(Giant-Size Dracula#3 (fb) - BTS) - Dracula hadn't killed Turac after biting him, which meant Turac turned into a vampire as well. After regaining consciousness, he returned to his castle in Ankara. Upon arrival, the guards failed to recognize Turac was a vampire, they opened the gates and allowed him into the keep. There, Turac began to feed and kill everyone he could find, including his own wife and son who initially welcomed him back warmly.
(Giant-Size Dracula#3) - After feeding on his people, his daughter Elianne suddenly returned from a day out with her fiancé. Turac revealed himself as being a vampire while his daughter held her dead mother in her arms. He then jumped the girl who accidentally stabbed her father in the chest with a spear. Before he died, Turac briefly regained his human mind, he explained she had freed him from his vampire curse and hoped she would get revenge on Dracula for turning him into a monster. Elianne then removed her father's head with an axe to prevent him from healing himself.
Comments: Created by Marv wolfman, Archie Goodwin (writers), Neal Adams (pencils, inks).
Turac appeared in several flashbacks that revealed no new information: Dracula Lives#3, Bizarre Adventures#33/4, Tomb of Dracula I#15, Tomb of Dracula I#50 and Tomb of Dracula I#60
In Blade III#12 a prophecy was fulfilled that brought back all vampires that ever died. This most likely included Turac as well, albeit still with his head severed.
Turac as part of the vampires received a profile in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#20. And a profile in the Vampires: The Marvel Undead handbook from 2011.
Profile by MarvellousLuke
CLARIFICATIONS:
Turac has no known connections to
Lady Turac was killed by her husband when he returned to Turac Keep as a vampire.
--Giant-Size Dracula#3
Turac's son was killed by his father when he returned to Turac Keep as a vampire.
--Giant-Size Dracula#3
Baron Korda was Turac's right-hand man as the two strategized to attack Dracula's army from the west. After defeating Dracula's army they eventually found the prince himself on the battlefield. It's been unrevealed if Baron Korda was present when they brought Dracula to Lianda or later when Turac was killed.
--Dracula Lives#2/1 (Dracula Lives#2/1, Bizarre Adventures#33/4
Gordo was a soldier in Lord Turac's Turkish army. After the Turks had defeated Dracula's army Gordo was the one who found him alive on the battlefield. When Turac wanted to keep Dracula alive Gordo suggested they'd seek out Lianda's help. After the events that would turn Dracula into a vampire Gordo and the other soldiers raped Dracula's wife Maria. Upon breaking free Dracula killed Gordo and the other soldiers.
--Dracula Lives#2/1
images: (without ads)
Vampires: The Marvel Undead handbook, Turac entry (main image)
Dracula Lives#2, p7, pan5,6 (killing Lianda)
Dracula Lives#2, p12, pan3,4,5 (killed by Dracula)
Giant-Size Dracula#3, p7, pan7 (attacking his daughter)
Giant-Size Dracula#3, p7, pan3 (Lady Turac and son)
Bizarre Adventures#33, p44, pan1 (Baron Korda)
Dracula Lives#2, p5, pan2 (Gordo)
Appearances:
Dracula Lives#2/1 (September, 1973) - Marv wolfman, Archie Goodwin (writers), Neal Adams (pencils, inks), Roy Thomas (editor)
Giant-Size Dracula#3 (December, 1974) - Chris Claremont (writer), Don Heck (pencils), Frank Springer (inks), Roy Thomas (editor)
Bizarre Adventures#33/4 (December, 1982) - Steve Perry (writer), Steve Bissette (pencils, inks), Denny O'Neill (editor)
Last updated: 08/27/15
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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