'Dracula'

I wonder what Bram Stoker would say if he knew and could fully comprehend what his book has done.

It's created a multi-billion dollar industry based on a mythical creature that doesn't exist and probably never did.

Without Stoker and his story, there's about six dozen fewer films. "Twilight" doesn't exist or is at least 95 percent less popular. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" doesn't exist and Alyson Hannigan's career is officially in jeopardy and Sarah Michelle Gellar's just another pretty face.

There's nothing in pop culture like the vampire myth. I've always thought that people in developed nations are entirely more prepared for alien or zombie invasion due to books and movies. No matter that either are practically out of the realm of reason.

Thanks to pop culture (and, thus, Stoker) we're entirely more able to identify and kill a vampire. I would bet most people don't know the origins of a werewolf, zombie, Frankenstein's monster, mummy or any other unreal horror character. But vampires are different.

Anyone's who has lived or breathed films knows exactly the ins and outs of being a vampire.

My other thought about vampires deals with supermarket tabloids. Stand in line in your local grocery store and you'll see a half dozen tabloid, celebrity magazines. There's another 10 headlines on each. Some seem out of this world. However, if you want to get at least the very minimum of truth, just read one of these tabloids. In each, there's a strain of truth, no matter how small.

Consider the vampire. With all the books, movies and allusions throughout the years, wouldn't it stand to reason that there's at least a tiny amount of truth to it?

Maybe there isn't a Dracula or vampires that are immortal and are fearful of religious items such as a crucifix and holy water.But at some point, there was a group or individual that gave this legend some truth or basis. All of this can't exist without it. I'm convinced.