Deacon Frost

Last updated
Deacon Frost
Deaconfrost.png
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance The Tomb of Dracula #13 (October 1973)
Created by Marv Wolfman
Gene Colan
In-story information
Species Vampire
Notable aliasesWhitehair

Deacon Frost is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He appears in The Tomb of Dracula , and is an enemy of Blade. In the comics, Deacon Frost was depicted as a tall, white-haired, late middle-aged gentleman with red eyes, and wearing 1860s Germany period clothing. His doppelgänger sported an accent and attire that suggested a Southern preacher.

Contents

The character appeared in the 1998 film Blade as a young adult instead of an older gentleman, portrayed by Stephen Dorff.

Publication history

Deacon Frost first appeared in The Tomb of Dracula #13 (October 1973), and was created by Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan.

Fictional character biography

Deacon Frost was allegedly a scientist looking for the key to immortality. For one of his experiments, he kidnapped a young woman in order to inject his victim with the blood of a recently killed vampire. The girl's fiancé broke into the lab, and (in the resulting scuffle) Frost was accidentally injected with the blood himself. The result was that Frost became a vampire but (due to the unusual method of becoming one) he was endowed with a unique characteristic; anyone he turned into a vampire would generate a doppelgänger. He could create an unlimited number of doppelgängers by biting each doppelgänger, and they would all be under his mental control. Frost intended to use this ability to contend for the position of Lord of Vampires, a position that was presently held by Dracula. Frost is the vampire responsible for the death of Blade's mother; Blade's initial mission is to exact revenge against her killer.[ volume & issue needed ] It was also Frost who turned Hannibal King into a vampire.[ volume & issue needed ] Blade and King (while initially distrusting each other) eventually teamed up to fight Frost's army of doppelgangers of Blade and King.[ volume & issue needed ] The two of them managed to defeat and apparently destroy Frost in his underground hideout, stabbing him twice and leaving his body to be consumed as his hideout exploded.[ volume & issue needed ]

Many years later, Blade encountered a vampire that called itself Deacon Frost.[ volume & issue needed ] This vampire had a different appearance and personality to the original, and was later identified as being a doppelgänger.[ volume & issue needed ] The doppelgänger attempted to summon a powerful demon, only to be devoured by said creature.[ volume & issue needed ] In a later one-shot story set in New Orleans, Frost was encountered yet again, but he appeared as he did in The Tomb of Dracula. He also confirmed that the previous encounter was indeed an imposter (as Blade suspected) who was created using science and magic. Blade and King, with the help of Brother Voodoo, foiled Frost's attempt to gain control of Garwood Industries through Donna Garth (daughter of Simon Garth the Living Zombie). Frost escaped this encounter vowing revenge.[ volume & issue needed ] More recently, Frost appeared at the summons of Dracula to defend the Lord of Vampires as he underwent a magical ritual, only to be staked by Blade.[ volume & issue needed ]

Powers and abilities

Deacon Frost, like the rest of the vampires, has superhuman strength and the standard powers of a vampire, including the ability to change his appearance and resistance to conventional wounds. Frost is also capable of creating vampiric duplicates of his victims with his bite, which are under his absolute mind control. Frost can even create replicas of these duplicates by biting them. Ultimately, these beings are able to absorb the original victim into their own body. Frost also possesses extensive knowledge of medicine, physics, and chemistry.

Like the rest of the vampires, Deacon Frost needs to drink blood assiduously to survive, cannot expose himself to sunlight without burning, and is damaged if exposed to crucifixes or any other religious symbol wielded by someone with deep faith. In addition his heart must be pierced with a wooden stake to end his unlife. He does not appear on reflective surfaces like mirrors.

Reception

Other versions

Earth-9991

While roughhousing, two boys enter the parking garage where Frost is located with his latest creation, a monster called the White Worm. Frost sics the White Worm on the children, then flees when he senses the approach of Blade. [3]

Ultimate Marvel

The Ultimate version of Deacon Frost appears with a youthful appearance. He has been captured by S.H.I.E.L.D. in order to convince Blade to join Nick Fury's Black ops team. [4]

Darkhold

In the one-shot The Darkhold: Blade by Daniel Kibblesmith, presenting an alternate ending to the 1998 Blade film, Deacon Frost is successful in his plans at using his power attained as avatar of La Magra to turn billions of humans around the world into vampires. [5]

In other media

Television

Film

Video games

In the 2010 game Marvel Pinball the Blade table includes Deacon Frost. [10]

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References

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  10. Marvel Entertainment (Dec 14, 2010). Marvel Pinball Video Game: Blade Trailer. Zen Studios via YouTube.