The Children of the Night

By You should know who

Sink your teeth into the darkness as the Rising Stars pays homage to all the children of the night.

The Wolf Man
ly-can-thro-py (n.)
n folklore, the magical ability to assume the form and characteristics of a wolf.

A delusion that one has become or assumed the characteristics of a wolf or other animal.

The Wolf Man is the most violent and primitive of the Monster Squad. He originally emerged as a fairy tale to warn men of the rage that lies beneath, and soon became a favourite bedtime story character. He appeared in comic books and pulp novels before becoming one of the most popular monsters, hot on the heels of Dracula and Frankenstein. You know the tale: If someone is bitten by a werewolf, they become a werewolf themselves at the next full moon, and they can only be killed by a silver bullet or stab. Everyone likes The Wolf Man - even Michael Jackson appeared as one in extended video for "Thriller".

The Mummy
The Mummy is a bit cursed himself as a monster compared to flashier siblings like Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster and The Wolf Man. Once, the Mummy was frustratingly limited as both an icon and as a threat to humanity. Sure, the ability to curse people is pretty cool, but the Mummy was also a bit slow and dim-witted, usually without the towering height and physicality that worked to the advantage of Frankenstein's Monster.

The Mummy was also limited in terms of different storylines. Again, there was only so much you could do with the basic structure: foolish humans, whether they be archaeologists or any variation on such a profession, unearth the Mummy's tomb and awaken him. They are then cursed and terrorized by the lumbering undead whose mode of communication usually consists of just moans and groans.

However, as a visual icon, the Mummy works beautifully as a horror character. There's something unnerving, as always, about the dead coming back to life, and the fact that you usually can't completely see the Mummy's face - most of it hidden behind decaying bandages - creates a further sense of dread and mystery. There's also something terrifying about the concept of the Mummy's curse - since the specifics of the curse are usually never revealed, you have no choice but to wait to see what happens to you. The Mummy's somewhat understated methods - the muttered curse, the slow gait, the moans and groans - make him perhaps the most subtle monster, and the creepiest on a psychological level.

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus is one of the most well known horror and science fiction novels in the history of literature. Frankenstein, or rather "The Creature", is one of the most familiar icons in modern pop culture. The story of a doctor who creates a monster from the pieces of corpses has fascinated and thrilled readers and audiences for almost 200 years, appearing in films, comics, games and even the occasion TV commercial involving chocolate bars.

The story of Frankenstein affects us on a moral level, providing a cautionary tale about the dangers of toying with science and trying to manipulate the natural cycle of life and death. More importantly, it also affects us on a psychological and visceral level, as the Creature is a prime example of the monstrousness that man himself is able to conjure. Truly, the Creature has always been a tragic figure - at its heart, the Frankenstein story is about a father and the son he rejects. The story is devious in its simplicity and thrilling in its ability to continually scare us with the idea that we could be capable of initially justifying such a horrifying creation.

Zombies
A zombie is a dead person that is brought back to life through a curse (voodoo, necromancy) or a mutation and has recovered some vital functions like movement. They are near-mindless, possessing little reasoning power, though many can perform "remembered behaviours" from their mortal existence.

Zombies are not that popular. That's probably because they are not easy to get rid of. If a Zombie starts lumbering towards you, all you can do is run away screaming. Shoot it, no effect. Set it on fire, no effect. Drown it, no effect. Whatever you do, it'll just continue to come after you… until it catches you. And they are very slow, which ruins the climax.

Zombies have been confused with many other monstrous creatures. Some zombies have the appearance of the living but their lack of free will and souls give them the appearance of mechanical robots. Other display visible signs of waterlessness, decay and bony-ness on their face and body. They have blank, expressionless faces that become more animated when they get hungry and engage in a feeding frenzy.

They are incapable of speech, but often tend to make moaning and guttural sounds. They are normally encountered wearing whatever clothing they wore in their human life, prior to reanimation.

The Vampire
Dracula is arguably the most popular creature in this monstrous article. The centuries-old vampire who pretends to be a Transylvanian count has made the most appearances in film, games, comics, and on stage. The immortal monster is condemned to walk the earth for eternity, his story and striking personality forever burned in pop culture and our subconscious.

Dracula's popularity stems not only from our fascination with the vampire myth but with his almost completely human appearance. He is a suave, seductive, charming beast, anxious to bring out the hunger and potential evil that lurks inside his victims even before he's made contact with them. His flowing black cape and ability to change forms makes his eternal journey through the darkness look strangely appealing. He is also the most tempting of all the monsters, with his hypnotic voice and ravenous craving for human blood promising that a life of living hell might actually be one of the most sensual experiences one could ever experience.