Darby Shelton

Editors note: this personal piece goes into the value of mundanity, control over ones environment in a digital plane and what the therapeutic nature of the format of farming simulators means for its fans.

When you think about David Frankel’s The Devil Wears Prada, perhaps you think of the star-studded cast. Maybe it’s the iconic fashion that comes to mind. If you’re me, you’re already three quotes and half a laugh deep into the sharp humor. Beyond being a classic 2000s underdog girl boss story, the film poses the world of Runway as a cult and Miranda Priestly as its infallible leader. And the main character, Andy, is only its next unassuming victim.

Vampires have been sinking their (not so metaphorical) fangs into the human imagination for centuries and show no signs of stopping anytime soon. They’ve been a part of our narratives as everything from sinister revenants haunting village sewers to immortal heartthrobs trying to pass highschool chemistry. They’re the ultimate survivors, reinvented again and again to fit each generation's fears, fantasies, and curiosities. But, what is it about vampires that’s so appealing?