There's a very nice article in the recent New Yorker about vampires. The writer discusses the vampire myth in general, and how books like Bram Stoker's Dracula have maintained its popularity throughout the modern era. Truth is, since Stoker, vampires have enjoyed a cult following in fiction, movies, television, etc. In explaining cults of this type (there's a "culture" pun here that I am missing), the author, Joan Acocella, says that "cults often gather around powerful works of the second rank. Fans feel that they have to root for them."
I thought this was a great way to put it, explaining fandom very succinctly. I'll remember that one!
