WARNING: The following contains spoilers for DC vs. Vampires #5, on sale now from DC Comics.
The comic book series DC vs. Vampires has seen vampires run wild across the DC Universe, transforming heroes and villains alike into the growing ranks of bloodthirsty undead. The Justice League were among the first targeted by the vampires, with Green Lantern and Wonder Woman among the most prominent heroes transformed into the latest bloodsuckers. And as the stakes escalate, Batman and Green Arrow lead a desperate effort to stop their vampiric friends from plunging the DCU into eternal darkness, and the question remains as to whether Superman can become a vampire or if he will be the secret weapon used to destroy them.
While Batman and Green Arrow were convinced that Hal Jordan and Diana Prince were converted into the ravenous undead, they were unsure about the rest of the Justice League. This led to a standoff between the heroes, with Batman and Green Arrow uncertain whom from their old friends they could trust and who had already been transformed into a creature of the night. When Superman intervenes, Batman incapacitates the Man of Steel with a kryptonite laced punch before he flees the scene as the vampires prove too formidable to fight. This brings DC vs. Vampires #5 (by James Tynion IV, Matthew Rosenberg, Otto Schmidt, Simone de Meo and Tom Napolitano) to a cliffhanger ending, as Superman lays at the mercy of the undead creatures.
Across his comic book history, Superman has yet to be transformed into a conventional vampire, although he has certain vulnerabilities that could theoretically make such a change possible. Superman has a notable weakness to the supernatural and magic and vampires certainly qualify in providing this paranormal Achilles' heel. The Man of Tomorrow is also visibly still under the effects of the kryptonite, which could affect how physically impervious he is from harm, including having his blood infected by the vampiric curse that has already claimed several of his friends.
However, invulnerabilities aside, Superman could bring about the ultimate end to the vampires, especially as the source of his powers align with one the vampires' greatest weaknesses: The Sun. This has led to previous vampire attempts to transform Superman often resulting in their own demise as they are directly exposed to the yellow sun radiation that fuels Superman's abilities. Most notably, 2002's Superman #180 (by Jeph Loeb, Geoff Johns, Ian Churchill and Norm Rapmund) saw the solar feedback from Dracula biting Superman resulting in his own destruction. 2004's JLA #95 (by John Byrne, Chris Claremont and Jerry Ordway) featured a vampire biting Superman, repulsed by his blood but able to control him telepathically.
Because of the kryptonite and Superman's natural weakness to magic, the vampires may be successful in transforming the Man of Steel into one of the undead but they do so at the enormous peril of unleashing their solar weakness upon themselves. Superman's solar-radiated blood could serve as an unexpected Trojan horse that could cause the vampires' plans to crumble.
Having Superman as a Kryptonian familiar would pose much more of a threat to the DCU and there has been a comic book precedent previously established. However, this strategy tempts the vampires' total destruction should the Man of Steel's Kryptonian blood have unexpected consequences for anyone with a weakness to sunlight.
