Biff the Vampire - About the Strip

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† About the Strip †

The Tale of a Vampire Far From Home

Biff is new to the U.S., fresh from Romania. He has to make his way in a land he doesn't quite understand along with dealing with friends, roommates and being a modern monster in a mortal world.

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'Biff the Vampire' is a slice-of-life comedy in the vein of the TV sitcoms of old. Influenced by shows like 'The Munsters' and 'Perfect Strangers', Biff is a comic about weird folks navigating life and doing the best they can... with the occasional "Very Special Episode" along the way.

Strip Types

Although 'Biff the Vampire' is done in the classic Newspaper comic strip style, it doesn't hold to those classic rules. There's an irregular variety that can be done here online that wouldn't have flown during the ol' Print-Only days.
The general run of BtV came be broken down into three parts:

Story Bits - This is the main style of the comic. Short stories spanning multiple strips. These are built to be - for the most part - standalone stories with a few calling back to older strips. If you REALLY need it to get something, there's usually a little callback note from the Management to help. = )
One-Shots - Like the name implies, these are single serving comics - Quickie gags, "Ask" comics and/or things that don't really need a bunch of strips for it to work. In the old days, these would the "Sunday Strips" in a newspaper.
Off-Sides - These are generally single image items to fill in when I either don't have a strip to post, have new things to shout out or I want/need to take a break. Not always filler but I'm definitely taking a penalty if I'm posting them too often. = P

Meet the Cast

Over the years, the cast built out from just Biff, Rosa, Vida and Fred and their daily lives in Willimantic to a cadre of critterfolk, cryptids and other strange people. Many of the regulars are listed on the side.

Have a question for any of them? Feel free to send it in using the 'Ask a Vampire' link. Who knows? Maybe your question will get answered in the Strip! = )

- Biff Strigoi Morti -

Date of Birth: 05-27
Age: Unknown*
Birthplace: Wallachia, Romania
Species: Vampire
Eyes: Red
Hair: Grey
First Appearance: 02/27/06 - Presenting...

Date of Birth: 05-27
Age: Unknown*
Birthplace: Wallachia, Romania
Species: Vampire
Eyes: Red
Hair: Grey
First Appearance: 02/27/06 - Presenting...

Biff Strigoi Morti - a natural born Vampire - comes from a storied line of Vampires. During his youth, his parents made a move that changed their lives forever. They embraced the humans in his hometown of Curtea de Arges; showing that they don't need to fear or at odds with their non-human neighbors. Many of Biff's closest friends during those years were humans.

Seeing the advantages for both humans and vampires, Biff's father - Nicolae - along with the heads of other Vampire families formed the Legions of Undead for Societal Respect (LUSR). Biff and his mother, Aurora, joined as working members later on. He helped around his father's organization, often doing field work and - at one point - becoming the voice of many a LUSR educational film.

Biff claims his biggest moment was being one of the first non-humans to attend a human public high school. No one knows how true that is as he's never mentioned exactly When his time at school was. What is known is he languished for years after High School. In an effort to find something to do, he returned to doing field work again.

It's here we find him - a traveling agent for the Legions - and his new assignment as the resident LUSR contact for the New England area of the United States.

*Age redacted by request.

Suggested Strips and Story Bits:

- Rosa de Santos -

Date of Birth: 10.31
Age: 25
Birthplace: Willimantic, Connecticut, USA
Species: Human
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Purple (Naturally Dark Brown)
First Appearance: 04/03/06 - Rude Awakening

Date of Birth: 10.31
Age: 25
Birthplace: Willimantic, Connecticut, USA
Species: Human
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Purple (Naturally Dark Brown)
First Appearance: 04/03/06 - Rude Awakening

Rosa de Santos was born and raised in the town of Willimantic, CT. She comes from a small Puerto Rican family. Her only sibling is her younger sister Vida and that fact has colored her entire life in a weird light. After Vida's incident and recovery, Rosa stuck by her side like glue. She even went so far as sporting her now trademark chocker to show solidarity with Vida and her own need for a collar.

As she grew up, her family would put more stress on her. She was both Vida's defender and to be perfect daughter. It was then that she spent time studying housing trends in the area. After High School, she got a job at the local mall - saving enough to purchase a large Victorian house for next to nothing.

She promptly moved out and into her big new home.

To cover taxes and the other expenses of living in an old house, she took on tenants and temporary roommates. This brought in enough to keep things in check. Despite this, she continues to work at 'Goth Issues' - a local catch-all "Alternative" shop - with her sister and her long time boss, Fred.

Her latest tenant is Biff - a funny looking man from Eastern Europe. What was thought to be yet another short term resident has become a longer term stay; bringing with him a level of weirdness she had left behind (and kinda' missed) all those years ago.

Suggested Strips and Story Bits:

- Vida de Santos -

Date of Birth: 04-27
Age: 20
Birthplace: Willimantic, Connecticut, USA
Species: Cat Girl (Formerly Human)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Light Brown
First Appearance: 02/12/08 - Who's that Girl?

Date of Birth: 04-27
Age: 20
Birthplace: Willimantic, Connecticut, USA
Species: Cat Girl (Formerly Human)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Light Brown
First Appearance: 02/12/08 - Who's that Girl?

Vida de Santos is the younger sister of Rosa and the baby of the de Santos family. She a bubbly, energetic person with a bit of a backstory thanks to an event that happened to her in her past.

At the age of three, Vida was bitten by the family cat. A common enough thing that her parents didn't think anything of. Unfortunately, their cat had been exposed to some contaminated catnip. Vida fell ill and was soon hospitalized. No one beyond her parents know exactly why or what happened to her. What she and Rosa remember is that she was placed in quarantine for a month. It was when she came home that things changed.

Vida came home a Cat Girl.

This isn't a normal thing to happen to people. Vida grew up in an unwanted spotlight. There were doctors visits and reporters looking for a scoop. There were changes that were made around the house and to the de Santos' daily life to accommodate their daughter's condition. The longest lasting thing was Vida having to wear a flea collar.

Through it all, Rosa had her back. She took to wearing a chocker all the time so Vida didn't feel too awkward in her collar and was always there to help fend off the curious and malicious.

Vida looked up to Rosa, even applying for a job at 'Goth Issues' so they could still hang out despite Rosa's having moved out (much to the chagrin of their boss, Fred). When her time to leave came, Rosa moved her little sister in.

Suggested Strips and Story Bits:

- Fred Simons -

Date of Birth: 07-10
Age: 45
Birthplace: Kokomo, Indiana, USA
Species: Human
Eyes: Green
Hair: Brown
First Appearance: 09/23/07 - The Interview Pt.2

Date of Birth: 07-10
Age: 45
Birthplace: Kokomo, Indiana, USA
Species: Human
Eyes: Green
Hair: Brown
First Appearance: 09/23/07 - The Interview Pt.2

Fred Simons spent his youth in Kokomo in his parent's garage. He's a tinkerer - always taking things apart and putting them back together again. Often in different and sometimes even better ways than he found them.

It was this insatiable curiosity - fueled by a heavy dose of Science Fiction and comics - that led Fred to attempt to make something out of his hobby. He may not have been the greatest electrician or mechanic... but he tried.

His interests landed him a job with a young start-up called 'Goth Issues' - a catch-all underground culture shop. The strange atmosphere, odd clientele and nice paychecks allowed him to keep up his tinkering.

After years of loyal service in his hometown, Fred moved to Connecticut to open up a 'Goth Issues' of his own. In this new location, he's managed to collect quite the strange crew. Through Biff and the access his contacts brings, Fred has stepped up his tinkering game from odd little toys to the full on "Mad Science" stuff of his dreams.

To Fred; Biff, Rosa and Vida have become his friends, his employees, his weird found family...

And sometimes his unknowing test subjects.

Suggested Strips and Story Bits:

- Amy Permano -

Date of Birth: Unknown
Age: N/A
Birthplace: Unknown
Species: Slime (Sentient Non-Newtonian Fluid)
Eyes: N/A (Eye-like constructs are the same green color as body)
Hair: N/A (Seems to be a darker pattern made to simulate a hair style)
First Appearance: 03/24/13 - Special Service

Little is known about Amy Permano, even by the Legions. The file states that she is female presenting although she is technically genderless. Things mentioned about her past are hard to corroborate as she has only recently become confident enough to be seen by the general public.

For years, Amy has worked at the Vernon, Connecticut location of Alton's Diner - a chain of diner-style restaurants - during their overnight hours. The owners are friendly with LUSR members and their location both employs and serves a mix of humans and monsterfolk during the Graveyard Shift. At those times, Amy could easily serve both monsterfolk and monster friendly (or easily manipulated) Humans without any worries of possibly negative interactions.

It was during one such shift that she met Fred.

Quickly smitten, her first impression was... less than fantastic. Despite an evening full of missteps, she found the courage to give Fred her number and hoped for the best. Her hope paid off in ways she could never have imagined. Thanks to Fred's experimentations, she gained the ability to become solid enough to hold a properly humanoid shape. It was then that she knew they would be more than friends.

Suggested Strips and Story Bits:

- Vincent Vulpes -

Date of Birth: 02-10
Age: 20
Birthplace: Bronx, New York, USA
Species: Werefox (formerly Human)
Eyes: Dark Brown
Hair: Brown
First Appearance: 01/27/09 - This is Thriller

Vincent Vulpes is a third generation Italian-American whose family runs a deli in the Bronx. On a trip to visit family in Sicily when he was a teen, the local muscle tried to lean on his relatives. Vincent, along with other members of his family, chased them through the countryside.

And that's when it happened...

Vincent tripped and fell, disturbing a fox den. He was attacked by the foxes inside and barely survived. When Vincent awoke in the hospital, he found he had been cursed. Doomed to walk the Earth as a Werefox!*

Vincent met Biff at the New York branch of LUSR on one of his check-ins and the two became fast friends. With Biff's assignment to Willimantic, Vincent decided to move there and attend Eastern CT State University - the main college in town. It was there Vincent crossed paths with Red, a fellow werecritter and current girlfriend.

Despite his current condition, Vincent is a good guy. A bit of a jokester who is more than willing to transform into his Werefox form for literally any reason. He's fiercely loyal and willing to help no matter what. He wants to live well and wants everyone to be happy.

And also sometimes be a fox person.

*There are questions as to the validity of this account. Only Biff knows for sure but he's not talking.

Suggested Strips and Story Bits:

- Rebecca "Red" Talbot -

Date of Birth: 03-15
Age: 21
Birthplace: Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
Species: Werewolf
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blonde
First Appearance: 01/27/09 - This is Thriller

Rebecca Talbot was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Despite her status as a natural-born Werewolf, it wasn't until an incident at ECSU involving a known Werefox that she was entered into the LUSR database.

During a date with her current boyfriend, Vincent, she wolfed out under the influence of a full moon. Thankfully, it was Vincent (with help from Biff) that talked to a distressed Red and helped her during her situation.

Although this wasn't the first time she transformed, it became clear that it's not something she likes about herself. Like other werecritters, she sees her "Condition" as a Curse - something to hide from the public - which becomes a little harder for her as there is an increase in her size in her wolf form.

Vincent understands this. He tries his best to both attempt to get Red more comfortable with her inner wolf (even through the fox in him still gets a little jumpy at Red's larger size) as well as to understand her feelings about her condition and her reluctance to join in when he shifts into something fluffier.

Red is slowly opening up to her dual nature but, for now, choses to keep that part of her secret.

Suggested Strips and Story Bits:

- Veritas James "VJ" Tofts -

Date of Birth: 11-10
Age: 19
Birthplace: New Salem, North Dakota, USA
Species: Human
Eyes: Green
Hair: Brown
First Appearance: 10/02/11 - Fashion Forward

Although Veritas James Tofts - known as James (VJ to his friends) - was born in the small town of New Salem, his family moved to the city of Fargo shortly after.

From a young age, James had an interest in all things animation with a particular fondness for funny animal characters. It was in high school that he found like-minded people online. With his love of rabbit characters and cosplay, it wasn't long before James found himself in with the Furry Fandom.

It was in the chatrooms that James created his rabbit fursona. Named "Veritas" (his rarely used first name), James would use his costuming and light electronics skills to help bring his bunny self to life. His other loves - history and urban legends - lead him to modern stories of a "Real Life Catgirl" cryptid that lived in Connecticut. That was all it took for him to apply to UConn.

It wasn't long after he arrived that he actually met that Catgirl working at the local mall.

She was a girl named Vida.

Despite James' initial reasons for seeking her out, he found a dear friend and more in Vida. It was through her that he has been introduced to a strange new world. One where the things he thought fictional were Fact.

James knows that, no matter how weird things get, he has Vida's bubbly self by his side to guide him through it.

Suggested Strips and Story Bits:

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