Many of us would like to stay looking young but would we really want to live forever given the choice?

The subject of Immortality is fascinating and it has inspired many legends, books and films throughout the ages. The Immortal characters depicted in these works often differ from each other with some visualised as evil and others as good or saintly.

There are old legends to choose from and new characters to read about with some people thinking that there might be some truth to the myths and legends of these Immortal beings.

We detail 10 Famous Immortals from history.

1. Count Dracula

The Vampire Count Dracula was first realised by the Irish author Bram Stoker in his novel ‘Dracula’ written in 1897. The book has inspired a large number of films and productions depicting this blood thirsty villain. The subject of Vampires is still popular with the masses today and the fascination with this immortal will probably live forever, just like Dracula.

2. Peter Pan

Peter Pan was created by the Scottish novelist and playwright J.M Barrie. The character first appeared in the 1902 novel The Little White Bird. This book was aimed at adult readers but later inspired the stage play; Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up. In 1911 the novel Peter and Wendy was a hit with children and it inspired the Peter Pan films and stories that we recognise today. It is a sad fact that the Peter Pan character was based on J. M. Barrie’s older brother who died in an ice-skating accident the day before he turned 14, he is reported to have remained a young boy in his mother’s mind.

3. Captain Scarlet

Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons was a British 1960’s science fiction TV series. The main character of the show was the puppet Captain Scarlet. In the series he is known for being an agent and defector of the Mysterons; a Martian race with the ability to duplicate things and people that have been previously destroyed. He fights against the Mysterons but retains their ability to regenerate after death. This ability is named retro-metabolism in the series.

4. Jason Voorhees

Jason is the serial killer in the Friday the 13th series of twelve movies. He regenerates many times throughout these films surviving a lightning bolt, a blade to the head and being blown up. People speculate that Jason has a number of skills and abilities which help him to avert death. Some believe that he goes in to a type of deep sleep when injured to regenerate his damaged tissues. In one of the films he survives by possessing the bodies of other people and is later reborn through a dead relative.

5. Tithonus

In Greek mythology Tithonus was a Trojan and one of Esos’s lovers.

The story goes that Esos asked Zeus to make Tithonus immortal but she forgot to ask that he also receive eternal youth. Over the years Tithonus aged to the point where his body was broken and he was babbling incessantly.  Esos eventually laid him in a room and closed the shining doors.

6. Pinhead

Pinhead was popularized by the Hellraiser series of films. He is a demonic extradimensional being who is immortal. He is leader of the Cenobites a race of beings who travel to the earth to harvest human souls. There are elements of Dracula in Pinheads early stylings.  He is resistant to all forms of assault including gunshots and energy weapons.

7. The Wandering Jew

The wandering Jew is a character from Christian mythology with rumours of the tale first appearing in Europe during the 13th Century.

The legend details a Jewish man who was said to have taunted Jesus on his journey to crucifixion, urging him to walk faster. The specifics of this story vary but the thread remains the same. In response to the Jew Jesus is said to have condemned him to a life of immortality on the earth until his second coming.

8. Vandal Savage

Vandal is a comic book character appearing in publications by DC Comics. He achieved immortality when he was bathed in radiation from an unusual meteorite; the radiation also improved his intellect and gave immortality to his nemesis the ‘Immortal man’. Before the meteorite incident Vandal had been a caveman named Vandar Adg and was leader of the Cro-Magnon Blood Tribe.

9. Immortal man

Immortal man first appeared in the comic book ‘Strange Adventures’ no 177 in June 1965. His story begins in ancient times when he is ‘Klarn’, a caveman leader of the Bear Tribe. When he comes into contact with a meteorite in a fight against Vandal Savage (his nemesis) he is made immortal. He makes an amulet using a jewel from the space rock and this gives great strength and the ability to fly. In the comics immortal man has reincarnated several times as different warriors in his battle against Vandal Savage.

10. Hé Xiān GÃ…«

In the Chinese legend of the ‘Eight Immortals’ Hé Xiān GÃ…« is the only female. She was noted to have had six long hairs on the crown of her head at the time of her birth. When she became a teenager she experienced a dream where a divine entity appeared to her and told her to eat powdered Mica so that her body would be etherealized and immune from death. She did this and also vowed to remain a virgin for life. She eventually stopped eating regular food and the legend tells us that one day she ascended to the heavens, becoming a Hsien (Taoist Immortal).