Why Does Dracula Owe Moon Knight Money? The Meme Turned Canon By 'Marvel Rivals' Explained

The mid-season update to the hero shooter video game Marvel Rivals added a new map, Central Park, and those who have tried it already noticed several very peculiar voice lines said by Moon Knight when playing on this map.

"I know you're here, Dracula," "That blood-sucking nerd owes me big," and other lines hint that Dracula owes the caped vigilante some cash, but where do all of these references come from?

THERES NO SHOT THEY ACTUALLY DID IT pic.twitter.com/4g3Rrx1VUt

— ath3na (@ath3na89) February 22, 2025

While there's nothing on the subject to be found in the official Marvel Comics lore, there's a popular meme that provides a perfect explanation.

Here's the backstory behind the "I Know You're Here Dracula You Big Fucking Nerd" meme and how it came to be referenced in Rivals years later.

Where Does The Joke About Dracula Owing Moon Knight Money Come From?

While the joke about Dracula owing Moon Knight some money does not come from Marvel Comics, the panel that is used in the famous meme does.

The comic panel in which Moon Knight is walking down castle steps comes from issue three of Solo Avenges, released in February 1988.

In the original panel, Moon Knight is looking for The Shroud, as he heard from Jack Russel (also known as the Werewolf by Knight) that he could help him. No mention of Dracula or money here, though.

Now, a version of the panel that you likely saw has Moon Knight calling for Dracula, whom he refers to as a "big fucking nerd," to show himself and pay him the money he owes.

The meme originally came from a Facebook meme group called Moon Knight-Core and was posted there in October 2018.

How Did The Meme Get Popularized Online?

So the memes about Dracula owing money to Moon Knight do not come from Marvel Comics, but rather from a Facebook meme. How did it get so popular in the community?

The original edit got reposted a lot on Facebook and beyond after 2018, becoming almost as recognized as another famous edited Moon Knight panel, "Random Bullshit Go!!!"

Apart from dozens of reposts on Facebook and other platforms in recent years, the image inspired all sorts of memes, including redraws, recaptions and references, which over the years cemented it firmly into the Marvel fanon.

How Did 'Marvel Rivals' Reference The Joke About Dracula Owing Moon Knight Money?

Released in December 2024, Marvel Rivals has already referenced many comic book memes. For example, the notion that the ever-cheerful Squirrel Girl has defeated many major Marvel supervillains in the past, including Dr. Doom and Thanos.

In mid-February 2025, the game got a major update before the start of the second half of its first season, adding a new map called "Central Park" where the supervillain Dracula built his castle.

With Moon Knight being a playable character since the game's release, Marvel Rivals writers couldn't pass the opportunity to reference the famous meme, giving the caped hero several lines about Dracula and his outstanding debt.

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7474371044141305110

- Dracula's here? Good. That blood-sucking nerd owes me big.
- I know you're here, Dracula!
- Time for Dracula to pay up!

Moreover, if you watch the ending cutscene closely, to can see a spectral bill flying right into Moon Knight's hand. Looks like Moon Knight got his money back after all.

---

For the full history of I Know You're Here Dracula, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.