Credit: MarvelBefore the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) assembled to conquer Hollywood and pop culture, the first film to bring success, legitimacy and quality to the Marvel brand was 1998’s Blade. Marvel Studios was not even a glimmer in Disney’s eye when Blade came out. Even Marvel Comics was no longer a titan in comic book publishing as they filed for bankruptcy in 1996.
They would sell the film rights of their characters to whichever studio would buy them to stay afloat. Spider-Man went to Sony Pictures, X-Men would go to 20th Century and the lower-tier vampire hunter would go to WB’s New Line Cinema. The movie would go on to make a surprising $131 million worldwide and would spawn a trilogy. This feat revitalized the character so much that fans are still awaiting the MCU’s reimagining of Blade. Yet, until the strikes finish, Marvel has released an all-new Blade comic series to keep fans happy.
Blade is one of the most feared characters to monsters within the Marvel Universe. He made his first appearance in “Tomb of Dracula #10” as the slick, monster slayer named Eric Brooks. What separated this vampire hunter from others in literature was that he was half-human/half-vampire. His mother was attacked by a vampire while she was in labor with him. This tragedy transformed him into a being with all the super abilities of an undead monsters, but almost none of their weaknesses.
However, although he could walk in the daylight, he still craved blood. The curse of this condition reinforced his deep-seeded vengeance towards the blood-suckers responsible for his mother’s demise. Blade was been trained in various martial arts and has a near unmatched knowledge about all monsters and the arcane. Due to Blade movie fanbase, the character has maintained a notoriety within Marvel Comics, as well as the MCU. Since the new Blade movie, starring Mahershala Ali, has a stake in it due to the Writers and Actors strike, the latest comic run, Blade #1 , has delivered a daring new direction for the ‘Daywalker.’
The new Blade series has focused on the sword-wielding veteran whose mission to save a girl from being pursued by vampires, inadvertently has unlocked a dark and ancient power, known as the Adana. This monstrosity has opened a path for the supernatural underworld, where monsters have come to invade the land of the living. The only thing standing between humanity’s annihilation and the forces of darkness will be the fanged, trenchcoat-wearing warrior.
Blade #1 is available now on the Marvel Unlimited app or at any comic book supplier.