One of Marvel Comics’ most prominent horror characters is getting another chance to shine in the spotlight. Fortunately, this vampire can handle the sunlight just fine. As reported by the good folks at Polygon, Marvel is launching Blade this summer, a brand new ongoing series centered on the Daywalker himself. The series will be penned by Bryan Hill (Killmonger), with Elena Casagrande (Black Widow) handling the artwork.
Despite the fact that Blade is a pretty popular character in the Marvel Comics canon, in no small part thanks to the trilogy of films starring Wesley Snipes that kicked off in 1998, he has had very few ongoing solo books over the years. The good news is, that with a movie reboot on the way next year starring Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali, it seems the publisher has some motivation to put some focus on him in the lead up to the release. As for what he will be up to in this new adventure? The synopsis for the book reads as follows:
“Marvel’s slickest vampire hunter returns in a brand new ongoing by Bryan Hill (Killmonger) and Elena Casagrande (Black Widow)! True evil is patient. And a dark, ancient power has been simmering quietly for centuries…and when Blade himself is the one to unknowingly unleash it, Marvel’s entire supernatural underworld will come out of hiding to demand he handle it. Or pay a pound of flesh for his mistakes. Bloodbaths, blackmail and Blade – you won’t want to miss the explosive first issue of this new volume!”
Alongside the announcement, Marvel released some initial cover art for the debut issue of the series, which we’ve included for you to check out below. The vampire-fighting hero originally debuted in the pages of Tomb of Dracula #10 back in 1973. His appearances were a bit sporadic beyond that, but when Blade hit theaters in 1998, the character took center stage in a big way. It gave Marvel their first big screen hit and, in many ways, paved the way for the superhero movie boom we’ve been experiencing for the past two decades and change. Hill had this to say about the new book:
“Blade is a treasured character for me. Here, we have an opportunity to explore his history, reveal new aspects of his world and create a story that’s brutal, sexy, and bold as it travels into the world of monsters and magic.”
Blade #1 hits shelves in July.
