Blade Appreciation 2018

[Hypestyle]

Bring back Reggie Hudlin to write this and get him a consistent, cool artist.

[chamber-music]

Most of Blade's solo titles have not been very good.

I too would like a pure horror or supernatural Blade or Midnight Sons book like the stuff from the nineties. Sadly it doesn't seem like Marvel has much interest in that stuff and if they did they would probably shove a bunch of other non-supernatural heroes into the team.

I'm black and I have no problem with a white creative team writing a Blade book. Unless a black superhero book is going to specifically be about addressing black issues or culture then I don't think it is a necessity that the creative team of the book be black.

Sure it would be great to give a black woman or man the chance to write a Blade book but if there is a non-black writer with some good ideas for a title then I don't think it should be that big an issue. I don't see anyone complaining about Brian Michael Bendis writing Riri Williams (Iron Heart) or Miles Morales (Ultimate Spider-Man) books.

[JediKage]

I see plenty complain. Still I want a horror story so someone with a background in that.

[Tracks]

I just base that on SIX volumes of a solo series... spread over 20 years... and not one of them has beaten 12 issues. I really enjoyed the first three volumes, only to have cancel on cliffhangers. Soooo yeah, I've pretty much abandoned hope on a longlasting solo title for him.

It seems that between the writers and the editor's, these creative teams only have ONE good blade story in them each and then they run out of steam.

As for 'pure Horror'... That's REALLY tough to do with Blade. Ever since Nightstalkers and arguably even in Tomb of Dracula... Blade has pushed for being the Baddest dude in any room whatsoever... Original Blade could get away with being the underdog and still kicking tail... But anything post Snipes?? All their strengths, none of their weaknesses?

Horror requires you to be the underdog. He NEEDs Vampires to have more powers, More Strength, more speed... To have them about to rip his throat out at the end of any given cliffhanger only to come back with superior tactics and skill to squeak out a victory. I just don't see any real 'Horror' working with the Blade we have now.

its not like those failed because people didnt like vampires or any of that, they failed because they were just bad books with no direction.

His first title was probably his best, I think that was cancelled due to marvel facing budget issues. The Marvel Max was alright, but also completely separate from all the comics, as was the series immediately following it.

Like when you begin talking about peoples' favorite Blade stories, none of them are from his solo runs in no small part because they were pretty mediocre.

Part of the issue seems to be Marvel still trying to make him work in a superhero context, which really shouldn't be done.

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

BLADE #1-12 | Marc Guggenheim & Howard Chaykin
http://www.comicsreporter.com/index....oward_chaykin/

[phantom1592]

I'm black and I have no problem with a white creative team writing a Blade book. Unless a black superhero book is going to specifically be about addressing black issues or culture then I don't think it is a necessity that the creative team of the book be black.

See, I don't think Blade works well as a 'Black hero' He's just a hero... well, vigilante?? He has never struck me as the type of character that gets tied down or labled by his race. He isn't a great character to address black issues or culture...

He's always been about the 'bigger' picture. It's never a case of black or white or Asian... it's monster vs. humans. All Humans are Humans and need saving.... all monsters are monsters and need killing. Luke Cage was always set in Harlem as black businessman fighting the fat cats keeping people down... Blade?? He's a monster hunter. Vampires eat all the humans, not just specific ones. If the book was canceled because they didn't think that a white guy could write a compelling story about 'A man' or 'a woman' killing monsters... Then that just makes me sad. Race shouldn't even be a factor with Blade.

[kurenai24]

Did y'all see what Kate Beckinsale said about Blade, it's on ComicBook.com, gist is that Marvel is doing something with Blade ...supposedly.

[BlackClaw]

I hope they reveal what it is soon.

[Jabare]

Did y'all see what Kate Beckinsale said about Blade, it's on ComicBook.com, gist is that Marvel is doing something with Blade ...supposedly.

thats more than the gist that's all she said and it's very vague. I'll wait till I get some actual news or an official release before I allow myself to get too optimistic

[kurenai24]

thats more than the gist that's all she said and it's very vague. I'll wait till I get some actual news or an official release before I allow myself to get too optimistic

I said gist, b/c in the context of what she was saying and what she was asked it seemed more film related than comic related, but with how vague it is, I just mentioned her statement with no context. In any case, I hope it means something.

[Agent Z]

Odd. Why would Beckinsale have any knowledge on what Marvel is or isn't doing with Blade?

[phantom1592]

Odd. Why would Beckinsale have any knowledge on what Marvel is or isn't doing with Blade?

Blade/Underworld crossover?

[Jabare]

a fan asked her about a Blade underworld crossover and she said no Marvel's got plans for him leading some people to believe they talked to Marvel about this and marvel said no because they have something else in mind. Not much to go on

[Smoov-E]

See, I don't think Blade works well as a 'Black hero' He's just a hero... well, vigilante?? He has never struck me as the type of character that gets tied down or labled by his race. He isn't a great character to address black issues or culture...

He's always been about the 'bigger' picture. It's never a case of black or white or Asian... it's monster vs. humans. All Humans are Humans and need saving.... all monsters are monsters and need killing. Luke Cage was always set in Harlem as black businessman fighting the fat cats keeping people down... Blade?? He's a monster hunter. Vampires eat all the humans, not just specific ones. If the book was canceled because they didn't think that a white guy could write a compelling story about 'A man' or 'a woman' killing monsters... Then that just makes me sad. Race shouldn't even be a factor with Blade.

Actually Blade can be used to address issues of black culture, just off the top of my head thinking about how in pop culture elder vampires are viewed as coming from a European Old World which means they're pasty white guys with a accent who would feel some way about people of color that isn't positive and would still have that stance so a black guy who is half vampire and for a long time has been effectively stamping them out again would bring that to the forefront.

When during Hudlin's Black Panther run he had Black Panther/Blade/Cage/Brother Voodoo team up to fight redneck vampires and you had folks say
A) These characters would never team up together because there's no logical reason for why
and or
B) This is racist because they're fighting redneck vampires and why do they gotta be rednecks cause vampires can't be rednecks( pre True Blood )

I'm not saying that should be Blade's make up 100% but Blade is a black comic character and that can't get swept under the rug since again in all horror and supernatural fiction it's rare to star a person of color and rare said person lives to the ending( double rare if it's written by a person of color )

[Jabare]

There is a great article from years ago that highlighting the points Smoov-E brought up.

Man I can't find it but I will keep looking. But essentially talking about in fiction Vampires are generally from the European diaspora, and Blade was really the first mainstream introduction into that and he killed the vampires with his blackness.


I need to find that article or video again it was really good.