Blade Profile

Real Name:

Eric Brooks

Location:

Worldwide

First Appearance:

Tomb of Dracula #10 (1973)

Created By:

Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan

Powers:

At first Blade had only minor powers; he could sense other supernatural beings, his lifespan was longer than normal humans, he was immune to being turned into a vampire from their bite, and was also sensitive to light. He trained himself to become a top athlete and is a master with bladed weapons. Blade is also well versed in hand to hand combat.

After the first Blade motion picture, starring Wesley Snipes, attempts were made to make the comic book character more like now popular movie character. This was done by having Blade being bitten by Morbius, a genetically altered human with vampire-like abilities. After the bite, Blade’s own bio-chemistry reacted with Morbius’ bite to truly turn Blade into a Daywalker. A being with all the strengths, but none of the weaknesses of a vampire.

Blade now has superhuman strength, agility, and stamina. He still retains his former abilities to sense other supernatural beings and is still immune to becoming a true vampire. He also has an enhanced healing ability.

Team Affiliations:

Nightstalkers, Midnight Sons, the Nine.

Currently Seen In:

Blade

Interesting Fact:

In an interview with artist Gene Colan, Gene states that the character was based on, "A composite of black actors. (ex-NFL running back) Jim Brown was one of them."

Main Villains:

Dracula, Deacon Frost, Vampires

Origin:

Blade’s past could be considered checkered at best. He was born in a brothel, and when his mother was having complications at birth, a doctor was called in. Unknown to his employers, the doctor was Deacon Frost, a vampire. Instead of helping Blade’s mother, he feasted upon her. Something in the vampire’s system infected the baby, changing him. Deacon Frost would have killed the baby as well, but was driven off by the other brothel members.

The brothel members raised the child, named Eric, and he knew about his grisly origin, but not about what he could do about it. This all changed when Blade came upon some thugs attacking a man. Blade helped to drive off the thugs, who turned out to be vampires. The man he saved was Jamal Afari, a musician and vampire hunter himself. Afari stayed on with Blade and trained him on defend himself and through Afari became a master of bladed weapons.

Blade lost his way for a short time becoming a member of the street gang, The Bloodshadows. He fought the leader of the gang, who was a vampire, and in the process lost his love, Glory. This lesson further brought forth his hatred of vampires and hardened Blade to pursue the path of vampire hunter.

It would be shortly later that Blade would face his greatest foe, Dracula, who had turned his old teacher Afari into a vampire.. Blade actually slew the master vampire on many occasions, but somehow Dracula would always revive. In one battle, Dracula ripped into Blade’s throat and left him to turn into a vampire. Blade’s healing factor kicked in and he survived, now armed with the knowledge that he was immune to being turned into a vampire.

He later teamed up with another vampire, Hannibal King, a private detective that had been turned into a vampire by Deacon Frost. The two grudgingly worked together to track down their common enemy. They uncovered a plot in where Deacon Frost was creating doppelgangers, even of Blade himself. The two stopped the plot, and Deacon Frost was destroyed in an explosion. Blade’s mother was avenged.

Later, Blade, with Spider-Man worked to track down and capture Morbius, a genetically altered being with vampire like attributes. Morbius was under the control of another vampire, called the Hunger. During this confrontation, Morbius bit Blade, and the unique makeup of Morbius’ bite interacted with Blade’s already unique chemistry, fully transforming him into a Daywalker. He had the strengths of a vampire, but none of its weaknesses. He is stronger, faster and more deadly then ever as a Dhampir, half-vampire, half-man. Blade continues to fight the supernatural darkness as a vampire hunter and champion of humanity.