Blade's Vampire Hunters

Lore & Background

The history of Blade's crusade begins in 1967 when a pregnant woman was attacked by a vampire, leading to her death and the birth of Eric Brooks. Thirty years later, he has become a seasoned hunter known for raiding vampire strongholds, such as the rave club owned by Deacon Frost. His methodology relies heavily on collaboration with Abraham Whistler, an old friend and weaponsmith who developed tools based on vampire weaknesses like sunlight, silver, and garlic. The lore also highlights the internal conflict within the vampire community; Frost, a leader of younger vampires, was socially inferior to pure-blood elders until he orchestrated a coup at the Temple of Eternal Night. This rebellion aimed to awaken La Magra, a blood god requiring twelve pure-bloods and Blade's blood as a key. The narrative underscores the biological nature of vampirism in this universe, treating it as a disease that can potentially be cured through vaccines like the one synthesized by hematologist Karen Jenson.

In Their Own Story

The conflict escalated when Frost killed Krieger for failing to secure information about an ancient vampire archive and subsequently stripped Elder Dragonetti of his fangs before torching him alive. Blade tracked Krieger down to learn of Frost's ritual plans, which involved awakening La Magra using twelve pure-bloods. At the hideout, Blade injected himself with a serum that was losing effectiveness due to overuse, while Karen Jenson discovered that EDTA could explode when combined with vampire blood, leading her to synthesize a vaccine for infected humans. When Frost attacked the safehouse, he bit Whistler and abducted Karen. In a tragic turn, Blade helped the mortally wounded Whistler commit suicide before storming Frost's penthouse. There, he discovered his mother, Vanessa Brooks, still alive after being turned by Frost. Subdued and taken to the Temple of Eternal Night, Blade was drained of blood until Karen allowed him to drink hers to recover. Confronting Frost at the climax, Blade realized the god-like entity was physically vulnerable. He administered an overdose of EDTA, triggering a reaction that caused Frost to transform into a grotesque blob before exploding.

Reader's Guide

The primary objective for those joining this crusade is to target vampire covens and prevent rituals like the one intended to summon La Magra. Success depends on understanding the specific weaknesses of vampires: sunlight, silver, garlic, and UV light. The guide emphasizes the importance of medical support; as seen with Karen Jenson, a hematologist can synthesize vaccines for infected humans using anticoagulants like EDTA, though these cures do not work on hybrids like Blade. For survival, hunters must secure mobile safehouses and maintain a supply of specialized weaponry crafted by mentors like Whistler. The hierarchy of vampires should be respected or exploited; in this conflict, Frost's faction overthrew the elder council by eliminating them physically. Finally, vigilance is constant; even trusted allies can become threats if turned, as demonstrated when Dr. Curtis Webb transformed into a decomposing zombie-like creature after a failed transformation process.

Did You Know?

• Blade was born in 1967 after his mother was attacked by a vampire, leading to her death during premature labor.
• The film Blade was released on August 21, 1998, grossing $131 million on a $45 million budget.
• In the comics, Blade was originally not a 'Daywalker' but a human immune to being turned until he was bitten by Morbius in 1999.
• Abraham Whistler was originally supposed to be played by Patrick McGoohan, who was chosen because director Stephen Norrington was a fan of The Prisoner (1967).
• Wesley Snipes reprised his role as Blade in the 2024 film Deadpool & Wolverine.