Character Name: BLADE THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

First Appearance: Tomb Of Dracula No. 10

       Blade has perhaps the most bizarre origin of all of the vampire hunters in TOD.   During his labor, Blade's mother was undergoing complications and her friends summoned a doctor of dubious background.  The doctor turned out to be the white-haired vampire known as Deacon Frost.  He feasted on Blade's mother right before Blade's birth which resulted in Blade being immune to vampire bites.  As a result of Frost's attack, Blade's mother died but not before she gave birth to Blade.  Blade was raised by his mother's work associates until he was 9 years old.  At age 9, Blade helped save the life of vampire hunter Jamal Afari, a musician who took Blade in and raised him as his son.  Afari trained Blade as a vampire hunter as well as a trumpet player until Dracula turned Afari.  Blade was forced to kill Afari and swore revenge on Dracula.

      As a result of the deaths of his mother and foster father, Blade traveled the world to revenge himself against Dracula and Deacon Frost.     Blade traveled the world , his path crossing with many other vampires, including Dracula, including one incident in which Blade and four of his friends lured Dracula into a deathtrap.  Unfortunately, some of Dracula's minions soon revived Dracula and the vampire lord murdered most of Blade's vampire hunting friends.

     Over time, Blade met up with Quincy Harker and his band of vampire hunters.  At first their relationship was troubled at best, as Blade felt that Harker and his band were somewhat soft.  Nonetheless, Blade found himself allied with Harker at times as his search for Deacon Frost often was sidetracked by his battles with Dracula.

     After the death of Quincy Harker's daughter Edith at the hands of Dracula (TOD #13) , Blade helped Harker hunt down Dracula and succeeded in killing the vampire lord (TOD #14).  Unfortunately, Dracula's minions rescued his corpse and the vampire lord was eventually revived (TOD #15).

    Blade's search for Deacon Frost led to Blade teaming up with the vampire detective Hannibal King.  King was a former detective who had been turned into a vampire by Deacon Frost and he too had a vendetta against Frost.  Blade very reluctantly teamed with King, and at times, it seemed as if Blade might try to kill King.  However, their partnership grew stronger as the hunt continued and over time, Blade began to respect King, especially after King saved Blade from becoming one of Deacon Frost's magically created vampires.  Eventually, the two finally found Frost and confronted him.  Frost died in an explosion during the confrontation and Blade could finally rest, knowing that his mother had been avenged.  After Frost's death, Blade and King went their separate ways, but they parted as friends.

      After his battle with Frost, Blade's future seemed uncertain, his entire life had been devoted to killing Frost, now what would he do? As he pondered his future, Blade occassionly teamed with Harker and his band and from time to time, found himself embroiled in battles with vampires besides Dracula.

   Blade was probably the most dangerous threat to Dracula with the possible exception of Quincy Harker.  He possessed a fierce fighting style which helped compensate for Dracula's tremendous strength. and was highly skilled with his wooden knives.   

SPECIAL ABILITIES/SKILLS: Blade was a fierce fighter and especially proficient with the wooden knives he used to kill vampires.  He also possessed an immunity to vampire bites thanks to the nature of his birth.  Blade is also a skilled trumpet player and for a time , he made a living as a musician.  Blade of course was the coolest vampire hunter in TOD with the possible exception of Hannibal King.

NOTES:  Blade added a new dimension to the vampire hunters in TOD.  His street-wise nature was a marked contrast to the more upscale Quincy Harker and Rachel Van Helsing.  Blade seemed like the John Shaft of vampire hunters but Marv Wolfman soon developed Blade into his own character.  In later Marvel Comics, Blade was seen teamed up with Hannibal King in their own detective agency.