Blade #1
Well, Marvel is trying once again to capitalize on a character that is a media icon. After the moderately successful movies and Spike TV series, this Blade comic feels not only inevitable, but late as well (why release it AFTER the series is over?).
And as with any other hot Marvel property, there is an attempt to make it more "user friendly" by melding the comic universe character with the TV or film version (we had a Betsy Ross who got plastic surgery and looked a lot like Jennifer Connley, a Spider-man with Organic Web Shooters and X-Men with Black Leather Outfits). In the comics universe, Blade wasn't half-vampire (just immune to vampire bites) and didn't have any bloodthirst or special powers (at least not until the 90s when he got bit by Morbius and gained some powers). This series, which is explicitly set in the current Marvel Universe, decides to ignore all that and go the route of the TV series: Blade was born half-vampire, thirsts for blood and had a parental figure feed him blood as a child to sate his thirst.
I liked Blade the TV series: it wasn't great, but it was entertaining. However, I also like Blade the comic character for entirely different reasons: And now we have something neither fish nor fowl. It gets rid of the comic Blade's uniqueness, yet still keeps him distinct enough from other versions to cause confusion for the newbie and the seasoned comic fan.
Well, I'll give the series a few more issues. This first issue moves a nice quick pace and ended on an interesting note. Only time will tell if these retcons stick or get explained away.
And as with any other hot Marvel property, there is an attempt to make it more "user friendly" by melding the comic universe character with the TV or film version (we had a Betsy Ross who got plastic surgery and looked a lot like Jennifer Connley, a Spider-man with Organic Web Shooters and X-Men with Black Leather Outfits). In the comics universe, Blade wasn't half-vampire (just immune to vampire bites) and didn't have any bloodthirst or special powers (at least not until the 90s when he got bit by Morbius and gained some powers). This series, which is explicitly set in the current Marvel Universe, decides to ignore all that and go the route of the TV series: Blade was born half-vampire, thirsts for blood and had a parental figure feed him blood as a child to sate his thirst.
I liked Blade the TV series: it wasn't great, but it was entertaining. However, I also like Blade the comic character for entirely different reasons: And now we have something neither fish nor fowl. It gets rid of the comic Blade's uniqueness, yet still keeps him distinct enough from other versions to cause confusion for the newbie and the seasoned comic fan.
Well, I'll give the series a few more issues. This first issue moves a nice quick pace and ended on an interesting note. Only time will tell if these retcons stick or get explained away.
posted by John Phelan at
2:08 PM
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