Blade

Blade — real name Eric Brooks — is Marvel's legendary vampire hunter, a half-human, half-vampire hybrid known across the comic world as the Daywalker. Born under tragic circumstances when a vampire fed on his mother during childbirth, Eric inherited the strengths of the undead while retaining his humanity, making him uniquely positioned to wage a one-man war on the creatures of the night. His first appearance in Tomb of Dracula #10 (1973), written by Marv Wolfman with art by Gene Colan, is one of the most celebrated Bronze Age keys in collecting circles — a book that introduced a street-level, morally complex hero decades before the mainstream caught up to him.

Over the years, Blade has anchored some of Marvel's most atmospheric horror-driven storylines, clashing repeatedly with Dracula himself, teaming with the Nightstalkers, and standing at the center of the Midnight Sons initiative alongside Ghost Rider, Morbius, and Doctor Strange. His involvement in major events like the Vampires arc during Captain America's Avengers run and his tenure with MI:13 in the landmark Paul Cornell series demonstrated that Blade belongs not just in horror corners of the Marvel Universe, but at its highest levels. Collectors prize his solo series runs from the 1990s and 2000s, as well as his key team-up appearances across Nightstalkers, Morbius, and Midnight Sons titles.

Blade's alias list reads like a highlight reel of Marvel history — Switchblade, Ronin, even a brief stint as Spider-Hero — and his team affiliations span an extraordinary range, from S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers to the Dhampirs and Dracula Hunters. Few characters in Marvel's catalog carry that kind of cross-genre versatility, making back-issue hunting for Blade appearances a genuinely rewarding deep dive. His Strikeforce leadership role in the 2019 limited series added yet another chapter to an already sprawling legacy.

For collectors, Blade's book list represents the best of Marvel's horror golden age and beyond. Tomb of Dracula #10 remains the crown jewel — a legitimate Bronze Age key with sustained demand — while his solo series, team appearances, and crossover roles provide plenty of room to build a meaningful collection at various price points. With ongoing relevance in Marvel's publishing slate and a pop culture profile boosted by film and television adaptations, Blade's back-issue market shows no signs of cooling. Whether you're hunting that first appearance or completing a full Midnight Sons run, Blade is one of the most rewarding characters to collect in the entire Marvel library.