Blade goes full vampire as his co-creator returns "one last time"

What If...? Dark: Tomb of Dracula #1 cover art by Giuseppe Camuncoli

(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

Blade's co-creator, writer Marv Wolfman, is returning to the fan-favorite Daywalker for a new story as part of the What If…? Dark series of one-shots. And in the story, he's taking Blade from vampire killer to full-on vampire himself.

What If...? Dark follows the formula of the classic What If…? concept of showing alt-versions of Marvel heroes and villains, but, as the title implies, with tragic, violent, and sometimes horrific twists.

"Horrific" is, of course, where Blade comes in. Created by Wolfman and artist Gene Colan in 1972's Tomb of Dracula #10, Blade is a half-vampire whose mother was bitten while she was pregnant. As a result, Blade has most of a vampire's strengths, with few of their weaknesses - notably, he's able to walk in daylight without harm.

In What If…? Dark: Tomb of Dracula, Wolfman and artists David Cutler and Scott Hanna will show what would have happened if Blade was fully turned by Dracula, turning the classic Marvel Horror hero into a full-on bloodsucker himself.

"In 1972 I was a fledgling comics writer who mostly wrote short 2 to 8 page 'monster' stories when Editor Roy Thomas asked if I’d like to write Tomb of Dracula, my very first series for Marvel, and the book that would jump-start my career," Wolfman recalls in the announcement.

"So it is a real thrill now that 50-plus years later Marvel asked me to once again dive into that pool with this very special What If…? story, and to bring back that great cast of characters that artist Gene Colan and I created so many years ago. Thank you, Marvel, for giving me the chance to play with old friends one last time," he concludes.

What If…? Dark: Tomb of Dracula #1 goes on sale November 8 with a cover by Giuseppe Camuncoli, seen above.

Blade is one of the best supernatural superheroes of all time.

I've been Newsarama's resident Marvel Comics expert and general comic book historian since 2011. I've also been the on-site reporter at most major comic conventions such as Comic-Con International: San Diego, New York Comic Con, and C2E2. Outside of comic journalism, I am the artist of many weird pictures, and the guitarist of many heavy riffs. (They/Them)