The MCU could be ditching the camp for mature horror if the recent Blade news is any indication. It should be enough to renew interest in the Daywalker and spark a sales spike for his key issues.

In many ways, we can credit Wesley Snipes with laying the foundation for what would become the MCU. Back in 1999, there was no talk of any shared cinematic universes. Besides Superman and Batman, Hollywood had no faith in superheroes being profitable. At that point, Marvel Comics had yet to see one of its characters successfully transfer to the silver screen.

When New Line Cinema optioned Blade for a movie, most fans braced for the worst. Instead of the usual low-budget campiness Marvel fans were accustomed to seeing, Blade succeeded as a mix of horror and martial arts. It proved to movie studios that the House of Ideas’ characters could be transferred to movie screens with great results. From there, Fox embarked on a huge run of X-Men films while Sony etched its name in comic book lore with Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy. 

Fast forward to the 2020s, and Blade fans had been skeptical of what Marvel was planning for the Daywalker. Most of its Phase Four projects had been underwhelming, and the action-comedy formula was growing stale. It led to worry that Blade would be watered down and lose the edge that made it a success in 1999. Fear not, for Mahershala Ali is here.

After he reportedly raised concerns about the story, Blade was overhauled. Now the latest news is that True Detective creator Nic Pizzolatto has officially joined the creative team. Considering his resume, this indicates that Blade is being given a healthy dose of maturity. 

While I don’t expect it will be rated R, this is potentially great news for Blade fans, and that excitement should roll over to the Daywalker’s key issues.

TOMB OF DRACULA #10

The first and foremost collecting priority is Tomb of Dracula #10. This Bronze Age holy grail has long been the measuring stick for all things Blade. With the latest news on his full MCU debut, TOD #10 should see a sales increase, but the prices aren’t likely to break any records.

Then again, the market as a whole has been down for the past year, which is excellent news for buyers. However, don’t mistake that for cheap prices. Graded at a 9.8, it still sells for over $30k. Even at a 0.5, get ready to shell out close to $500.

TOMB OF DRACULA #12

What do you do when you can’t afford the first appearance? Take aim at the second appearance, naturally. The bonus here is that Tomb of Dracula #12 also includes Safron Caulder’s debut. In the comics, she is Blade’s main squeeze and the mother of his daughter, Brielle, aka Bloodline.

There’s a fair chance that Safron and Brielle could appear in the MCU, which makes this a nice pickup for your Blade collections. This just so happens to be the perfect time to grab a copy. Take the 9.6 for example. Last year, it averaged nearly $1,400. So far this year, the lone sale netted $721. 

VAMPIRE TALES #8

Another issue to put on your shopping lists is Vampire Tales #8, a comic that featured Blade’s first solo story. These have become increasingly popular pickups due in large part to the massive price tags on those first appearances.

While the 9.8 TOD #10 will cost you over $30,000, you can grab a 9.8 Vampire Tales #8 for around $1k.

*Any perceived investment advice is that of that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.