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1st appearance of Blade the Vampire Slayer; Gil Kane cover; Gene Colan art; COMIC BOOK IMPACT rating of 8 (CBI)


Tomb of Dracula #10 marks the first appearance of Blade, Vampire Hunter — only rivaled by Wolverine and the Punisher as one of the biggest debuts of the Bronze Age. Blade was also a major figure in integrating Marvel's A-list line-up, and helped to create the launch of big-screen superhero films with Wesley Snipes' big-screen trilogy. The character was an exciting new fixture in the vampire mythos, too, born with supernatural powers when his mother was attacked by a vampire while giving birth. Blade is immune to vampire bites, can walk in the sunlight, and ages at a much slower rate than mere mortals. He's also vengeful enough to be a proper anti-hero. The vampire slayer even suffered for his popularity, with Marv Wolfman writing Blade out of Tomb of Dracula before his creation could overshadow the titular villain. Blade still kept showing up steadily in both his own stories and as a popular guest star in superhero titles. That continuing appeal has kept fans fixated on Blade's current fate in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There's still anticipation for Mahershala Ali taking over the role in an upcoming film, but audiences also raved over seeing Snipes return as Blade in Deadpool & Wolverine.
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Artists Information

Eugene Jules Colan was an American comic book artist best known for his work for Marvel Comics, where his signature titles include the superhero series Daredevil, the cult-hit satiric series Howard the Duck, and The Tomb of Dracula, considered one of comics' classic horror series. He co-created the Falcon, the first African-American superhero in mainstream comics, Carol Danvers, who would become Ms. Marvel and Captain Marvel, and the supernatural vampire hunter Blade.

Jack Abel was an American comic book artist best known as an inker for leading publishers DC Comics and Marvel Comics. He was DC's primary inker on the Superman titles in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and inked penciler Herb Trimpe's introduction of the popular superhero Wolverine in The Incredible Hulk #181. He sometimes used the pseudonym Gary Michaels.

Tom Palmer is an award winning American artist best known for extensive work for Marvel Comics, including well-remembered runs paired with pencilers Neal Adams on The Avengers and Uncanny X-Men; Gene Colan, on titles such as Doctor Strange, Daredevil and Tomb of Dracula; and John Buscema, on The Avengers. He also inked the entire run of John Byrne’s X-Men: The Hidden Years, and has influenced later generations of inkers like Klaus Janson, Josef Rubinstein and Bob McLeod.