It has been a difficult year for Eric Brooks, the man called Blade. Brooks briefly fell prey to the first vampire, Varnae, becoming his host. Now free of his influence, the Daywalker is left wondering who he is and what the future holds for the world’s most infamous vampire hunter. Blade: Red Band #1 begins to answer these questions, while delivering some exciting action.
As the issue opens, we learn that the Daywalker is in hiding. Partly because he cannot stand to face the allies he nearly doomed during the Blood Hunt event. Partly because he needs time to heal his wounded spirit and consider his future.
Opportunity knocks in the form of the Spellguard, a group of balance-keeping cultists who want to put Blade to work. They inform him of a new group of vampires using dark magic to warp flesh and spirit alike. However, something about the Spellguard sets Blade’s heightened senses to twitching. This leaves him agreeing to hunt the vampires on his own terms, after a pointed refusal to work for the Spellguard. Unsurprisingly, violence ensues.
Red Band a perfect introduction to comics Blade
Bryan Hill’s script offers the perfect introduction to Blade for those who only know the character from the Wesley Snipes films. Eric Brooks is a bad ass, no question, yet there is an undercurrent of self-loathing at the core of his character. He has always considered himself a monster and wondered if he was truly better than the vampires he fights. This is best exemplified by how he forges a sword and does nothing to stop himself from being burned.
The artwork is serviceable, but not quite excellent. Carlos Fabian Villa is a master of illustrated fight choreography and the action sequences generally play out well. However, the inks and shading are erratic at times, with some figures appearing brighter than they should relative to other characters and the backgrounds.
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Blade: Red Band #1 manages many things well. It offers a fresh start for the Daywalker and a welcome entry point for new readers. It also offers plentiful bloodshed for those more concerned with action than modern Marvel Comics history.
Grade: 4/5.
Blade: Red Band #1 is now available at comic shops everywhere.
