Blade: Who is The Daywalker?

Blade: The Vampire Slayer Before Buffy

Two women run down an alley. They were dancing in a club when the screams started. A man was stabbing people with a sword. They grabbed hands and ran outside, a few others following them. The taller woman tries dragging her friend to a dumpster that should be far enough away to hide in. A shriek draws her attention. The killer has impaled another dancer.

Then he’s in the alley. The man fires three blasts from a shotgun, shredding the remaining stragglers. The shorter woman tries to slip past while he’s distracted. Four blurred movements, and she is carved into a pile of meat. Moonlight reflects from his bloodstained sword. The tall woman bares her fangs and lunges at him. Her head hits the ground before her body as Blade sheathes his namesake.

Blade is one of Marvel’s toughest heroes. This monster hunter terrifies vampires and villains alike. His movie trilogy resurrected superhero movies, paving the way for the MCU. So who is he? How did he become a hunter? What is a Daywalker? Let’s find out.

Baptized in Blood: Blade’s Backstory

Blade debuted in Tomb of Dracula #10 in 1973. He was created by Marv Wolfman and Gene Conlan, who based his appearance on Jim Brown and blaxploitation characters.

Eric Brooks was born into a nightmare. A vampire named Deacon Frost fed on Mrs. Brooks while she was in labor. He killed her before being driven off by her coworkers. Frost’s vampirism transferred to Eric in utero and transformed him into a dhampir, a half-vampire.

Eric was raised in his mother’s brothel and discovered he had vampire powers with none of their weaknesses. He saved a vampire hunter named Jamal Afari, who took him on as an apprentice. Jamal trained Eric in swordsmanship, monster hunting, and jazz. Their slaughters inspired two identities for Eric. Prey calls him The Daywalker. Everyone else called him Blade. 

Blade learned that Dracula was terrorizing London again. He joined a band of monster hunters including descendants of The Count, Mina Harker, and Van Helsing. They were wary of the dhampir, but ultimately accepted him. The hunters fought Dracula many times and were slain one by one, leaving Blade as the only survivor.

Midnight Sun: Blade’s History

Blade became a lone wolf after his comrades fell. It was easier to keep himself safe than worry about others. That attitude caused friction whenever he teamed up with superheroes against monstrous foes. Blade sometimes found common ground, but his violence scared other heroes.

The magical community often sought out Blade. He was recruited by Doctor Strange to help cast the Montesi Formula, banishing all other vampires from Earth for six years. Blade later joined the Midnight Suns to battle Lilith, The Mother of Demons. Monsters ironically made better allies than heroes because they could understand his methods.

When solo, Blade hunted Deacon Frost for revenge. The racist elder vampire hated his Black ‘child’ and often sent doppelgangers to kill him. Blade eventually found the real Frost and staked him, using all his skills to ensure that he couldn’t come back.

Bloodline: Blade’s Modern Stories

Blade began forming closer ties with the superhero community. He joined the Avengers and helped them end a vampire civil war. He also fought off a vampire invasion of the X-Men’s country, Utopia.

Doctor Strange’s death changed Blade’s life. Readers learned that the Daywalker had a secret daughter named Brielle Brooks, who Strange had magically hidden from Eric’s enemies. He reluctantly introduced himself to his daughter and began training her as a monster hunter.

Blade took center stage in Blood Hunt, seemingly betraying humanity to lead an invading vampire army. His allies didn’t know that he had been possessed by Varnae, the first vampire. Brielle fought her father and freed him with Miles Morales’ help, slaying Varnae in the process.

Dhampir Duelist: His Powers and Personality

Dhampirs like Blade are hard to kill. He has the standard physical boosts, is immune to vampire bites, and has a healing factor that slows his aging. He recently gained the ability to shapeshift, but dislikes doing so. Blade is immune to vampire weaknesses aside from a need for blood that he regulates with a serum.

That silver katana he swings around isn’t where he got the name Blade. He originally used teakwood throwing knives that doubled as stakes before upgrading his arsenal. Now the Daywalker uses a razor-sharp boomerang, UV flashbangs, white phosphorus grenades, guns with silver bullets, and garlic pepper spray. Question for the vampire ethicists in the room, does that last one count as chemical warfare? We await your dissertations in the comments.

Blade started out with a chip on his shoulder and a burning hatred for all vampires. Losing his comrades tempered him into cold steel. It takes Blade a long time to open up to new allies, but they find a compassionate, sarcastic, and surprisingly dorky hunter once he does. He’s also a fairly good dad who trusts Brielle to take care of herself, but has her back when she’s in trouble.

The Actors Who Play Him

J.D. Hall – Spider-Man: the Animated Series
Sticky Fingaz – Blade: The Series
Terry Crews – Ultimate Spider-Man, Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.
Akio Otsuka and Harold Perrineau – Marvel Anime: Blade
Todd Williams – Marvel Zombies
Wesley Snipes – Blade, Blade II, Blade Trinity, Deadpool and Wolverine
Mahershala Ali – Eternals

Didya Get All That?

A vampire’s worst nightmare.

Jared Bounacos

Jared Bounacos has written for Movie Rewind since 2016.