At San Diego Comic-Con last month, it was announced that as part of Marvel Comics’ “All-New, All Different” relaunch this fall, an all-new Blade series would be a part of the new publishing initiative. This book would feature a 16-year-old girl named Fallon Grey, who is the daughter of that half-human/half-vampire badass that we all know and love, taking up the family profession. Quickly afterwards, the series was then delayed for unknown reasons.
Now, a rumor has surfaced: the reason the comic was delayed has to do with an upcoming Blade movie reboot, which will be based on this new comic, so Marvel wants to take their time with the book and make sure it’s done right.
Here’s what the folks at website Bleeding Cool heard:
“I understand from well-connected sources that this is due to careful concern from up above the food chain, that the character and the comic are suddenly considered extremely important by the bean counters, and the multi-media folk. Because the plan is that this new Blade will be the one that features in the next Blade movie.”
Although Blade was never a big solo star in the comics, he is a pretty important property to Marvel Studios. Originally set up at New Line Cinema, the original Blade movie was the first successful Marvel Comics-based movie, after a string of flops like the Dolph Lundgren Punisher, the original Captain America movie, and Roger Corman’s Fantastic Four (which was never even released). Its success paved the way for X-Men, Spider-Man, and the whole Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Marvel Studios now has the rights to Blade again, and original star Wesley Snipes says he’s been talking to the folks at Marvel about bringing the character back. Could it be Marvel is planning a movie (or Netflix series) featuring Blade and his vampire-hunting offspring in a mentor/student relationship? It certainly could be cool if done right. And if Snipes does come back, would that retconn the original Blade films into being the first Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, prior to Iron Man?
Man, that all makes my head spin. In a good way.
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HT: Bleeding Cool
IMAGE: Greg Land, Mighty Avengers #13/ Tim Seely, Logan Faerber, Marvel.Com
