A new Marvel one-shot forces Blade to protect the undead life of Dracula. Blade is currently serving as the Sheriff of Vampire Nation, a plot of land in Chernobyl claimed by Dracula in the pages of Avengers. Vampire Nation was granted sovereignty by the United Nations and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, on the condition that Blade be inserted as its sheriff. Of course, this was against Dracula’s wishes, but wound up happening anyway. A few issues of Avengers have dedicated space to following Blade and the Vampire Nation, but a new one-shot dedicates an entire story to this development.
ComicBook.com has the exclusive preview of Blade: Vampire Nation #1 by Mark Russell, Dave Wachter, Dee Cunniffe, and VC’s Cory Petit. It finds a character in Dracula’s vampire council named Corvis assassinated after his coffin is opened and sunlight burns his body to a crisp. Dracula sees this as an attack on his new government, especially after revealing it was supposed to be him traveling for a diplomatic mission.
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As the Sheriff of Vampire Nation, Dracula puts Blade in charge of finding out who is trying to assassinate him. When Blade questions why Dracula doesn’t round up his enemies and have them all killed, Dracula admits he’s trying to build a nation, not have his people live in fear. However, once Blade finds proof of the assassin, then Dracula will have them executed.
Mahershala Ali’s MCU Blade Movie Delayed
After losing its director, Marvel’s Blade movie starring Mahershala Ali is changing its release date. It’s been a few weeks since director Bassam Tariq exited Blade, and there have already been more updates on the Marvel film. For example, there was an earlier report this morning that Marvel Studios was pausing production on Blade. Production was scheduled to start in Atlanta in November, and the search for a new director of Blade has begun. With production reportedly set to start back up in early 2023, the release date of Blade is moving back 10 months.
Walt Disney Studios announced several changes to its upcoming film slate, including new dates for Avengers: Secret Wars and the recently-announced Deadpool 3. As for Blade, instead of coming out on November 3, 2023, the Marvel reboot is pushed back to September 6, 2024.
Blade as a Member of The Avengers
Blade fights alongside the Avengers, as they are currently battling Mephisto and his Multiversal Masters of Evil. The Avengers are currently lost in the timestream, recruiting new members to take on Mephisto’s Council of Red. This all culminates in Avengers Assemble, a crossover between Jason Aaron’s Avengers and Avengers Forever.
The exclusive preview of Blade: Vampire Nation #1 is below. The issue goes on sale Wednesday, November 16th.
- BLADE: VAMPIRE NATION #1
- MARK RUSSELL (W) • MICO SUAYAN (A) • COVER BY VALERIO GIANGIORDANO
- VARIANT COVER BY ALEXANDER LOZANO
- VARIANT COVER BY TBA • VARIANT COVER BY TBA
- • A deep dive into Dracula’s new kingdom as established in AVENGERS. Starring BLADE, the sheriff of Vampire Nation!
- • An assassination threatens to unravel the fledgling country and spread chaos throughout the world. But is getting rid of a nation full of bloodsuckers really all that bad of an idea? Blade himself isn’t too sure…
- 40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$4.99
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