Characters & first appearances
What is the first appearance of Blade?
Published Sep 14, 2026 · Updated Sep 14, 2026 · 1 min read
Short answerBlade first appeared in The Tomb of Dracula #10, cover-dated July 1973, created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist Gene Colan as a vampire hunter with wooden knives and a grudge against Dracula. The character's 1998 film made the issue a major Bronze Age key, and demand has stayed high since.
Tomb of Dracula #10
Tomb of Dracula had begun in April 1972, with Wolfman taking over as writer from #7 and beginning the long run with Colan that made the title the best of Marvel's horror line. Blade arrives in #10 already fully formed — the leather jacket, the goggles, the teak knives — hunting Dracula through London. He became a regular supporting character and later got his own features in the black-and-white magazines.
Collecting
The issue is scarce in high grade, as most Tomb of Dracula issues are; the dark covers show wear. Blade's later solo keys are minor beside #10. A CGC 8.0 is in the store.
Tomb of Dracula keys
| Issue | Cover date | Why |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | April 1972 | First Marvel Dracula series; Neal Adams cover |
| #10 | July 1973 | First Blade |
| #12 | September 1973 | Second Blade appearance |
| #25 | October 1974 | First Hannibal King |
See the Blade character page and Bronze Age horror revival.
Written by the Rare Comics Collectors grading team. Spotted an error or have a question this guide does not answer? Tell us.
