BLADE versus GAMBIT

Old Wounds, Fresh Blood! (Marvel)
Where: Gambit #4 When: May 1999
Why: Fabian Nicieza How: Steve Skroce

The Story So Far...
In the darkest shadows of New Orleans operates a network of secretive clans and guilds committed to the arts of murder, thievery, occult ritual, and more.

The Antiquary is a rogue operator within the Thieves Guild whose collection of ancient texts & artefacts is rivaled only by his enslaved children. It is a life Gambit escaped as a boy, but now that a vampire from the Assassin Guild is stalking the organization, he must return to protect a child threatened by both!

Gambit and Blade have both been drawn into the hunt for the vampire assassin Francios Chicault, and will stop at nothing to end his bloody trail, but when the sun is setting over a New Orleans cemetery, it's each other that they'll be fighting!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Blade 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Blade 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Blade 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Draw 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Blade 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: Gambit 4 (Arsenal)
Total: Blade 26 (Champion)

Blade specializes in stalking the creatures of the night, but occasionally he finds himself crossing metaphorical swords with a different breed of opponent. His line of work doesn't afford many friends, and sometimes the need to shoot first leads to old fashioned cases of mistaken identity!

In Fear #24, Blade stalked future "frenemy" Morbius, confusing the science-based "Living Vampire" with the undead bloodsuckers he typically hunts. Many years later they'd team together as part of the supernatural Midnight Sons.

When Blade was possessed by the Demogorge after reading from the Darkhold, he began a "Midnight Massacre" of friend & foe alike, battling Ghost Rider & Frank Drake, before he temporarily killed Ghost Rider!

No such worry when he found himself face to face with Wolverine, though! This later encounter with an X-Man included a casual impaling, but Wolverine's healing factor kept him in the fight, turning Blade against SHIELD in the process.

Gambit, aka; Remy Lebeau, might not survive a skewering, but he knows the darker side of life well, having been well prepared by a career as a master thief in his years before joining the X-Men.

Gambit's mutant ability to charge inorganic objects with explosive kinetic energy compliments well-honed skills of deception, speed, agility, and staff fighting. A combination that could actually make him a good match-up for Blade!

Gambit's hand-to-hand "physical methods" were demonstrated in his first melee with the X-Men, where a simple fly kick put one of Ahab's Hounds on the backfoot.

His preferred technique of throwing kinetically charged playing cards proved instrumental when the X-Men infiltrated Avalon - even if cards thrown in Magneto's face earned harsh reprisal.

Gambit's playing cards demonstrate a preference for fast, numerous projectiles, but in a rare display of his potential power, Gambit helped the team escape Onslaught by charging an entire floor of a room in the mansion!

Blade has an arsenal of weapons to counter Gambit's mutant abilities and might just edge him out in hand-to-hand fighting skills, but with his most lethal weapons reserved for vampires, this one is anybody's guess!

The Tape: Blade Ranking: Blade (#126)

What Went Down...

The search for vampires across a network of New Orleans cemeteries makes for busy work -- and Gambit finds himself lighting a cigarette as the sun begins to set, still hunting for his target: the elusive Francois Chilcault.

Before he can drag the first hit -- the deathstick is cut with a sharpened blade!

There are worse things out tonight than vampires!

A darkly dressed man in sunglasses leaps between the tombstones, brandishing his katana as Gambit yanks his staff away from the sword's tip, and backflips clear!

As he shadow dances just out of reach, Gambit puts hands on a deck of cards and sends them streaming towards his attacker with a blanket charge of explosions!

Blade keeps low, avoiding the kinetically charged playing cards, and moves in close with his sword leading the way.

Gambit manages to block the weapon with his metal staff and uses it to swing his legs around for a dangerous low sweep kick.

Blade flips into the air and lands flat on his stomach on the cemetery ground!

This might be an escalation in an ordinary fight, but the moments pause lets Gambit do the talking. Blade realises the dark, burning eyes of his target are not those of a creature of the night. They're both on the same side.

The Hammer...

I threw a little bit of shade at our boy Gambit in a previous update, speculating that we'd all moved on after 1997, but with Disney's X-Men '97 animated series taking us right back to those halcyon days, I figure now is as good a time as any to see what the ragin' Cajun was actually doing around that time.

'99/2000 was notably a rare down-period for my comic book reading, which meant I wasn't even aware of a Gambit on-going series that lasted twenty-five issues at the turn of the millennium! That's what ya get for having other interests!

To be honest, I guess I lost sight of what happened to Gambit after around Uncanny X-Men #350, when the revelation of his secret past with Mister Sinister contributed to a parting of the ways with the X-Men. So, after stumbling upon them at a seller I frequented a few years back, I picked up Gambit #4, and a few other issues, with a sense of intrigue and enthusiasm.

It turned out it was a pretty good investment! Not just because of whatever speculator shenanigans are driving up prices now that cartoon-fueled X-Mania is gripping the masses -- but because the Gambit series is kind of right up my alley!

A Blade guest-spot is just one of the thrills giving the series an unexpected sense of buoyancy, with gratuitous appearances by favourites like Sabretooth, Daredevil, Bullseye, and a rogue's gallery of ne'er do wells that prowl the seedier side of the Marvel Universe. Some are more surprising than others, given X-ties and the era.

On that subject of timing; it's almost obligatory to note the frustration of a lack of comic book momentum for Blade after the mainstream success of the 1998 film. I probably would've liked to have known more about this issue of Gambit back then! It's limited in page count for the guest hero -- but kicks the teeth in on the few solo Blade books that came out in the months, and year, prior.

The first few pages of the issue announce Blade's arrival with a cold open worthy of the movies. He jumps his muscle car through a building, with guns blazing at a pistol-packing vampire, who forces him to choose the hunt - or a small child thrown from a window. It plays somewhere between the digital stuntman opener from 2002's Blade II, and the baby chase from Blade: Trinity -- only much cooler!!

A Blade solo series probably could've benefitted from this kind of kineticism and movie-compatible depiction - not to mention a reciprocal guest-spot by somebody as colourful & distinct as Gambit. Steve Skroce as penciller coulda helped, too!

All we actually got in '98 was a flavourless one-shot, and a three-issue snoozefest following Morbius around restaurants & cafes. Blade briefly slipped back into his seventies look in the first scene of the first issue. Baffling choices that showed a reluctance to embrace the slick cool of the Wesley Snipes character, which I argue leveraged the work of the early nineties Midnight Sons period more than its often given credit.

In the past, the insular drama of the Thieves Guild tended to have about as much appeal in Gambit-centric stories as some of the more generic vampire fare found in contemporary Blade efforts -- so it's of benefit to both characters that they're paired up for an otherwise unlikely meeting in New Orleans.

It's mildly surprising they didn't sew New Orleans vampire mythology into the clan rivalry of the Thieves and Assassin Guilds sooner. As I recall, Mutant X made the most of the association, building upon the overlap between Gambit and Storm as former thieves, and Storm's comic book past with Dracula. I suppose there were limited opportunities to do similar in the mainline books.

It's easy to forget Gambit debuted in 1990 and was only approaching his first decade in comics when Gambit (Vol. 3) #4 hit stands. A lot of his past was shrouded in mystery, and this series and issue are still putting pieces into place, including Remy's childhood in slavery as part of The Antiquary's "Collection".

I probably would've enjoyed seeing Blade and Gambit team-up again. The dark corners of "N'orleans" seems a much more natural setting for Blade to branch out into than his subsequent incorporation into the Avengers. It might've even been interesting to see Fabian Nicieza develop a recurring working relationship between the pair, or some kind of agency, but maybe the latter is skewing a little too close to Chief Wiggum PI. A reader poll on the letters page suggests they were looking for more of a people pleaser than high concept push.

I'll happily settle for this curious little encounter. An unlikely showdown that quickly ends in the classic style, as noted, with the realization of mistaken identities & intentions, and a typical superhero team-up that follows.

It could be a lot fun to take a closer look at that battle in a future entry. If you'd like to help make that happen - consider becoming a supporter on Patreon. It's been unfortunately difficult to find time for updates this year, but with your help I can make growing this curious corner of the web a personal priority.

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has documented & discussed more than 700 featured fights and ranked more than 1,000 characters! You can find them all by diving into the Secret Archive for a complete index of battles in order of publisher, series, and issue.

Follow links throughout each entry to find more content from your favourite characters and subjects. Get free daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day by subscribing to Twitter! Don't forget to smash that like, fave, and share -- and keep your eyes peeled for the week's top trending battles every Sunday on Twitter & Discord!

Winner: Inconclusive (Draw)
#125 (+1) Blade
#369 (+4) Gambit

BLADE versus MORBIUS

Return to Terror! (Marvel)
Where: Fear #24 When: October 1974
Why: Steve Gerber How: Craig Russell

The Story So Far...
After adventuring to a realm called The Land Within; Morbius the Living Vampire finds himself stranded on a distant planet called Arcturus IV.

Caught between warring factions of hideous mutants and barbarian androids, Morbius stages a daring escape with the help of a mutant named Lord I. Together, the escaping duo plot a course for Earth on board the last known starship of an ancient fleet. Their mission: to defeat the sinister alien cabal known as The Caretakers -- Lord I's ancient ancestors!

Weeks of interstellar travel brings the starship to a crash landing on Earth, but with his bloodlust driving him to feast on his ally, Morbius arrives alone under the watchful gaze of a deadly new opponent: The Vampire Slayer - Blade!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Morbius 5 (Professor)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Blade 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Draw 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Blade 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: Blade 3 (Explosives)
Total: Blade 26 (Champion)

It was the fight that had to happen! Blade debuted in Tomb of Dracula #10 and quickly earned a reputation for stalking Dracula and the walking undead. This begged the question: how would he do against The Living Vampire?!

Morbius made his mark a couple of years before Blade hit the scene, battling Spider-Man and The Lizard after journeying from Greece, to New York City.

The vampirism of Dr. Michael Morbius was a result of failed attempts to use science to cure himself of a rare genetic blood disease. Through his treatment he gained vampire traits such as super-human strength, speed, durability, and a blinding lust to consume blood by night!

Despite efforts to reform by feasting only on the blood of the guilty, Morbius has had many lapsed and accidental run-ins with other heroes. We saw him fight to a stalemate with The Werewolf in Marvel Premier #28. He traded blows with Doctor Strange during Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #10.

Blade's no stranger to battling heroes, either. Under the influence of a page from the Darkhold he fought Ghost Rider to a standstill in Ghost Rider #40, and succeeded in killing him in Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance #13! Blade also took on Wolverine years later during Civil War, but couldn't cut the self-healing mutant deep enough to keep him down in Blade #5.

Although he's exhibited signs of accelerated healing: Morbius will typically be susceptible to Blade's weaponry. In 1974, Blade favours wooden stakes more than silver, steel, and swords, but the weaker materials should still pose a threat in the hands of the far superior hand-to-hand fighter!

Thanks to his mother being bitten by a vampire during his birth, Blade possesses enhanced strength, reflexes, and immunity to vampire bites. He won't become the legendary Daywalker until years later, but can never the less still rely on sunlight to weaken Morbius, as it did in Venom: The Enemy Within #3.

Blade is the far more skilled fighter, but he isn't quite the kung fu bad ass he'll become in later decades. At peak, Morbius is arguably the stronger of the two and could use that to mitigate Blade's superior fighting abilities. Let's see...

The Tape: Blade Ranking: Morbius (#68)

What Went Down...
As another vampire perishes beneath his wooden knife -- the slayer, Blade, can hardly believe his eyes when a rocket ship plunges out of the sky!

Leaving the shadows of a nearby alley, Blade races to the wreckage to discover a lone inhabitant: the eerie mutant Lord I, whose neck reveals the telltale mark of a vampire's bite!

For a moment Blade entertains the possibility of an invasion of vampires from outer space. He deduces another occupant must have escaped the ship before it crashed -- that's when he notices Morbius perched on a nearby rooftop!

Morbius glides from one roof to the next, prompting Blade to leap for the nearest fire escape and make chase! Morbius senses the figure pursuing him, presuming it to be an agent of Daemond or The Caretakers. Meanwhile, Blade puzzles over The Living Vampire's nature, ruling out traditional bloodsuckers.

They dart between buildings and vault over rooftop walls -- until Morbius finds refuge in the shadows. Blade runs right past his prey, failing to notice until Morbius kicks a tin can on his way out of hiding.

A wooden knife hurtles at waist height, narrowly missing its target! Blade at last confronts what he presumes to be an extra-terrestrial vampire, but Morbius catches him by surprising -- lunging at what he believes to be a madman!

Morbius pins Blade to the ground with both hands and attempts to reason with him. The slayer notes his incredible strength, unimpressed by a vampire's claim to wish him no harm!

The superior fighter sends Morbius hurtling head over heels with an improvised kick of his legs! The Living Vampire slams into a nearby wall!

The turn in fortunes gives Blade a moment to realise his opponent speaks the language of Earth. The revelation turns him back to traditional methods: three daggers hurled at Morbius narrowly miss their target at devastating speed!

Unaware that vampires truly exist, Morbius once again attempts to take pity on his attacker, believing him a raving lunatic. He strikes Blade with a swift dive kick and promptly resumes fleeing to a nearby church roof.

Blade stubbornly refuses to give up his cause. Shaking off the fog of the head strike, he scrambles for the church roof and dive tackles Morbius' legs!

The slayer uses his full body weight to press Morbius to the roof and then tugs his hair to force him to gaze upon the holy crucifix!

Invoking the power of the cross, Blade threatens to hold him until dawn if that's what it takes. Supernatural method that might slay any ordinary vampire, but not one created by a mistake of science!

Unaffected, Morbius uses his enhanced strength to push himself up and toss Blade by the arm!

The throw sends Blade over the edge of the roof, but he manages to snatch the edge of the gutter. For a few painful seconds he dangles perilously, before the slayer pulls himself back up to find himself alone.

The Hammer...
It was the fight that had to happen, but what a strange way to get there!

We're all about the title match between Marvel's best known vampire heroes, but the whole episode really only eventuates by an act of happenstance. A trippy adventure in space has to abruptly end before the action can begin! Its got a little bit of that loose, seventies college vibe I noted in Captain Marvel #26, with slightly less intensity and a little bit more weirdness.

One of these days we'll have to find time to talk more about Lord I: a telepathic mutant from Arcturus IV whose entire head is an eyeball, and whose life was drained away much too soon! In the mean time, lets rewind a little further back to examine just how this compelling first-time battle really came to be:

Morbius first appeared in 1971's Amazing Spider-Man #101. A reasonably unusual adversary for Spider-Man at the time; he provided early precedent for loosening restrictions imposed by the Comics Code Authority since the fifties.

In 1972 Marvel followed the successful introduction of their Living Vampire with an all-out adaptation of the ultimate bloodsucker: Bram Stoker's Dracula.

As the star of a new series: the lord of vampires found early contemporary arch-rivals in Frank Drake and Quincy Harker. Both borrowed liberally from familiar iconography found in other popular appropriations of Stoker's work, most notably in Universal and Hammer films. By Tomb of Dracula #10 in mid 1973, the vampire king was ready to meet a more modern adversary: Blade!

Blade advanced the premise of Tomb of Dracula with Marvel's answer to other theatrical movements the year prior in Blacula and Dracula A.D. 1972.

Eric Brooks would be a tough-talking contemporary slayer who just wanted all vampires dead -- and had the skills to make it happen! He provided a natural foil for the stuffy, traditional protagonists already populating the series, and was an inevitable breakout star. Dracula was his ultimate prey, but his existence invariably demanded a showdown with Marvel's other notable vampire creation!

Morbius had a couple of run-ins with Spidey after his initial appearance, clashing with the Human Torch and X-Men in Marvel Team-Up appearances, before lying low. Things finally fell into place in 1974, when Morbius replaced Man-Thing as the lead attraction of "Adventure Into" Fear starting with issue #20.

The series was actually called Fear, but as noted, the initial story leaned into the "Adventure" that popularly precedes the title on the cover. There was a creepy undercurrent of occult conspiracy to the sci-fi escapade, but it took a few issues before we finally got the battle we're all here to talk about.

It's not quite the bloody, tooth & claw struggle you might see from later battles between the pair. The circumstances lean heavily into each character's natural function, positioning Blade as the pursuing hunter to Morbius' vampire.

The initial chase takes place in a rapid fire succession of narrow panels. There's a good sense of movement, and more atmosphere than the pictured panels may indicate. I particularly love the overhead shot of Morbius darting down a narrow strip while Blade's unrelenting shadow looms behind. Craig Russell's layouts are great and colours by George Roussos make the most of printing of the time with some nice shades of blue giving it all a gloomy quality.

When Blade finally catches up with Morbius it's pretty even-stevens. Blade gets to throw some wooden knives around, and they each take turns throwing the other around, but nobody really gets the better of any one. Morbius registers the last offensive by tossing Blade off a roof, but he's back up in seconds.

It's a nice first foray for Blade into the Marvel Universe, but these two will have far more memorable encounters once they're both deeply ingrained in the world of the supernatural. At this stage, Morbius doesn't even know vampires are real!

With any luck we'll get a chance to talk more about their battles in the future. Until then, be sure to follow links throughout this post to discover more occult wonders. Or simply dive into the Secret Archive to find a complete list of feature fights indexed by publisher, series, and issue number!

Get daily links to superhero smackdown inspired by the topics of the day by following Secret Wars on Infinite Earths on Twitter and Facebook! Be sure to like and share your favourite battles!

Winner: Draw
#66 (+2) Morbius
#106 (+3) Blade

GHOST RIDER versus BLADE
Dead Man's Tale (Marvel)
Where: Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance #13 When: August 1993 Why: Howard Mackie How: Adam Kubert

The Story So Far...
When Blade receives a mysterious black envelope containing a page from the Darkhold book of magic, he unleashes a spell, once read, that embues him with the powers of a demogorge. So begins Blade's rampage on all things supernatural and occult.

Attracted like a moth to flame, Blade's powers to perceive and gravitate toward the supernatural only becomes greater as he absorbs the powers of all he kills. Hannibal King, John Blaze, Demogoblin, Werewolf by Night, Modred, Victoria Montesi, and Michael Morbius all contribute to Blade's amassing powers in their death.

Hellbent on the eradication of all things supernatural, Blade finally marches on the greatest source of mystic power in New York - Dr. Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum; home to the Darkhold! With time and opportunity fast running out, Ghost Rider must join the Nighstalkers and bring an end to the demogorge.

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Ghost Rider 4 (Enhanced)
Intelligence: Blade 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Ghost Rider 6 (Generator)
Agility: Blade 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting Ability: Blade 5 (Martial Arts)
Energy Power: Ghost Rider 5 (Lasers)


- When a man and his girlfriend are attacked by gangsters, they unknowingly seek refuge in a scraplot containing a rare artifact. Upon touching the mystic symbol on a motorcycle's tank cap, Dan Ketch is transformed into the flaming spirit of vengeance, inheriting the curse of the hellborne Ghost Rider!

Like Johnny Blaze before him; Ketch's demon grants him fantastic powers that may be used in the pursuit of righteous vengeance. Powers that include; super strength, durability, speed, control over the hellcycle, hellfire, mystic chains, and the penance stare; capable of rendering a dark soul inert by forcing them to relive the wrongs they have commited on others.

- In a whorehouse in London, a child was born into the world, destined for greatness. When the vampire Deacon Frost was to feast on the woman in labour, he inadvertently passed along certain enzymes that would eventually grant Eric Roberts the strengths of a vampire, with none of their weaknesses. Thus the young boy grows into legend; the Daywalker -- Blade!

Blade lives up to his name, highly skilled with various forms of weaponry and munitions. A dedicated vampire hunter, Blade is skilled in the martial arts, and a thorough tactician with an arsenal of weapons that compliment his acquired enhanced strength, speed, senses, durability and reflexes.

Additional: Having taken a page of the Darkhold, Blade has become possessed by the power of the Demogorge. His ability to sense the supernatural is enhanced, and he now absorbs the powers of the mystics he kills. It was while possessed by the Demogorge that Blade had a runin with Ghost Rider and Frank Drake in a previous entry in the Infinite Wars [Ghost Rider #40].
Aided by Demogoblin, Blade was able to fend off the heroes, to later overcome Ghost Rider alone. The intervention of Frank Drake saved Ghost Rider.

History: Draw (0-0-1)
The Math: Blade Ranking: Blade (#177)

What Went Down...
Having effortlessly penetrated the powerful spells cast by Earth's Sorceror Supreme, Dr. Strange; Blade enters the Sanctum Sanctorum, only to find the good doctor absent. His growing awareness of the supernatural draws Blade deeper into the Sanctum where he discovers the only weapon capable of reversing his devolution into darkness - the Darkhold!

The second Blade removes the book from it's pedestal, powerful spells launch it through the building toward the night sky and an interdimensional portal designed to protect the book in Strange's absence. With the luxury of time working against them, Ghost Rider aids Blade in ahcoring the book to the Earth with the use of his mystic chains. The protection of the book allows Blade to finally turn his attentions to the elusive spirit of vengeance.

Ghost Rider's vengeful charge is abruptly ended, as Blade draws the shotgun weapon once held by John Blaze. The mystic gun spews hellfire through Ghost Rider's body, inflicting maximum damage as Blade lordes his powers.

Blade summons a mighty wind with the elemental powers of Modred, using them to hold the Nightstalkers back from the Darkhold, while he draws his own close-quarters weapons to finish Ghost Rider off.

Engulfed in flame, Blade impales the Ghost Rider with his namesake, feeling no resistance from the powerful demon. He pulls his foe in twain, before driving a blade through the sprit of vengeance's flaming skull! So begins the transfer...

Unfortunately for Blade, he fails to anticipate the nature of the Ghost Rider's power. Absorbing the hellacious abilities of the spirit of vengeance comes at a startling cost as the penance stare is turned inward, forcing Blade to relive the many murders committed in his recent past as a demogorge.

The searing pain of his penance distracts Blade enough to stem the winds he'd summoned to prevent access to the Darkhold. Louise Hastings, of the Redeemers, springs quickly into action, reading from the book so as to resurrect those killed, and return their powers to them from Blade. So ends the Midnight Massacre...

The Hammer...
Despite having his ungodly powers stripped, I think it's safe to say a bitter victory goes to Blade! Despite being killed by the powered-up slayer, Ghost Rider is among those resurrected by the Darkhold spell.

In a month supposedly dedicated to Iron Man, you might be wondering what brought on this unlikely Midnight Sons feature.
It was recent discussion on the Marvel.com message boards that posed the question of whether or not Blade could, or already had, defeated Ghost Rider as his Wikipedia entry claimed. Since contextually absent or poorly described events from Wikipedia style entries are exactly what the Infinite Wars intends to elaborate upon, it seemed like a great opportunity to contribute!

Top 25 Devils/Mystics#1 Dhalsim (Capcom)
#2 Dr. Doom (Marvel)
#3 Zatanna (DC)
#4 The Demon (DC)
#5 Ghost Rider (Marvel)
#6 Morbius (Marvel)
#7 Hellcat (Marvel)
#8 The Spectre (DC)
#9 Dr. Strange (Marvel)
#10 Blazing Skull (Marvel)
#11 Mephisto (Marvel)
#12 Phantom Stranger (DC)
#13 Dr. Fate (DC)
#14 Deadman (DC)
#15 Dr. Occult (DC)
#16 The Hood (Marvel)
#17 Hellboy (Dark Horse)
#18 Jin Kazama (Namco)
#19 Dr. Fate (DC)
#20 Lyta (DC)
#21 Blade (Marvel)
#22 Captain Marvel (DC)
#23 Scarlet Witch (Marvel)
#24 Scorpion (Midway)
#25 Ghost Rider (Marvel)The gang was able to find their way to the Infinite Wars for the previous throwdown between these characters [Ghost Rider #40], where only the intervention of Frank Drake prevented a recorded loss. For the purposes of that discussion [BBS: Blade nearly won a fight against Ghost Rider?] you might argue that Blade did indeed defeat Ghost Rider in that issue, but it's here that the lethal victory described on Wikipedia occurs.

Unfortunately I can't elaborate much further than this encounter, but it's nice to be able to accomodate Infinite Wars readers even that far. If you're a member of the Marvel.com boards, be sure to let the lads know new information has emerged!

Last time we featured these characters, the recurring subject of Marvel's struggle to find a lasting treatment in comics for the characters was a hot topic. Speculation that the recently relaunched Blade and Ghost Rider titles were destined for cancellation proves, at this point, to be half true.

The Guggenheim/Chaykin Blade series fizzled to an end with issue twelve. Working against the title were painfully obvious factors like Chaykin's decidedly unattractive pencil work, inconsequential guest appearances, and uninvolving storylines. Like so many post-movie comics, this quite deliberately butted against the slick, modern urbana of the Stephen Norrington success, opting instead for an experience apparently unintentionally eighties-style in it's presentation and palette.

Despite steering gleefully toward it's seventies origins, Ghost Rider has fared much better. Stale story telling kept me away from early issues of the title, but while not terribly interested, I have to at least applaud the precedent for recent stories pandering to a grindhouse quality of horror.
The detached nature of buzz-writer Jason Aaron's take on the character is about to collide with more familiar topics. Fans can look forward to recognisable features such as, the hellfire shotgun, and former-Ghost Rider, Dan Ketch!

I couldn't possibly deny the affection I have for these nineties stories.
Though not typically looked upon with admiration, they represent a type of storytelling that allowed these characters to fill a very specific niche, while representing the Marvel Universe mentality of characters operating and clashing within a certain space. Though fond of the strong visual of this character, I can't say I've ever had a particular affection for the western/horror vibe of a desert wandering Ghost Rider.

I hope this coming return of Ketch (and the gun feature in our review) will offer more than just a familiar skull-face. I hope very much this can be the beginning of stories not necessarily designed to establish a universe, but to at least build on some of the recent traditions of these characters. Though not of a terribly high standard, I did get a thrill seeing Morbius in the illfated Blade series.

It's those characters, often identified for their supporting roles, that I enjoy seeing in this larger context. The versimilitude of Doppelganger, Demogoblin, Blade, Ghost Rider, Morbius, Dr. Strange, and various other occult heroes, all mingling in the same section, fills me with a comic book sensical joy.

Keep an eye on weekly shipping list updates for more on upcoming Ghost Rider, but in the mean time, I leave you with the promise of updates to come! Be sure also to stay tuned for the Monthly Punch-Up on the first of the month!

The Fight: 4.5 The Issue: 5

Alas, to the best of my knowledge, Midnight Massacre is not available in collected format. You can find plenty of other exciting reads, starring Ghost Rider and other, in the Infinite Wars Amazonian Gift Shoppe! Amazon has a wide range of Marvel titles, and every time you use purchase links from the Infinite Wars, you help sponsor future entries! While you're splashing around the cash, also be sure to take full advantage of the recent $1.99 price reduction on Mike Haseloff's The Kirby Martin Inquest! Available online; the series introduces the White Ghost, a vigilante seeking justice in an urban environment!

QUICK FIX DOUBLE FEATURE: Daywalkers!
SPIDER-MAN versus BLADE
Morbius: Part 1 (Marvel)
Where: Ultimate Spider-man #95 When: July 2006
Why: Brian Michael Bendis How: Mark Bagley

Quick Fix...
Over the past two years the Infinite Wars have slipped behind schedule more than a couple of times, but quite often there seems to be some sense of serendipty, lining the unfortunate with a silvery sheen.

I don't know how fresh the news is, but I certainly wasn't privvy to the knowledge that Marvel pencilling sensation, Mark Bagley, will be departing to new pastures at DC!
Fitting because, here we are, predetermined to take a look at the reliable pencil work of just such a fellow!

Honestly, I wish it could be under better circumstances, because it's undeniable that Bagley has been among the most iconic Marvel pencillers to survive the shift out of the nineties. His work on Spider-man, a decade before "Ultimate" became a buzzword, made him an instant icon. Many fans instantly identify Bagley by his contributions to popular storylines like one of the first major arcs to transcend the medium on a mass scale, Maximum Carnage.

What initially attracted me to this Halloween hangover post was the opportunity to introduce one of my favourite midnight sons to the Infinite Wars - Morbius.
It was perhaps the most noted absence on the site in '05/'06, and it's to my chagrin, that we breach the character like this, in an Ultimate title. Generally the Infinite Wars aren't about slinging negative reviews, but certainly these two issues have sat like burning coals in the anti-Ultimate argument.

Before we get to slamming an entire universe (and Bendis...), we should steer it back to a topic that has had many-a comic fan scratching his head for the better part of the last ten years...

It was under the pen and direction of David Goyer and Stephen Norrington respectively, that the 1970's vampire hunter, Blade, was distilled to a stoic, sleek, modern snapshot of everything the character had the potential to be.
It drew upon influences that developed the character right through to the mid-nineties [ala; Ghost Rider #40], and formed the adult structure of a modern superhero film, capable of taking itself deadly serious.

With two movie sequels following, and a TV spin-off under his belt, Blade vastly exceded reasonable expectations, and surpassed his jive-talking beginnings.
However, despite mainstream success, Blade somehow fails to sustain himself as a leading character in the medium that gave his birth. Attempts to capitalize on buzz have been mediocre at best, with many simply lacking the promotion to even penetrate the comics reading consciousness.

It was while scanning cover art by break-out talent, Marko Djurdjevic, that I was inevitably drawn back into the mystery of the character's failures. With the exception of a design-influenced receding hairline, Djurdjevic's Blade attempts the hard sale, glistening on covers with rendered sheen, and leathery blacks that conjure up the stylish glory of that first film. Which easily points to the problem.

While this is fast becoming a double feature hate-fest, I simply cannot turn away from the glaringly obvious. This newest effort to utilize Blade was simply-put, dismal. Djurdjevic no doubt swayed the tempted, but it's those that can bitterly lament upon the distinct difference between cover and interior.
Artistic direction is quickly out the window as Chaykin's pencils defy the modern covers; instead delivering pumpkin flavoured latern jaws, and a Blade that lacks the stiff cool of early Wesley Snipes, looking more like an early-eighties Steve Harvey.

Of course, sure, Howard Chaykin is an acquired taste, but the blame shouldn't fall squarely on his shoulders. Editorial is one of the most vilified quotients of mainstream comics, but at their best they steer projects to an appropriate asthetic that is the difference between a sleeper hit, and this.

The increasing pull of Hollywood writers runs amok in the worst way here as Guggenheim is seemingly allowed to do as he pleases. Bucking against the ill-fated works that carried superficial inspiration from the first movie, Guggs takes Blade in an opposite direction, gleefully revelling in the naff of meaningless peril (a villainous vampire Spider-man), gawky retroactive continuity (Blade and Wolverine in ye olde west), and the downright stupid (gun-hand Blade).

It's a harsh report card for a series that felt doomed from it's inception.
At best, a more stylistic approach to visuals might have saved this project. At worst, it is as it is. In interviews, Chaykin embarassingly refers to research of fashions, and Guggenheim throws us a movie-villain who has long been deceased in the comics all in the name of a "final" confrontation. Ugh.

So, does Marvel's on-again/off-again golden boy do any better?

As typical of Ultimate Spider-man, Blade appears in the first five pages, in an action sequence that bares the barest justification of immediately indicating the tone and portion of this world we are entering. Otherwise, like so much of USM's battle scenes, it is disconnected action that at best fullfils much needed quotas for excitement and fisticuffs.

The man we spoke of at the beginning of this entry, [Mark Bagley], instantly proves the theory of stylistic justification. Complimented by motley colours by Richard Isanove, Bagley delivers an acceptable rendition of the leathcoated, sunglasses-at-night Blade made famous by comics, cartoons and cinema, alike.

Ianove projects through satisfactory inks, highlighting Spidey's light-grabbing reds as he drops out of the moonlit night sky. Free-falling to an alley below, his descent lands him atop a gun-toting Blade who pursues unnamed prey through the city. The uninformed Spidey has no way of knowing the dangers that lurk.

Spider-man checks on the terrified prey, whilst pinning Blade down with webbing, distancing him from his hi-tech pistols. The frightened runner is unreceptive, but Spidey's continued concerns soon earn him the man's fanged attentions!

As the vampire claws at Spider-man's mask with evil intentions, a silver katana cuts through the night air, and impales through the vampire's chest. Strong and confident, the vampire hunter rips his blade through his victim's body in an explosion of green mist and blazing light reminiscent of Hollywood effects.

Stepping through the ash-cloud, Blade grabs the young hero by the throat, and slams him against the alley wall.

Bringing the tip of his katana to hover menacingly infront of Spidey's mask, Blade delivers an uncompromising threat, promising to, "... eat your heart for breakfast!" should Spider-man interfere in his affairs ever again. Which, to-date, he hasn't.

Blade disappears into the night, leaving Spider-man gasping and wheezing. An act that neatly summarizes so much of what makes this another disappointment to come from the pages of Ultimate Spider-man.

The Blade films exemplify the very best of a dumb, but thoroughly worthwhile action sequence opener.
USM's stuttered meandering sometimes clears to boast spontaneously inconsequential confrontations between characters like Gladiator or Shocker that represent a characteristic play for verisimilitude [ala; Daredevil #75]. This, however, is a case of don't-ask/don't-tell; completely overlooking everything that could have made this an all-star appearance by a character as culturally significant as Blade.

This welcomed two-issue storyarc, like so many other USM arcs, promises a fantastic concept that sucks me right in, in this case the opportunity to explore a familiar vampiric section of the Spidey mythos. Alas, instead of a contemporary retelling and modification of this theory, it's a chance for Bendis to catch-up on other scripts, neglecting the Ultimate Spidey audience that has already proven itself to be sycophantic enough to swallow decades of reviewer ravings about so-called "realistic teen dialogue," that supposedly made this the must-read book of the early double-ohs.

The Fix: 3.5 The Issue: 3
Winner: Blade

Some say Bendis writes USM for the trade. I've read the floppies back to back, and the only benefit I can imagine from trade is timelines and an immediate distraction. Scores are salvaged by Bagley's art and the minutia, but this book reaffirms much of what has made me a growing critic of the book, now seemingly in recession for reasons shared.

---

SPIDER-MAN versus MORBIUS
Morbius: Part 2 (Marvel)
Where: Ultimate Spider-man #96 When: August 2006
Why: Brian Michael Bendis How: Mark Bagley

Quick Fix...
While on the attack, I might as well express my malevolent opinion that USM fans largely represent the outer fringe of confused and nervous comics fans, more concerned with peer approval than a solid read.

Right now those USM die-hards among you who haven't had the pleasure of reading my work are probably vehemently questioning my credentials to make these scathing claims -- and maliciously making an effort to avoid purchasing the first issue of The Kirby Martin Inquest.

It's the danger of wearing both hats, and while I hope the Infinite Wars can benefit my small press projects, I am ever-reluctant to allow those dreams to compromise the honesty of my opinions. Lord knows I have to do enough censoring when talking to would-be collaborators, and apparently reviewers, too.
If it makes you feel any better, I would love someone to be interested enough in my work to dedicate this wordcount to understanding, and even decrying it.

Of course, this double feature isn't about me.
Although, truth be told, it is about a fetishistic fandom of the character Morbius. Not to say I'm any kind of expert on the character. Actually, I despise much of what is regarded as Morbius iconography, particularly the giant, triangular red eyes, and matching red and blue outfit which is largely the basis of the Ultimate "revamp."

Yes, it once again we find ourselves at the garrish nineties, as I delight in champining the tattered purple cape and black leather evil-doctor's uniform that featured in that previously mentioned crossover -- Maximum Carnage! Not that that is where the love came from. Again, though not an expert, the attraction of the Midnight Sons is a curious and interesting one.

Morbius differs from Blade in that he is closer connected to the purist form of vampire. He, like the film version of Blade, shares the thirst, albeit to a far greater extent, and also suffers the sensitivities of his vampiric cousins.

In my [un-published] time dealing with vampires and zombies, I like to think of them both as categorizable by two overarcing types; scientific, and mystic.
The so-called "living vampire," Morbius represents in no subtle terms, an extreme version of the scientific vampire, literally the victim of his own experiments.

Though the character was almost inevitably dragged into occult variations, and enhancements and mutations at the hands of mystic elements; the scientific specifics of his origins have been the key defining quality in his history.
He is a character at odds with his nature, but unlike the film Blade, utterly responsible. It's a pathos that has allowed the character to intrinsically walk the line between dark hero, and villain.

Alas, in a universe where Dr. Doom was reshaped as a goat-legged gas breather from a New York think tank, who spent a few months building a jealous hatred for a rival years his junior -- Morbius remains among the most disappointing conversions of a character from traditional, to Ultimate variation.

Though appearing as a suitably sinister ally in Spider-man's struggle with decidedly mystic vampires (able to transform into mist and wolves); Morbius loses much of what makes him an interesting and unique character, retaining only the superficial - a red and blue skin stretched over a dull standard.

Lurking from the shadows to the hospital bed of Daily Bugle reporter, Ben Urich, Morbius makes his reappearance. Having suffered the bite of the vampire during his expose on this secret underworld, Urich is slowly succumbing to the occult disease that encourages hunger for blood.

Apparently hoping to aid Urich in his struggle, Morbius is set upon by the reporter's hidden protector, Spider-man! Bursting through the cheap cladding of the hospital ceiling, Spidey descends with a swinging kick, and follows it with a stiff right hat topples Morbius!

The advantage of surprise is quickly lost, and Morbius exerts vampiric strength that overcomes even the comparable strength of a spider! Despite their physical confrontation, Morbius is content to simply delay Spider-man's attacks.

In a vaguely ironic twist, Morbius reveals much of himself in an effort to earn Spider-man's trusts. He tells of his life's history, revealing his origins as the son of the first vampire - Dracul! In this respect, Morbius holds an obscure relation to the Walachian descended Victor Van Damme, aka Ultimate Dr. Doom!

With his fangs leering out of his gaped mouth, Morbius leans over the delirious Urich, only to again incur the the physical defensive of the Spider-man.
With time of the essence, Morbius wastes no time freeing himself of Spidey's kung-fu bearhug, sending him hurtling through the hospital wall.

Just then, the lights go out in the hospital, and the corridor fills with an eerie mist that ushers the entrance of three demonic vampires. Their stare freezes Spider-man's apt muscles, leaving him easy prey to the animalistic swarm.
Making this a double within a double, Morbius smashes his way through the hospital room door to come to the aid of the youngster.

With superhuman precision Morbius swiftly stakes the three vampires, moving close quarters and projectile with his wooden weapons. As Parker babbles like the child he is about having been "killed", Morbius again leans over a vampire bite, sinking his own fangs into Spidey's neck.

He is able to taste the tainted blood altered by the bite of a genetically engineered Spider. Much like Urich, having been bitted by Morbius before the commotion, Peter Parker is assured safety. Showing off his handiwork, Morbius shows signs of fatigue, and disappears in a burst of mist before delivering a similar parting to Blade, "And if we ever bump into each other again... Let's both pray that you've grown the $%#@ up!"

As if to attack Bendis' so-called strengths, Morbius' dialogue, though funny for a conclusion, is indicative of one end of an awkward characterization. Dialogue typically reads along the lines of an awkward statesman, but lacks seniority, or convincing competence. He sounds less European, and more like a character lost for words, which is not what I would imagine of any interpretation of Morbius.
Then again, at the risk of sounding underhanded, no one has ever accused Bendis of writing a terrific smart person.

I really want to at least cast a positive light on the fact that good sense was applied to restrict this to a two-issue arc. As is, I can at least derive some enjoyment from this as a disposable piece of fun. Though Morbius is utterly malformed for no fantastic reason, the broad disappointment is the total inconsequentiality of the entire story. Though peppered within are B-story plot elements concerning Parker's relationship with X-Woman, Kitty Pryde, the bulk of the subject matter here is of no interest.

I would've loved to have seen a six-issue arc that placed a real weight on Blade and Morbius, but alas, that wasn't to be, and may have ultimately been familiar to the point of further emphasising the redundancy of the Ultimate universe.
It should be said that Bendis can write, and he can even write paced, very well, and I fully acknowledge this. It just seems USM fails to deliver in the same way Daredevil has -- and lord knows I've nibbled at the title enough to know!

Bagley is a treat, and I thoroughly look forward to what comes of his work at DC. With a hint of tongue in the cheek, Bagley has often been referenced as getting sick of working with Spider-man. It was earlier this year that Stuart Immonen graduated up to pencilling chores as Bagley exited with a writer/artist record for consecutive issues that cracked previous holders, Lee and Kirby on FF.

I honestly struggle to imagine what Bagley will draw for the company. Flash, perhaps for nothing more than a vague similarity to the physically kinetic Spidey, is one character that comes to mind. If I had a suggestion, it might be a 52-esque weekly series that covers a variety of characters sufficient to ease readers into a Bagley-drawn DCU.

The Fix: 4 The Issue: 3
Winner: Morbius

A rare Infinite Wars double-stat, handing Morbius victories for beating Spidey AND the vampires, with a web-slinging assist for the latter. I would also say it's rare we have such negatively strong opinions about a book, and hope readers can walk away interested and contemplative, rather than offended.

GHOST RIDER/FRANK DRAKE
versus BLADE
Hunters (Marvel comics)
Where: Ghost Rider #40 When: August 1993
Why: Howard Mackie How: Ron Garney

The story so far...
When a black envelope containing a page of the legendary book of mysticism, the Darkhold, is read by Blade, he becomes a living vessel for the rebirth of the Demogorge.

With Blade's own hatred to spark the fire, he marches through the mystic underworld with the sole intent of eradicating all demons, magicks and supernaturally touched spirits that exist throughout the world -- absorbing their powers as they fall by his sword!

With Hannibal King and John Blaze having already fallen to Blade, their allies and fellow members of the fabled Nine; Daniel Ketch and Frank Drake; must chase their former ally and put an end to his unwavering massacre.

Previous Form:
Blade (#30): A defeat at the hands of Wolverine.
Ghost Rider/Frank Drake/Demogoblin: Each making their Infinite Wars debut.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Ghost Rider 4 (Steroid Popper)
Intelligence: Blade 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Blade 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Ghost Rider 6 (Generator)
Agility: Blade 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting Ability: Blade 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Powers: Ghost Rider 5 (Lasers)


- Like Johnny Blaze before him, Daniel Ketch carries the curse of the Ghost Rider with him. These hellborne powers grant him fantastic powers that may be used in the pursuit of righteous vengeance. Powers that include; super strength, durability, speed, control over the hellcycle, hellfire, and mystic chains.

One of Ghost Rider's most unique weapons is the penance stare, a supernatural glare that allows him to inflict the suffering of an enemy's crimes back upon them.

- Frank Drake is descended from the legendary vampire lord, Count Dracula, from the bloodline started before Dracula became the vampire. The Drakes pursue the curse of their association throughout the generations, changing their name to Drake to remove the stink of Dracula's plague.

Though he does not possess any superhuman capabilities, Frank Drake is well versed in various hand-to-hand combat styles, and advanced weaponry. He is also intimately familiar with the supernatural, and thus not easily intimidated.

- In a whorehouse in London, a child was born into the world, destined for greatness. When the vampire Deacon Frost feasted on the woman in labour, he inadvertently passed along certain enzymes that would eventually granted Eric Roberts the strengths of a vampire, with none of their weaknesses as the Daywalker -- Blade!

Blade lives up to his name, highly skilled with various forms of weaponry and munitions. A dedicated vampire hunter, Blade is skilled in the martial arts, and a thorough tactician with an arsenal of weapons that compliment his acquired enhanced strength, speed, senses, durability and reflexes.

Having taken a page of the Darkhold from the black envelope, Blade has become possessed by the Demogorge. His ability to sense the supernatural is enhanced, as well as a new ability to absorb the powers of the mystics he kills.

- The Demogoblin is a demon who crossed over to Earth after a deal was made by Jason Macendale to gain enhanced powers in his battle with Spider-man.
Eventually split from the Hobgoblin, Demogoblin would go out on his own as a dark shade of his former host. Like Ghost Rider, Demogoblin claims the righteous path of vengeance, pledging to war against those he dubs sinner by his own twisted moral code.

Demogoblin possesses superhuman strength, speed, and a mystic arsenal modelled on the Hobgoblin including; a flaming bat-glider, flaming bats, and flaming pumpkin bombs.

The Math: Blade The Pick: Ghost Rider/Drake

What went down...
Drawn to The Crown Cafe nightclub; Blade, possessing the power of the Demogorge, follows the scent of the occult, stalking the mystic, Seer.
Not far behind, the Demogoblin wins the race with Ghost Rider to reach Blade, hoping to pledge himself to the Demogorge's extinction agenda of all things supernatural. The potential conflict of interests is lost on the demon, who pursues attempts to barter his usefulness.

Blade invites Demogoblin to serve him by throwing himself on his sword, but is soon distracted by the priority of the fleeing Seer. When she narrowly escapes the tip of his katana, Demogoblin again pledges his use when Ghost Rider and Frank Drake finally arrive on the scene!

Ghost Rider snags Blade in the coil of his mystic chain, while Frank Drake turns the non-lethal blast of his plasma cannon on their former ally, hoping to pacify him without lethality. It is Drake's hope the Demogorge's actions may be reversed.

Demogoblin comes to Blade's rescue, hurling several exploding demonic pumpkin bombs at the spirits of vengeance. He snatches Blade up, making an airborne escape to pursue the fleeing young female.

Determined to protect Seer, Ghost Rider summons his hellcycle outside the nightclub and speeds ahead of Drake to catch up to Demogoblin and Blade.
The two homicidal demons are found atop a skyscraper, where Demogoblin continues to pursue an alliance with the Demogorge, offering to sacrifice Seer as a tribute.

The Demogorge again refuses, turning on Demogoblin with the intent to make both mystics his victims. Before he can do so, the flaming wheels of the Ghost Rider's hellcycle cut a path that snatches Seer from Demogoblin's grip, and pulls her to safety.

Drawing his sword, Blade stalks toward the Ghost Rider. He notes an oversight in not coming after him after killing his fellows, Blaze and King, something Ghost Rider no doubt takes an exception to.

Despite the desire for vengeance, Ghost Rider is swatted with ease by Blade, who grows increasingly powerful with each confrontation. Blade declares a death-feud on members of the mystical Nine, starting with the Rider!

Ghost Rider steadys himself and declares his strength great enough to resist Blade at his current power level. Again hoping to engender goodwill from the slaughtering possessor of the Demogorge, Demogoblin leaps up to snag Ghost Rider in a sleeper hold -- noting their combined powers great enough to defeat the spirit of vengeance!

Demogoblin is finally forced to 'take the hint', suffering the Demogorge's uncompromising mission, impaled upon Blade's sword along with Daniel Ketch; the Ghost Rider. The demon smoulders with hellfire in death, as Blade's body absorbs the hellacious powers.

As Seer teleports to gather reenforcements; Blade turns his newly acquired powers on the Ghost Rider. His enhanced strength appears to give him the upperhand as he blasts the already battered Rider with bursts of flame.

The Demogorge chains Ghost Rider to a radio tower, taking his mystic shotgun to use Ghost Rider's powers against him in a literal sense. He turns the gun on him, blasting him with streams of hellfire that burn even the spirit of vengeance.
Unable to risk turning back to his human form of Dan Ketch, the Ghost Rider has no choice to endure the pain until --

-- Drake finally catches up with his partner, foregoing any attempts to talk reason into Blade to instead turn his weapon on him. With a burst of green energy, Drake stuns Blade long enough to retrieve Ghost Rider from the bonds of his own chains, and see him safely escape to summon the aid of others.

Slumped over his hellcycle, Ghost Rider flies on a path to find Louise Hastings of the Darkhold Redeemers, with a promise to stop Blade. A promise the further mutating possessor of the Demogorge denies, with a wag of his newly acquired demonic tongue.

The hammer...
On the strength of the physical dominance Blade showed over Ghost Rider and Demogoblin, I very nearly gave it to the Daywalker on points. On review, I think it's got to be a draw, given Drake went unscathed, and Ghost Rider managed to make a getaway.
A surprise loss for Demogoblin, however, with the kill to Blade.

So, when it came to quickly grabbing a stack of titles to choose from for Halloween, there were two characters that immediately jumped to mind: Ghost Rider and Blade! I mean, what would any good Halloween theme be without a dose of demons and vampires?

Typically when people refer to the variant/gimmick cover craze of the nineties, it's a title like Ghost Rider that gets harsh disapproval, sporting an array of metallic, blacks, and glow-in-the-dark specials. I, some would say fortunately, didn't spend much of my time with the Midnight Sons in the nineteen nineties, so was never particularly affected by this, or any other gimmick cover scam.
Still, I look back on those missed opportunities with some disappointment, because I'd really love to be able to browse over this corner of the Marvel universe.

Perhaps the only greater shame to come from the popularity of the 'darkside' in the nineties, is the way it's been defined and overshadowed by it's lesser qualities. I did one of my occasional google searches before delivering this entry, disappointed to find mostly ebay merchants, outdated sites, and the odd cult reference to something from these books.

In their own way, these books connect with me in a way I wish more titles did.
Behind awkward cut-off references to story chapters to come in other series and convoluted magic: a sensibility that pays careful attention to it's characters and the rules within which they operate. Like the allure of Daredevil and Marvel's criminal underworld, the supernatural equivalent is filled with interesting characters all too often overlooked.

Recent efforts to relaunch titles like Blade and Ghost Rider have been, well, to put it politely, destined for failure. Blade in particular was a series that had a very successful model to work off from the first feature film, but instead played a card that committed neither to the pop-references of Marvel's superhero universe, or the independent culture of the vampire/magic scene.

Ghost Rider succeeded, at least in it's initial issues, in steering closer to it's origins as a supernatural-western thriller, but did so with meandering plot, and disengaging familiarities from Johnny Blaze/Satan stories past. That was, of course, before devolving in ways similar to Blade, getting wrapped up in crossovers like World War Hulk, which to be honest, attracted my attentions far more than the bland Satan stories.

You have to admire a commitment to direction by Marvel, but why it would be those particular directions that would garner such favour, I'll never know.
Even on a visual asthetic, Howard Chaykin's Blade grossly removed itself from the contemporary chic of the Blade films, bogging themselves down in ugly jawlines, and dated looking pencils, designs and washed out eighties colours.
The stake/gun-hand didn't help matters much, either.

From today's stack of talent, it's almost too obvious to talk about your Maleevs, Larks and Ajas for something like Blade, Ghost Rider, or the Midnight Sons; but in contrast to what we have seen, they remain the overlooked obvious.
Mind you, I have to mention, the style of these particular issues from the nineties remains something that stands out as something unique. Not so much the pencils, which don't differ greatly from standard superhero work, but the inks!

The old artistic edict 'when in doubt, black it out' is left behind as the darkness of this world is visually represented by a wanton use of flat blacks. Chris Ivy slathers black both in and out of panels, blurring the lines between where the action begins and ends, lending a stylistic difference to the style more commonly seen in hyperactive sprawls of panel-to-panel wall breaking.

A lot of this stuff, as far as I know, remains uncollected.
Sprouting icicles on the end of what's hot, and what's not, these books get kicked back in favour of the vogue of seventies back issues. Dan Ketch is absent, while Johnny Blaze again takes the reigns of the Ghost Rider franchise.

Maybe I'm looking at this stuff through rose coloured glasses, or maybe the goggles of confusion that sprout several hours after midnight, but with the success of these franchises on film every fanboys must ponder the same question: Why aren't they being made to work on the page?

It's worth mentioning that, although David Goyer's first Blade script distilled the character to much of what makes him so fantastic in a contemporary setting -- the character had already evolved much to this point in the comics themselves.
Those inclined to argue against a fictional drastic revamp would do well to remember this, as would the movie-going kids out there under the impression Blade was a jive-talking 'fro flinger until Hollywood got a hold of him.

No doubt the answers to secrets such as these, and many others, remain under the cosmic guard of Bahlactus! Like a giant purple urban legend, Bahlactus is said to scour the infinite webspace every Friday, seeking out suckers who would be punched, on this night of fights! Dare you risk hellfire, damnation and a Ghost Rider movie sequel by clicking his link to know for sure? ~SPOOKY!!!~

The Fight: 3.5 The Issue: 4.5

[Not surprising of a fledgling comics writer and superhero fanboy, I can't seem to stop grumbling about the imagined promise of a regular Marvel comic that would give a platform to the goings on of the urban underworld. Punisher, Daredevil, Deadpool, Sabretooth, Morbius, Dr. Strange, Blade, Ghost Rider, Cloak & Dagger... The list of characters that could find new life is endless!]