Posted in: Avengers, Comics, Comics Publishers, Current News, Doctor Strange, Marvel Comics | Tagged: blade, Blood Hunt, Varnae

Blood Hunt #4 Goes Back To Marvel 30 & 42 Years Ago (Big Spoilers)

Tomorrow's Blood Hunt #4 goes back to Marvel Comics thirty and forty-two years ago. Time to crank open the back issues and Marvel Unlimited

Tomorrow sees the publication of Blood Hunt #4, the lastest issue in the event series that has taken over the Marvel Universe. Big spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers. Bleeding Cool has pointed out that a few of the spinoff Blood Hunt series may have a little more tie-in to the main event than is often the case in such Marvel Comics event crossovers. So a certain revelation about just why Blade is doing what he's been doing…

Makes a tad more sense if you have been reading the Black Panther Blood Hunt spinoff looking at the history of Wakandan vampires.

And now brought smack bang into the present.

Although, yes, reading Blade The Vampire Hunter #5 from November 1994, written by Ian Edgington, pencilled by Douglas H Wheatley, inked by Steve Moncuse, lettered by Richard Starkings, coloured by Zom Ziuko, edited by Chris Cooper who just won an Emmy, might also help.

Just in case you thought this referred to the recent Blade comic book series rather than the one from thirty years ago.

As for Varnae himself, he was created for Marvel by Steve Perry and Steve Bissette for Bizarre Adventures #33 forty-two years ago in 1982. As the ancient vampire that sired Dracula.

A comic book that was selling for about ten dollars a few months ago and has suddenly jumped in recent seeks to $25. Could it go higher.

Revealed to have predated humanity, as well as having survived Atlantis.

He even was there to witness the coming of Jesus Christ.

In the nineties, before the Blade appearance, he popped up in Conan The Barbarian and Doctor Strange, as writer Roy Thomas added the history of the character as an Atlantean and a foe of Conan and Red Sonja…

While Roy Thomas and JM Lofficier wrote a new history in Doctor Strange: Sorceror Supreme #15 in 1990 as sire of Dracula and more, alongside the Montesi forumula used to kill all the vampires…

…or bringing them all back again. Revealed to have served in the cult of the Darkholders under Thulsa Doom, transformed into a vampire by sorcerers of pre-Cataclysmic Atlantis and the last surviving vampire before the Great Cataclysm, and so ruled over Earth's vampires.

So while Marvel Comics Presents #66 by Len Kaminski and Don Heck from 1990 saw tales of Varnae turning viking settlers in America, under Thor's protection…

… still going on about how old he was.

…it would be Doctor Strange that would bring him back to the present day.

In Doctor Strange: Sorceror Supreme #18 by Roy and Dann Thomas, drawn by Jackson Guice from 1990.

… for brief years, read centuries. Also those who have been following the Strange Academy Blood Hunt mini-series, their appearance in tomorrow's Blood Hunt #4 may be less of a surprise, as they have been trying to stop Doctor Strange using the Montesi spell, which would kill their classmate…

… even when they turn up with Doctor Doom. Who just popped up at the end of the most recent issue of that series.

And yes, Jed MacKay's recent Moon Knight series also plays its part. It has always played its part.

Those Marvel Unlimited servers should be humming tomorrow, as people try and play catch up! Blood Hunt #4 by Jed MacKay and Pepe Larraz is published tomorrow by Marvel Comics including a Red Band edition.

BLOOD HUNT #4
MARVEL COMICS
APR240576
(W) Jed MacKay (A/CA) Pepe Larraz
Doctor Strange and Clea court a dread ally – but at what cost comes this aid? Hunter's Moon and Tigra do the same- but can this shadowy figure be trusted? And meanwhile, the Avengers are given the battle they so sorely crave in order to avenge their fallen friends. But in the darkness…a light?
Rated T+In Shops: Jun 26, 2024
SRP: $4.99

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