‘BLADE THE VAMPIRE HUNTER’/’THE IMMORTAL VAMPIRE’
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‘BLADE THE VAMPIRE HUNTER’ (Part 1)
Whilst the Man-Spider issue has been reversed but not cured, Spider-Man continues to track down the vampire-like Morbius who is still terrorising New York. Here we are on the two-part story that concludes the Morbius arc for Season 2 of ‘Spider-Man’. This also introduces a brand new character.
Spider-Man meets Blade the Vampire Hunter who can help him out to track down Morbius. Blade is another Marvel superhero character whose focus is on defeating vampires. I don’t know much about Blade as a character, although I’m aware he’s had his own movies which star Wesley Snipes as Blade.
I’m not a fan of vampire stories, even though I may have written a few ‘Doctor Who‘ stories concerning vampirism. I don’t mind vampires in a sci-fi or a superhero context and it works fine for me with Spidey meeting up with Blade who’s pretty hell-bent about destroying Morbius as a vampire.
Seeing Blade in this ‘Spidey’ two-parter does make him come across as angry and vengeful. He can’t understand why Spidey would want to protect Morbius, not knowing that it all happened as an accident. Blade also wants to destroy the machine that had created Michael Morbius as a vampire.
It was interesting to hear the backstory of Blade as a Marvel character since he’s half-human, half-vampire. He was trained by Abraham Whistler to become a vampire hunter whilst he was growing up as a kid. Blade also goes about in a black outfit and rides a motorcycle when he’s hunting for vampires.
Peter Parker gets his own issues when he’s called up by Mary Jane to attend ESU as the police want to meet and question people concerning the vampire incidents caused by Morbius. Terri Lee forcibly questions Peter about the whereabouts of Spider-Man, which causes Felicia Hardy to become upset.
Outside, Peter consoles Felicia when she’s upset and is missing Michael Morbius, whom she doesn’t know yet has become a vampire. Mary Jane witnesses Peter and Felicia together and soon invites Harry out to dinner instead. This is where Harry and Mary Jane starting dating with each other here.
Spidey gets treatment given him to by Dr. Connors concerning his mutation which seems to be coming back to him now and again. The first episode concludes with Spidey and Blade working together as they go off hunting for Morbius in New York City. It might end up being a very long night…
‘THE IMMORTAL VAMPIRE’ (Part 2)
In the second episode called ‘The Immortal Vampire’, Spider-Man and Blade struggle to work together as a team. Spidey keeps fending off Blade’s attempts to kill Morbius whilst Blade wants to have his own way. Spidey also struggles to tame Morbius who seems to prefer being a vampire now.
Police detective Terri Lee also joins in on the hunt for Morbius with Spider-Man and Blade. Terri Lee begins to form a romantic attachment to Blade in the episode. It’s interesting to see how Blade and Terri Lee become romantically interested in each other. Blade however won’t risk any romance here.
Peter Parker also goes as himself to help Blade and Terri Lee with capturing Morbius. This is because Morbius wants another blood sample of Peter’s in order to keep going. Peter acquires a Daily Bugle newspaper van in order to use it to capture Morbius whilst in flight with Blade and Terri Lee inside it.
Romantic problems ensue for Peter when Mary Jane confronts him about their relationship together. Peter lies to Mary Jane that he wants to be with Felicia in order to get her away before Morbius comes. This results with Peter witnessing Mary Jane dating Harry Osborn from now on here.
I wonder why Peter couldn’t say to Mary Jane that he was working on a special project for the Daily Bugle or something instead of lying to her that he prefers Felicia. I know it was on the spur of the moment and he had to get Mary Jane out of harm’s way, but Peter could’ve done better and not lie.
Anyway, the plan goes wrong with capturing Morbius. Morbius soon kidnaps Aunt May. Peter is shocked and he soon goes out as Spider-Man to hunt for Morbius in order to get Aunt May back. He also tries to stop Morbius from kidnapping Felicia Hardy. Sadly he’s too late as Felicia gets captured.
This is where Felicia Hardy discovers that Michael Morbius has become a vampire and he now wants to turn her into a vampire like him. Thankfully, Spidey and Blade stop him, but the machine to transform Felicia into a vampire turns on Morbius as he soon becomes a giant vampire bat creature.
Morbius soon flies away and Spidey saves Felicia and Aunt May from harm. I like how Peter/Spidey takes Aunt May home; puts her on her bed and she calls to him. He answers as Peter in his Spider-Man suit. Morbius is now alone somewhere at sea as he hides in a cave. Will we see Morbius again?
‘Blade The Vampire Hunter’/’The Immortal Vampire’ rating – 8/10
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