In the year 2099, there is a new Blade on the block, and he’s teaming up with that world’s Spider-Man. Miguel O’Hara, the Spider-Man of 2099, is facing a new foe in Carnage for the Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis series. Already, this new Carnage is proving to be one of the most dangerous symbiotes to enter the Marvel Universe, let alone in Miguel’s life. To take on what arguably could be the biggest challenge of his superhero career thus far, Miguel is going to need to team up with some all-new heroes on the horizon.
Enter Blade 2099, showcased on Rod Reis’ cover art for Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis #2 by Steve Orlando and Justin Mason, recently shared by League of Comic Geeks. Blade will be emerging out of Nueva York as one of Miguel’s new allies joining him in the quest to stop Carnage from decimating the city. Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis #2 is due to be released on May 10, 2023. Reis’ variant, as well as Nick Bradshaw’s official cover art, can be found further below.
Who Is Blade 2099?
Much remains to be revealed about Blade 2099, but there are enough details to be interested in what the character could offer moving forward. For starters, this version of Blade is not as much a vampire hunter as he is a zombie hunter. Much like how Blade was a half-vampire who hunted evil vamps, this Blade appears to be half-zombie, with sketches of the character revealing the lower part of his face to be zombified. The sketches also reveal that this katana-wielding, flesh-consuming zombie hunter is both the son of the original Blade and his real name is Wesley Nakao. For those unaware, Wesley is also the name of the actor who played the Blade character in the first movie trilogy, Wesley Snipes.
This Blade Is a Perfect Merge of Old and New
In terms of the character’s conception, this is the perfect marriage between subverting expectations while also paying homage to the past. The zombie element puts a new twist on the classic idea of Blade. Meanwhile, giving him the name Wesley pays homage to the movies, which played a huge part in growing the character’s popularity. It’s a far apart departure from the past that doesn’t detract from it. In fact, it simultaneously honors the past that came before it.
In terms of the character’s biography and hidden history, it offers some interesting origins for the new Blade, most notably having him be the son of the previous Blade (whose whereabouts the bio mentions appear to be unknown in the year 2099). This is especially interesting as Blade’s daughter currently has her own ongoing series. One has to wonder if Blade’s daughter will be making an appearance to join the fight in this series, or even if their father himself will be making his appearance. Only time will tell when Blade 2099 makes a grand entrance to join Spider-Man 2099 in his most harrowing fight yet.
Spider-Man 2099: Dark Genesis #2 will be available starting May 10.
Source: League of Comic Geeks
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
