With the mystery solved, the people present formed the Mighty Avengers, and went to find the Deathwalkers. The Bear explained that she herself was the result of a failed attempt of the Deathwalkers to extinguish humanity in 1908 and that they would try to do it again. They started investigating the murder as soon as The Bear appeared, and presented herself as the killer of that creature, in self-defense, as she wanted to prevent the Deathwalkers from using it for a sacrifice. As soon as detective James Lucas, Constance Molina, and Adam Brashear arrived at the scene, the fight was stopped when Blade realized he was among allies. When looking for the corpse in a morgue, he discovered Kaluu investigating the body with magic, and attacked him believing him to be a vampire and an enemy. On November 7, 1972, the murder of a bat-like monster in New York brought Blade's attention. However, Dracula soon was resurrected by his servants and exacted revenge by murdering the band of vampire hunters, leaving only Musenda and Blade alive. It was during this battle that Blade's companion would try out wooden knives of his own design and find that they work just as well as stakes. They nearly succeeded in destroying Dracula by driving a stake into his heart. However, Dracula would soon find that this was all a trap and that they were really a group of vampire killers. Dracula met these associates: Ogun, Azu, Musenda, and Orji. Intrigued, Dracula agreed to go with Blade to meet his associates. Blade further enticed Dracula with this idea telling him that they had facilitated a plan that would speed up global conquest by vampires to only ten years. Blade went to Dracula and told him he represented a group of men who believed that in another sixty years vampires would rule the world, and that realizing humanity had no chance against their "superior," Blade would offer his and his associates assistance to carry on Dracula's bidding during the daytime. 1968Īfter stalking the night on his own for a number of years, Blade became a part of a small band of like-minded individuals hunting Dracula consisting of Musenda, Orji, Ogun, and Azu. Finally, Blade and Afari split up when Jamal willingly took the fall for murder when Blade killed a man (who was suffering from a derangement), whom he mistook for a vampire. Afari taught Eric everything he knew about hunting, fighting, and killing vampires.ĭetermined to avenge his mother's death, Eric fashioned himself into a vampire hunter like Afari while still a teenager and started calling himself Blade, after the sharp weapons with which he used to kill vampires. Afari soon learned about Eric and his origins and decided to take him under his wing, becoming his mentor and foster-father and helping him to control his powers. While he was growing up on the street of London, he ran into American veteran Vampire Slayer, Jamal Afari and saved him from being killed by vampires with a grudge against the old man. Frost was driven away before he could slay the child, but Tara perished, leaving the orphaned Eric Brooks to be raised at Madame Vanity's brothel. In other words half-human, half-vampire also called a Dhampir. The enzymes entered the infant's bloodstream, transforming him into a being tainted by a vampire's kiss, but not converted. The doctor, Deacon Frost, was actually a ravenous vampire and feasted on the woman as she gave birth, passing on a series of enzymes that altered her baby. Experiencing labor complications, Tara was forced to seek a doctor's assistance. There she took the name "Vanessa Brooks" and found shelter with brothel owner Madame Vanity, another member of the Order of Tyrana.
His father, Lucas Cross, a member of the secret society the Order of Tyrana, sent his pregnant wife Tara to England before he was taken prisoner in Latveria. Eric Brooks was born in Soho, London, on the 24th October 1922.