Before he ever picked up a sword to hunt vampires, Wesley Snipes was already someone I paid attention to. Sidney Deane, the smooth-talking streetball hustler in White Men Can’t Jump. Chief John Cutter, the airline security expert going up against hijackers in Passenger 57. Simon Phoenix, the unhinged villain in Demolition Man. Snipes always brought something different to every role. Cool, dangerous, and impossible to ignore.
So in 1998, when he was cast to play Eric Brooks, better known as Blade, it felt like the right actor landing the right role. Years before Marvel Studios and the MCU as we know it even existed, Blade was already there, proving a Marvel character could carry its own film and be taken seriously on the big screen. Everything that came after owes something to that one.
The Figure
Long black coat with the red lining that only shows when he moves. The vest, the stake holster loaded and ready on his hip. The sword in his hand. Even the sunglasses. Every detail built for a man who hunts in the dark and walks straight through daylight without a scratch.
Blade came from the same source as my Ghost Rider, TNS Toys, direct from the manufacturer in China. Same reason too. When you are collecting for the detail and the craftsmanship, the name on the box stops mattering.
Two of Marvel’s originals, both bought the same way, both standing in my collection now. Long before capes became big business, these two were already doing the work.
Happy collecting — if something makes you smile, buy it. You’re investing in your happiness.
Sharing my piece of Neverland…
Figure This Out 