There is no denying that fans were bummed when a new Blade movie failed to make it through the Hollywood meat grinder. Marvel had the character, the money and an audience ready to see the Daywalker return, but years of delays, changes and behind the scenes uncertainty ultimately left the project wandering through the shadows. At this point, fans may have to accept that the version of Blade they were hoping to see in the MCU may never happen.
But before the MCU ever got its fangs into the character, Wesley Snipes was already Blade. His portrayal became the definitive live action version for an entire generation of horror and comic book fans, and Snipes famously summed up the situation rather perfectly: “There’s only one Blade.” Mezco seems to agree, because the company is bringing the iconic vampire hunter to its One:12 Collective line, and our wallets are already feeling a little nervous.
The new One:12 Collective Blade stands approximately 16.5 centimeters tall and features more than 30 points of articulation, giving collectors plenty of room to put the Daywalker into action. Three interchangeable head portraits allow for different expressions, including a neutral look, an angry expression and a yelling portrait that appears ready for some serious vampire extermination.
Naturally, Blade wouldn’t be Blade without enough weaponry to make a vampire nervous.
Mezco has equipped him with two custom submachine guns, a customized large machine gun with a sliding forestock and removable blade, two throwing glaives, three stakes and a katana. The weapons can also be incorporated into the figure’s costume, with removable soft goods gun holsters attached to the belt and a thigh mounted sheath for the stakes. The katana comes with its own sheath and soft goods shoulder strap.
The clothing gets the same attention to detail. Blade wears a protective vest over a long sleeve shirt, tactical trousers with integrated kneepads and combat boots, topped off by his signature trench coat. The coat includes forearm guards and a blood red lining, while the overall combination gives the figure the unmistakable look of Blade.
Collectors also receive 14 interchangeable hands, covering a variety of display and weapon holding options. The set includes a pair of posing hands, a pair designed to hold the throwing glaives, a pair for combat knives, a pair for firearms, a pair of fists, a pair of gripping hands and another pair of posing hands. Two pairs of sunglasses are also included, because Blade apparently refuses to compromise on looking cool while hunting the undead.
Rounding out the package is a One:12 Collective display base featuring the Blade logo and an adjustable display post. The figure comes packaged in a collector friendly box designed to keep everything together when the Daywalker isn’t busy terrorizing your display shelf.
Now excuse us while we check the bank account. The vampires aren’t the only ones getting drained.