"Blood Hunt" is an American comic book crossover event, written by Jed MacKay with art by Pepe Larraz and Marte Gracia, published in 2024 by Marvel Comics. The event involves the rise of the Vampire Nation, which is united by a single vision for the first time in millennia.[1]
At the New York Comic Convention in October 2023, Marvel Comics teased "Blood Hunt" as the next major crossover event that will command its own main limited series, as well as tie-in issues and spinoff limited series.[2]
Blood Hunt is announced as a five-issue limited series written by the current Avengers scribe Jed MacKay debuting in May 2024. The series is a culmination of a naturally building story about the vampire apocalypse involving the Avengers, Blade, Bloodline, Spider-Man, Morbius, Hunter's Moon, Tigra, Doctor Strange, and Clea.[3]
Plot
Lead-Up
As Spider-Man fights a villain named Doctor Dark who has Darkforce abilities, he suddenly releases Darkforce, which rises to the sky. Meanwhile, Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman notice numerous dimensional breaches, including one to the Darkforce Dimension. In Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, Daredevil senses the Darkforce and springs into action against the attacking vampires, saving as many civilians as he can. In an alley, Blade's daughter Bloodline battles the vampires until Dracula shows up. He states that the world is ending and advises her to come with him to save it.[4]
Main plot
The Darkforce Dimension empties onto Earth, blocking out the Sun and transforming Blackout, Cloak, Darkstar, Dusk, Silhouette, and Shroud into portals. As the Avengers are fighting off vampires, Blade tells them to meet at the Impossible City. However, they are attacked by the Bloodcoven and forced to evacuate. At the Sanctum Sanctorum, Doctor Strange and Clea Strange attempt to end the attacks using the Montesi Formula, which would kill all vampires. However, they are unable to do so because the spell requires the Darkhold, which is no longer in their possession. They then learn that Blade is the leader of the vampires.[5][6][7][8]
At Impossible City, Blade sends the Bloodcoven and a vampiric Black Panther to Earth. Meanwhile, Tigra, Hunter's Moon, and Miles Morales meet with Strange, Dracula, and the Avengers, during which Miles is suddenly transformed into a vampire before Strange and Clea restore his mind.[9][10] Blade then orders Black Panther to re-target the Mass-Translocation Drives, summoning Atlantis' Temple of the First Blasphemy from underwater.[11]
Black Panther learns that Varnae is possessing Blade, while Doctor Doom meets with Strange and Clea in Latveria and reveals his goal to usurp Strange's position as Sorcerer Supreme to gain the power necessary to defeat the vampires. Meanwhile, a resurrected Marc Spector leads the undead Fists of Khonshu against the vampires and Black Panther reveals to Varnae that his healing factor will gradually reverse his transformation.[12]
In Latveria, Doom takes part of Strange's soul and powers and works with the Strange Academy students to repel the vampires as the Scarlet Witch frees Blade from Varnae's possession. In the aftermath, Doom refuses to return Strange's powers to him and Miles remains a vampire, but learns that he and the other vampires have mysteriously become immune to sunlight.[13]
Tie-ins
Vengeance of the Moon Knight
At the Midnight Mission, Andrea Sterman discusses Shroud's identity with 8-Ball, revealing his history as a Moon Knight impostor. Shroud reflects on his past, acknowledging his failures before uncontrollably releasing Darkforce energy.[14][15][16] Reese, 8-Ball, and Soldier battle the vampires and evacuate people to the Midnight Mission before freeing Khonshu, who had previously been imprisoned in Asgard.[17] Moon Knight then thanks Khonshu and persuades Wrecker to fight with them before leading the Fists of Khonshu to New York City.[18]
Amazing Spider-Man
In New York City, Spider-Man discovers that White Rabbit has been transformed into a vampire and is instructed to kill the vampire who transformed her, which will return her to normal. However, he is reluctant to do so, leading Tombstone's henchman Kareem to commit the murder instead. Spider-Man is enraged by this, but resumes his battle against the vampires before encountering the Lizard.[19][20]
Avengers
Captain America puts out an alert calling the Avengers members to join the fight against the vampires. Joined by Hercules, Kate Bishop, Quicksilver, and Hazmat, he battles Baron Blood, who attacks the group with an army of Nazi vampires. During the fight, Captain America enters the Helicarrier to force Blood out of it, ultimately forcing him to retreat.[21][22][23]
Blood Hunters
As police try to arrest Clint Barton, the sky goes dark and vampires attack; Clint takes out his bow. As Hawkeye, he organizes the survivors. John Jameson battles the vampires as the Man-Wolf before being attacked by his father J. Jonah Jameson, who believes him to be a vampire. Meanwhile, Dagger is forced to face the vampires alone due to Cloak's transformation before being saved by Elsa Bloodstone.[24][25]
Bruce Banner awakens in a well surrounded by dead bodies, but escapes before he can drown. He is then confronted by vampires who previously fed on his blood before staking them. At the Hudson River, Kate Barton (as Hawkeye) is fighting vampires with help from Lucky the Pizza Dog and Dante Malik. Kate and Dante speak with two glowing girls nicknamed Search and Destroy.[a] Earlier at Bloodstone Manor, Elsa Bloodstone and Frankenstein's Monster are attacked by Charles Barnabus. They create a restraining spell before Elsa leaves. In the present, Elsa and Dagger are confronted by more vampires, including Yelena Belova.[26][27][28]
At the Latverian embassy in Alberia, Tatiana Keska is speaking with the other people there about the vampire invasion as she narrates how she and her fellow Latverians have to put up with Doctor Doom. Just then, the lights go out and the vampires attack before Doom rescues Tatiana and kills the vampires.[b] Meanwhile, Levi, a farmer, encounters Hellcow and her child Hellcalf before they kill him, and Hallows' Eve battles the vampires in Brooklyn.[29]
On the planet Ydrea, Silver Surfer encounters Aranthalla, who has become a conduit for the Darkforce, and enters it to help her. He then harnesses the orbiting asteroids to restore day and night to Ydrea before leaving to help Darkforce wielders on other planets. At the 2nd Circle club, Satana is trying to get through to Blade as vampires attack and fends them off. Meanwhile, Hallows' Eve battles vampires using a Spider-Man mask that grants her his abilities, and Dagger discovers that her Lightforce powers can restore vampires to normal.[30]
Doctor Strange
Blade battles Doctor Strange and transforms him into a vampire after revealing himself as the leader of the Structure.[c] As a result, Strange is forced to astral project and abandon his body, as his soul was not transformed.[31][32][33]
Dracula battles the vampires and encounters Blade's daughter Bloodline, who is reluctant to kill her father.[36][37][38] After Bloodline is knocked unconscious, she suffers a hallucination where Blade is her teacher in a medieval Atlanta. Bloodline breaks free from the hallucination when her mother calls her, and the two decide to rescue Blade without killing him.[39]
Strange Academy: Blood Hunt
The students of the Strange Academy are visiting New Orleans when the vampires attack before being rescued by Doctor Voodoo. Doctor Strange tasks them with finding the Darkhold in Madripoor to stop the vampires.[40][41] However, they learn that the Darkhold has assumed a human form and no longer wants to be evil. Afterwards, Doctor Doom approaches the students and asks for their help in banishing the vampires.[42][43]
Venom
Eddie Brock's son Dylan Brock and Toxin encounter and battle a vampiric priest and the symbiote known as the Captive.[44] After the Captive is defeated, Meridius arrives where he meets and fuses with Lee Price, who abandons the Venom symbiote. Meridius leaves stating to the Venom symbiote that Eddie Brock will return and "then the war can begin".[45]
Amazing Spider-Man: Blood Hunt
Misty Knight meets with Spider-Man, claiming that she and Lizard have a cure for the vampires.[46] The three realize that the vampires are following Lizard's genome accelerator before battling a vampiric Colleen Wing.[47] They then work with Morbius to create a cure for newer vampires, but are unable to do so to older vampires.[48]
Black Panther: Blood Hunt
In the Djalia, Black Panther meets with Bast's panthers and asks for their help in protecting Wakanda before battling the Azde, a group of African vampires. Blade advises him to find certain temples or else he will raze Wakanda.[49] Bast takes Black Panther to her sister Anuket, who tells them to destroy Varnae's temple.[50] They contact Impossible City to send the temple to Central Park.[51]
Midnight Sons: Blood Hunt
In Arizona, Danny Ketch is visited by Tulip. who informs him about Blade's recent activity and suspects that something has motivated him. She suggests that they enlist Ghost Rider for help. The three and the Midnight Sons battle the vampires and worry about Blade, believing that none of his original personality is left.[52][53] They learn that Chicago Med Hospital is inhabited by a demonic entity and work together to banish it.[53]
Wolverine: Blood Hunt
In California, west of Barstow, Wolverine is attacked by vampires and saved by Louise, a member of the Nightguard who he had previously worked with.[e] The two are attacked by vampire mercenaries of the Claw Sect, during which Wolverine temporarily transforms into a vampire to fight them.[54][55][56][57]
Fantastic Four
At the Grimm family farm in Arizona, Reed Richards and Alicia Masters attend an art exhibit in New York, during which the vampire invasion begins.[58] As the other Fantastic Four members defend the farm, Mister Fantastic creates a cellular resonator to fend off the vampires before learning that Doctor Doom has become Sorcerer Supreme.[59]
Miles Morales: Spider-Man
Dracula and Miles Morales catch up to Bloodline, who is reluctant to work with them. The three work together to battle the vampire R'ym'r, who has escaped imprisonment.[60] After Bloodline re-imprisons R'ym'r, Miles and Bloodline follow Dracula through a portal to fight more vampires.[61]
X-Men: Blood Hunt - Jubilee
North of New York City, Jubilee battles the vampires and is aided by Ghost Blade, who she had previously known during her time as a vampire. She helps the vampire Sonal and has Ghost Blade and the Forgiven take her in before leaving.[62]
Union Jack the Ripper: Blood Hunt
In Manchester, United Kingdom, Union Jack battles the vampires and encounters Bulldog, a member of the Britannia Project who was transformed into a vampire.[63][64] He then fights and kills Hunger, restoring everyone he had transformed.[65]
X-Men: Blood Hunt - Magik
Magik narrates about how her father used to read her stories about Ilya Muromets when she was young and living in Siberia. In the present, she rescues two children, Anya and Nikolai, from vampires, before battling and killing Muromets.[66]
Werewolf by Night: Blood Hunt
Outside the Hopi tribal lands, Jake Gomez visits Wild Dino Adventure Park in the Arizona desert. As the sky goes dark because of the Darkforce, Jake battles the vampires and Duke, his friend Trevor's uncle, who brings the dinosaur animatronics to life. Afterwards, Jake leaves the park, but is distraught over the number of people he killed.[67]
X-Men: Blood Hunt - Psylocke
In Osaka, Japan, Kwannon and John Greycrow are visiting a hot spring when the vampire invasion begins. They are attacked by a Nure-onna and Kuchisake-onna before defeating them and going on to battle the vampires.[68]
Hulk: Blood Hunt
Bruce Banner arrives at the ghost town of Old Tucson while seeking to heal Charlie Tidwell, a friend of his who was attacked by a demon and transformed into a doll. There, he encounters Miguel, a Mexican immigrant who was raised in the town after vampires killed his family 50 years prior. As the Hulk, Bruce fights the vampires before leaving as Miguel mourns his family.[69]
X-Men: Blood Hunt - Laura Kinney the Wolverine
In Upstate New York, Wolverine encounters Gabby Kinney, who the vampires have kidnapped to feed on her blood. While escaping, they rescue Dracula's son Xarus, who has similarly been captured and manifested energy-based abilities after being given mutant blood. He has been weakened by the experience, so Wolverine gives him some of her blood to drink.[70]
Storylines are listed in publication order. Publications are listed alphabetically by published titles. Compiled without respect for canon or "current" continuity.
