BLADE (2006) #5

MARVEL
WRITER: Marc Guggenheim
ART: Howard Chaykin
COLORS: Edgar Delgado
COVER: Marko Djurjevic
32 pp., Color, $2.99

Maria Hill, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. wants Wolverine - dead or alive.  She blackmails Blade into bringing him in… or at least trying to.  Meanwhile, young vampire hunter Eric Brooks finds a helping hand from a familiar face.

Can anyone outside of the "Marvel Adventures" line write self-contained, single-issue comic book tales - that are good?  Marc Guggenheim can, and he makes each issue of Blade an enjoyable bit of pop fun that doesn't obligate the reader to buy any back issue or future issue of Blade.  Unlike, Wesley Snipes' arrogant Blade of the film franchise, Guggenheim's vampire hunter is confident, but fallible - more living being than killing machine.  He's not a superhero, just a grim, determined man, but one with a sense of humor.

Blade #5 has a second star creator.  Howard Chaykin continues to transform Guggenheim's scripts into fast-paced tales that don't skimp on character.  Chaykin uses big panels, but he dots his page design with small close-up frames that successfully convey Guggenheim's emotional and suspenseful cues.  Hopefully, this team will remain together for a long time.

7/10