The comic book series *Nightstalkers* was published by Marvel Comics from 1992 to 1994. It features a trio of occult experts who reluctantly join forces to fight supernatural threats
Publication History:
Nightstalkers ran for 18 issues, from November 1992 to April 1994. The initial creative team included writer D.G. Chichester, penciller Ron Garney, and inker Tom Palmer. After 11 issues, Steven Grant took over scripting, with Frank Lovece wrapping up storylines from the 1970s series in the last three issues Other artists included Mark Pacella, Kirk Van Wormer, and Andrew Wildman
Fictional Team History:
Prior to being gathered by Doctor Strange, Hannibal King, Frank Drake, and Blade established the detective agency King, Drake, and Blade, which was later renamed Borderline Investigations Doctor Strange manipulates the trio into forming the Nightstalkers to combat emerging supernatural enemies such as Lilith, Mother of All Demons; HYDRA's Department of Occult Armaments (DOA), led by Lt. Belial, and its renegade Dracula clone Bloodstorm; and the one-time Lord of Vampires, Varnae
The Tomb of Dracula threads
The final arc of the series sees King's house and Borderline's office destroyed by a HYDRA Dreadnought, which steals Drake's anti-occult nanotech gun, the Exorcist[. Doctor Strange reveals that the Montesi Formula, which had eradicated vampires, was weakening. He gathered the three vampire hunters to prepare them for the return of Dracula. In a final battle with Varnae, King stakes himself to prevent killing his comrades, and Drake attempts to sacrifice himself to kill Varnae Blade survives and attends his teammates' funeral but encounters King again in the subsequent series *Blade*, where he learns King survived and Drake was left scarred and crippled
Membership:
* Hannibal King* Frank Drake* Blade* Abby Morris* Bloodscream* Coma* Voracious
The Nightstalkers also appeared in the film *Blade: Trinity* (2004)
