By Jeff Johncox

Transcript Sports Writer



Halloween may be over, but it's never too late, or too early (just 363 days til Oct. 31, 2008!) to talk about Blade.

Everyone's favorite "daywalker" has had a successful film franchise (1998's "Blade," 2002's "Blade II," and 2004's "Blade: Trinity) and even a pretty kickin' Spike TV series.

The Blade of the comics, though, is a far cry from his popular media counterpart. The character is still the baddest vampire hunter in the land, but until recently was mostly human (he had an innate resilience to vampire bites due to his mother having been bitten by vamp doc Deacon Frost when he was still in the womb). The vamps he dusted were even more different. While in the films and TV series they passed as human, wore slick clothes and lived the high life, in the comics they were portrayed with wings, inhuman faces and as a secret society.

There's a long, drawn out history as to when exactly Blade in the comics turned into more of the Blade in the movies.

But one thing's for certain, the movie and TV character's world is much more fun to be immersed in.

Last week we talked with University of Oklahoma graduate Sterling Gates about his major comics debut, "Fear is a Baby's Cry," a Sinestro Corps story featured in the back of "Superman-Prime."

This week, Gates talks to Comics Corner about what it was like getting to work on the aforementioned TV series, and just how cool it was to watch Hollywood in action.

Gates was an assistant to the writer's room for "Blade: The Series," an entertaining series that pushed the horror envelope for basic cable and lived up to, and sometimes improved upon, the film series' story and potential.

Rapper Sticky Fingaz took over the title role from Wesley Snipes, and eventually makes it his own.

For Gates, it was his first foray into the entertainment world after a whirlwind move from Norman to Los Angeles.

"It was a fantastic job," Gates said. "And nothing in college can possibly prepare you for the break-neck speed at which everything moves in Hollywood. We would deliver a script, then revise, then shoot the episode -- sometimes in a matter of days. And there I am in the middle of it, just trying to make sure everyone has anything they need."

The key, Gates learned, was to be flexible. It's a long way from an OU classroom to a writer's room in Hollywood.

"You really have to learn to be flexible and adapt to any given situation in this industry, and if you're lowest on the totem pole -- which is where everyone starts out here -- you've got to fight for your right to be here," he said.

The series followed Blade and newly-turned Krista Starr (Jill Wagner), an Army vet whose brother was a familiar for Marcus Van Sciver (a scene-stealing Neil Jackson), a powerful vampire in Detroit. Blade uses Krista against Van Sciver, after using his serum to control her bloodlust.

For Gates, it was just exciting to see these characters come to life.

"Sticky was so great as Blade," Gates said. "He really stepped into that character and made it his own and I think his 'street' Blade has something going for it that's different from Wesley's interpretation. And I know a lot of fans who prefer Sticky's version."

Call me one of them.

While rough around the edges in the two-hour premiere movie (recently released as a director's cut DVD movie), Sticky Fingaz really takes over the role and brings a lot more to the character than could realistically be brought in three two-hour films.

And the stunts and action are fantastic in the series. Every time Blade dusts a vamp, it looks just like the films. Oh, and don't forget the blood. There's tons of blood and guts.

It all added up to some great memories, and a great way to enter the "business" for Gates.

"Going on set was incredible," Gates said. "We were there while they were shooting the last episode, and I saw them shoot a lot of the final sword fight with Van Sciver and Blade."

The job even got him into the Hollywood premiere, seated next to future boss Geoff Johns and "Blade: Trinity" writer and director David S. Goyer, who also wrote the two-hour pilot.

"Every few minutes, Geoff would lean over and say, 'Isn't this great?' And it was," Gates said. "It was a really great experience and I really enjoyed working alongside some of the best writers in the business like Geoff Johns, Dan Truly, Barbara Nance, Adam Targum, Chris Ruppenthal and David Simkins. They really crafted a great season and it was so great to work with them every day."

Unfortunately, Spike has yet to approve a second season. Strange in that it was heavily hyped, had decent ratings and was the channel's first heavy foray into its own scripted programming.

But, we can always hope.

"I'd love for there to be a second season," Gates said. "We left season one on such a juicy cliffhanger. But I'm not sure Spike TV is really looking to do more. I have heard rumors that they'd like to someday do a TV movie, but I think there would have to be a huge amount of fan support and the right people behind the project for it to happen."

It's a shame the series had a premature ending, especially just when it was starting to get really fun and interesting every time out.

It definitely picked up steam toward the end of its run, and the actors started to bust out of their early shells and dominate the screen as their characters.

"I'd love to see it (come out)," Gates said of the Blade TV movie. "I think everyone misses those characters on screen. I know I do."

Next week: We'll take a look at Marvel's "Mythos" line, the newest of which focuses on the Fantastic Four.