For nearly fifty years, Blade has been Marvel's foremost defender against vampires, ghouls, and anything else that goes bump in the night. In all that time, the Daywalker has encountered more than his fair share of various monstrosities with plenty of variations in between. As such, it is no surprise that he has come across a myriad of vampires over the course of his adventures, although the fact that one, in particular, hasn't made a comeback is genuinely shocking. It isn't that the vampire priest Draconis was ever particularly popular, but rather that his entire purpose was being the one vampire Blade could never kill without giving in to his own inner demons.
2007's Blade #7 (by Marc Guggenheim and Howard Chaykin) found the titular vampire hunter embroiled in a shocking plot that reframed his very existence. After being sought out by his long-lost biological father Lucas Cross, Blade discovered he was central to Cross' plan to return to all vampires across the world their mortal souls. Of course, Blade was less receptive to the cost of such an infernal albeit enticing bargain, although he still wouldn't be able to avoid fulfilling his father's dark prophecy once the vampire priest Draconis stepped out of the shadows.
Draconis was the Strongest Vampire Blade has Ever Faced
Despite having nothing to do with Cross' plot, Draconis couldn't have made his first appearance at a better time for Blade's estranged father. This vampire priest was seemingly born of an ancient vampire myth, one which foretold the previously unfounded power of a vampire made from someone of impossibly steadfast faith. Because of this and his willingness to torture himself with crucifixes, holy water, and other methods of harm that would otherwise be fatal to vampires, Draconis was effectively immune to the effects of the majority of Blade's tactics.
When staked through the heart by the Daywalker, Draconis revealed that this too was something he had developed an immunity to after staking himself countless times already. Following multiple standoffs that ended in no real resolution one way or another, it was clear that neither Blade nor Draconis had what it would take to bring about the other's untimely demise. At least, that was the case until Blade resorted to the one tactic he has become iconic for shying away from. By feeding on Draconis' vampiric blood, Blade not only gave himself a gruesome killer edge over the competition, but he also reduced his enemy to such a state that tearing his head from his body became an easy way to finish the fight.
Draconis Has Faded Into Obscurity Since He Faced Blade
Draconis' story may have been incredibly short-lived at only two issues, but his death came shortly before every monster Blade had ever felled was given new life by Cross' scheme. This was made explicitly clear, as Draconis still hasn't made any kind of comeback. Considering how powerful the villain is, not to mention his more intriguing origin and power set, he seems like the absolute perfect villain to take the center stage against Blade, even beyond the comics.
Unfortunately, Draconis has been relegated to obscurity in the Marvel Universe. This doesn't mean he couldn't find a new life sometime in the future, however, as Blade and his monstrous allies have been making returning to the spotlight thanks to titles such as Midnight Suns and the MCU's Werewolf by Night. Both of these have opened the door for all manner of previously unsung Marvel heroes to make themselves into household names, and for their enemies to find their own fifteen minutes of fame all over again.