What is Blood Hunt? Marvel's superhero vs. vampire crossover, explained

Everything you need to know about Marvel's big Spring 2024 storyline

Image credit: Marvel

Guide by Graeme McMillan Staff Writer

Updated on April 22, 2024

In the fast-moving world of Marvel’s comic book universe, it’s good to know that there’s always time for a quick bite — although it’s somewhat less reassuring to know that we’re talking about vampire bites. Starting this May, Earth’s mightiest heroes will have to deal with a full-on vampire invasion as Blood Hunt overruns Marvel’s comic book line.

Announced at New York Comic Con 2023, the Blood Hunt event — which will include a core title by Avengers writer Jed MacKay and X-Men artists Pepe Larraz and Marte Gracia, as well as a number of tie-in issues — is the culmination of years’ worth of stories building the vampire threat in the Marvel Universe, and promises to be a bloody good time for all. Or, at the very least, a bloody one. Here’s what we know about the event so far.

What is the Blood Hunt plot?

Marvel Blood Hunt teaser — Image credit: Marvel Comics

In Frebruary 2024, Marvel launched a trailer (more on that below) for the Blood Hunt event, accompanied by an official plot teaser on their website. It reads:

As eternal night descends, an overwhelming army of bloodsucking terrors will emerge from the shadows, united by a single vision for the first time in millennia. Can even the heroes of this doomed world stem the tide of blood that is to come? Join the Avengers, Blade, Bloodline, Spider-Man, Hunter’s Moon, Tigra, Doctor Strange, Clea, and more as the dance of death begins.

An earlier quote from writer Jed MacKay suggested the story connects to the titles he’s currently writing, including Avengers, Moon Knight, and Doctor Strange.

"We have vampires in our books all the time, there's some bad blood there. What happens if the shoe was on the other foot? We've got the Avengers, Moon Knight's Midnight Mission, Doctor Strange, Miles Morales, and of course, Blade, and there's going to be more vampires you can shake a stick at."

Expect more details as the event kicks off.

What comics are in Blood Hunt?

Beyond the core Blood Hunt title — which will be available in a polybagged explicit content edition as well as the regular version — we know that it'll be the central story in one of Marvel's 2024 Free Comic Book Day offerings.

Blood Hunt #1 — Image credit: Pepe Larraz/Marvel

Beyond that, Marvel promises “a host of tie-in issues in Marvel’s hottest current series and see the launch of all-new limited series, one-shots, and redefining status quos.” Other series that MacKay is writing, such as Moon Knight, Doctor Strange, and the Avengers are confirmed to be tying into the event, along with other popular titles like Miles Morales and Blade (obviously).

Here's every Blood Hunt-related comic confirmed by Marvel:

March 13: Blood Hunt Diaries
May 1: Blood Hunt #1 (of 5)
May 1: Blood Hunt #1 (of 5) Red Band Edition
May 1: Vengeance of the Moon Knight #5
May 4: Blood Hunt Free Comic Book Day story
May 8: Amazing Spider-Man #49
May 8: Avengers #14
May 8: Doctor Strange #15
May 8: Venom #33
May 8: Dracula: Blood Hunt #1 (of 3)
May 8: Blood Hunters #1 (of 4)
May 8: Strange Academy: Blood Hunt #1 (of 3)
May 15: Union Jack the Ripper: Blood Hunt #1 (of 3)
May 15: Amazing Spider-Man: Blood Hunt #1 (of 3)
May 22: Blood Hunt #2 (of 5)
May 22: Blood Hunt #2 (of 5) Red Band Edition
May 29: Black Panther: Blood Hunt #1 (of 3)
May 29: Midnight Sons: Blood Hunt #1 (of 3)
June 5: Blood Hunt #3 (of 5)
June 5: Blood Hunt #3 (of 5) Red Band Edition
June 5: Wolverine: Blood Hunt #1 (of 4)
June 5: Venom #34
June 5: Blood Hunters #2 (of 4)
June 12: Fantastic Four #21
June 12: Miles Morales: Spider-Man #21
June 12: Avengers #15
June 12: Doctor Strange #16
June 12: Vengeance of the Moon Knight #6
June 12: X-Men: Blood Hunt - Jubilee #1
June 12: Amazing Spider-Man: Blood Hunt #2 (of 3)
June 19: Wolverine: Blood Hunt #2 (of 4)
June 19: Black Panther: Blood Hunt #2 (of 3)
June 19: Dracula: Blood Hunt #2 (of 3)
June 26: Union Jack the Ripper: Blood Hunt #2 (of 3)
June 26: Midnight Sons: Blood Hunt #2 (of 3)
June 26: X-Men: Blood Hunt - Magik #1
June 26: Blood Hunt #4 (of 5)
June 26: Blood Hunt #4 (of 5) Red Band Edition
July 3: X-Men: Blood Hunt - Psylocke #1
July 3: Doctor Strange #17
July 3: Werewolf by Night: Blood Hunt #1
July 3: Miles Morales: Spider-Man #22
July 3: Blood Hunters #3 (of 4)
July 3: Dracula: Blood Hunt #3 (of 3)
July 3: Black Panther: Blood Hunt #3 (of 3)
July 10: Hulk: Blood Hunt #1
July 10: Wolverine: Blood Hunt #3 (of 4)
July 10: Avengers #16
July 10: Union Jack the Ripper: Blood Hunt #3 (of 3)
July 17: X-Men: Blood Hunt - Laura Kinney the Wolverine #1
July 17: Amazing Spider-Man: Blood Hunt #3 (of 3)
July 17: Blood Hunters #4 (of 4)
July 24: Fantastic Four #22
July 24: Vengeance of the Moon Knight #7
July 24: Strange Academy: Blood Hunt #3 (of 3)
July 24: Midnight Sons: Blood Hunt #3 (of 3)
July 24: Wolverine: Blood Hunt #4 (of 4)
July 24: Blood Hunt #5 (of 5)
July 24: Blood Hunt #5 (of 5) Red Band Edition
October 1: Blood Hunt collected edition

When does Blood Hunt happen?

The first issue of Blood Hunt will be released May 1. The Free Comic Book Day issue will be released May 4. After that, the core story will continue in monthly installments until July 2024, with several tie-ins to ongoing series and a handful of Blood Hunt-specific minis, such as Wolverine and Black Panther.