 The season 2 episode "Neogenic Nightmare Chapter 9: Blade the  Vampire Hunter" which originally aired on 3 February 1996, marks the  very first appearance of Whistler, Blades mentor, in any form. The  character was originally created for the movie, _Blade (1998)_ (qv),  and has never appeared in the comics by Marvel. This episode  predates the movies premier by over two years.