You didn’t think we were done, did you? Today, DC dropped a new digital-first crossover that nobody saw coming, but everyone is going to love: Supergirl/Blade. We’re sure you have questions about this new vertical scroll comic that just debuted on DC UNIVERSE INFINITE, so we spoke to writer CRC Payne (Batman: Wayne Family Adventures) about how this all happened, what to expect and some tips on surviving your own vampire encounter.

I’ll start with the obvious question: Of all the Marvel characters who could have been paired with Supergirl, why Blade?

Supergirl is obviously a Kryptonian powerhouse, but she doesn't have Blade's knowledge, skills and abilities when it comes to hunting vampires. There's space for each of them to bring something to the table.

Plus, I always find it fun when two characters who normally wouldn't cross paths suddenly have to team up. That's when you get to start asking questions like, under what circumstances would these two work together? What would that look like? Would they like each other? Would they argue? What could they accomplish together? What kind of enemy would they fight?

It always leads to interesting twists in storytelling!

I find that crossover comics really need to strike a delicate balance in feeling true to the tones and realities of both properties involved. What are the challenges there, and how did you manage them?

It's always a challenge to take two established characters from different worlds and bring them together in a way that feels authentic to both. I think the key is to remember what is at the heart of each character and to try to respect that as much as possible. Since Supergirl and Blade have such different powers, it was fun to think about how to give each of them a moment to shine during the issue in a way that made sense for the premise and the characters.

One of my favorite vampire stories in DC Comics history is 2002’s Superman #180. (Spoiler: Dracula explodes after trying to bite Superman upon exposure to the solar radiation in his blood.) Can we anticipate Supergirl being similarly effective here?

Oh, that is such a great moment. If you're a vampire, you really can't be taking a bite out of a walking solar battery. You just can't.

Supergirl won't be exploding any vampires in this issue. They'd have to get close enough first and Blade is truly excellent at his job.

Between Wayne Family Adventures and Harley Quinn in Paradise, most of your experience writing for DC has been pretty close to Batman. How does it feel to step outside the shadow of the Bat?

I've had an incredible time writing Bat-Family characters (or Bat-Family adjacent characters) and it's such an honor to branch out with Supergirl! I'll always have a special place in my heart for Gotham, but it's very exciting to get to explore the wider DC universe.

Here’s a question from the official DC Discord community: who is your favorite character duo to write together?

Ooh, good question! I think my favorite duo in Wayne Family Adventures might be Damian Wayne and Stephanie Brown. Damian takes himself far too seriously and Steph is the complete opposite, which gives them such a fun dynamic. The two of them are very good for each other.

For the non-Kryptonians or Daywalkers among us, what tips do you have to offer for surviving a vampire encounter?

There are three basic essentials everyone can have on hand to prevent vampire attacks:

1. A small mirror to see if your new "friend" has a reflection.

2. A clove of garlic to make yourself less appetizing (Bonus: also helps in cooking emergencies).

3. A large wooden stake for when all else fails.

Alternatively, only go out when the sun is shining. Vampires hate this one simple trick.

And lastly, for the other side of things: If you were a vampire yourself, do you think you’d have better odds of surviving in the Marvel Universe or the DC Universe?

Probably DC. I wouldn't want Blade chasing after me. And as long as I don't bite Superman, I should be fine, right?

...Right?
 

Supergirl/Blade by CRC Payne, Mikel Janín and Hugo Petrus is now available and is free to read with registration on DC UNIVERSE INFINITE.