The Black Knight Rides Again: An Appreciation

[MollyBarton]

I thought it was high time the Black Knight got his own thread!

Dane Whitman made his debut in Avengers #47 way back in 1967. He took over the name from his evil uncle, Nathan Garrett, who had been a foe for Iron Man...
bk origins 4.jpg
bk origins 5.jpg
bk origins 6.JPG

He and the Avengers got off on the wrong foot, as they thought he was his uncle. But eventually he was offered membership, though he began as a reserve member.

I think he's one of the most under-appreciated characters in the Marvel Universe. Sometimes he's a bit of a dork (especially in his dealings with women!), but he's also intelligent, brave, and dependable. I think the writers haven't always known what to do with him.

I'm glad he's been a part of Avengers World recently. He's been so neglected for so long- last time he was in a regular book was Captain Britain and MI-13 six years ago!

Here's a good place to start for Black Knight's history! http://www.supermegamonkey.net/cgi-b...te=chronocomic

[Hekabolos]

FINALLY. I was going to go to the British thread, because I had a Dane question, but saw you had decided to make this one so I've been waiting (im)patiently All. Day.

I think he's one of the most under-appreciated characters in the Marvel Universe. Sometimes he's a bit of a dork (especially in his dealings with women!), but he's also intelligent, brave, and dependable. I think the writers haven't always known what to do with him.

The dorkiness is the best part of Dane. It's the quality that first made me like the character. That, and how utterly terrible he is with women, even though he is so so attractive.

I'd agree that writers seem to have a hard time with Dane. Which is weird, since he's got a built in world to play with in his connections to Avalon and Arthurian Camelot. That's an entire mythos that has gone largely unexplored by Marvel, though. Outside some of the earlier Captain Britain stories it's rarely touched on, and when it is, it typically doesn't go much deeper than Merlin and/or Morgan.


Oh! My question. I haven't been reading Avengers World, but picked up #8, because Dane was in it, but haven't picked up any since because it seemed that the storyline had been dropped in favor of others. Is this the case, or have Dane and company been appearing alongside the other stories?

[CaTigeReptile]

I haven't read nearly enough with the Black Knight in it, but I absolutely love him to bits.

I like to think that every time he comes back from England, he brings a lot of tea with him.

And then dumps it in Boston Harbor.

Because he's from GLAW-ster.



WHABAM Dane exploding from a box, complete with awkward dorky line.

[MollyBarton]

Yes, Dane is a dork and that's why we love him.
2608102-p78.jpg

Had to post this one for the innuendo:
tumblr_mbql27oaxd1qlwb72o1_400.jpg

And an example of Dane being clueless with women:
triangle 1.JPG

[Dermie]

Had to post this one for the innuendo:
tumblr_mbql27oaxd1qlwb72o1_400.jpg

LOL! I have always loved that one! That must have been intentional on the writer's part.

Its a shame that the Dane/Rita connection that happened here never got followed up on at all.

[Janobi]

man I wish they would put him in more books, he had such a small cameo in original sins series

[R0NIN]

He actually had an appreciation page on the old boards, but it was only several pages long.

Anyway I love Dane. I wish he'd get more exposure. I honestly think at this point what's holding him back is creators still sticking him with the Ebony Curse thing and the actual medieval armor and look. I don't think that flies quite as well with today's audience. Cornell did him best in MI13 where he had a casual look and incorporated his tech into his equipment. Dane is a man of many talents. He's a skilled leader, tactician, with some magic knowledge and experience, arguably the most skilled swordsman in the Marvel U., and what people most often forget....he's a pretty brilliant scientist in his own right. He's made exoskeletons, psi shields a photonic sword, photonic shield, altered a horses genetics to give it wings. etc.etc.

I think he would work immensely better if creators veered away from the magic side for a time and focused on his technical side. Give him some advance armor that is reminiscent of a medieval knights' armor without actually being one. A suit similar to the Black knight in Iron Man armored adventures but a bit less powered.

BK1.jpgBK2.jpgBK3.jpg

[MollyBarton]

Also, he has a butt to rival Starfox's:
dane butt.JPG

Oh! My question. I haven't been reading Avengers World, but picked up #8, because Dane was in it, but haven't picked up any since because it seemed that the storyline had been dropped in favor of others. Is this the case, or have Dane and company been appearing alongside the other stories?

Dane is part of Euroforce in Avengers World, and they are going to be more involved starting with #12. Here's an unlettered preview, where Dane is being recruited:

AWORLD 12 part 2.jpg

[baltiroo]

Dane is one of my favorite Avengers and I really wish that he would get more play. Hope that he gets some significant panel time in Avengers World as part of Euroforce.

[CaTigeReptile]

You know I could actually see his origin story making a good movie. It would be a new feel for a Marvel movie, going all medieval, but at the center is the story of a physics dork whose entire sense of reality is being turned upside-down and he's just going "Eccentric uncle left me a castle? What? Knightly quest? What? My uncle was a villain? Huh? Ebon curse? What's that? What's going on?" and by the time Aragorn trots over he's just like "what is my life????"

Though I could be getting his origin story wrong. Still . . .

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

You know I could actually see his origin story making a good movie. It would be a new feel for a Marvel movie, going all medieval, but at the center is the story of a physics dork whose entire sense of reality is being turned upside-down and he's just going "Eccentric uncle left me a castle? What? Knightly quest? What? My uncle was a villain? Huh? Ebon curse? What's that? What's going on?" and by the time Aragorn trots over he's just like "what is my life????"

Though I could be getting his origin story wrong. Still . . .

A Black Knight movie for Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is intriguing to me.

[dantefrizzoli]

Dane is one of my favorite Avengers and I really wish that he would get more play. Hope that he gets some significant panel time in Avengers World as part of Euroforce.

This would be magnificent

[MollyBarton]

Has anyone ever read The Last Avengers Story, a two parter from 1995 written by Peter David? It's an interesting alternate future. And, alas, Dane seems to be dead in this future. But also, he seems to have gotten busy while still alive- this guy shows up:
son of bk.JPG

Don't know if he's actually Dane's kid, and there's no mention of his mother. Maybe Sersi? Yikes.

Comic Vine's entry for "Hotshot" says he is the son of Dane and Sersi, but there's no evidence in the comic. Pure conjecture.

Also- I found this shirt on Amazon and had to get it:

bk on a shirt.jpg

[comewithme_golem]

I remember in the avengers he had a thing for the wasp.

[Hekabolos]

Yes, Dane is a dork and that's why we love him.

I've always been a fan of this image:

282882-184182-black-knight.jpg

Like, "I didn't have time to put on my costume, but I put on the gloves and helmet, so it's TOTALLY FINE.

Dane is part of Euroforce in Avengers World, and they are going to be more involved starting with #12.

Perfect. I knew the story was coming back at some point, but wasn't sure if they were secretly appearing in the intervening issues as well. I'd hate to miss out just because I didn't want to read about Sunspot and Cannonballs wacky adventures.


edit: I attached an image and it worked! I'm so good at science.