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Black Knight (Dane Whitman)

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Dane Whitman
Avengers48.jpg
The Avengers #48 (Jan. 1968)
Cover art by George Tuska.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceThe Avengers #47 (Dec. 1967)
Created byRoy Thomas
John Buscema
In-story information
Alter egoDane Whitman
Team affiliationsThe Avengers
The Defenders
Euroforce
Excalibur
Heroes for Hire
Masters of Evil
MI-13
New Avalon
Ultraforce
AbilitiesExcellent swordsman and hand to hand combatant
Expert equestrian
Genius physicist & geneticist
Adept strategist and tactician
Magic senses
Wields many mystical weapons; i.e. the Ebony Blade or Sword of Light and Shield of Night

Dane Whitman or Black Knight is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The third character to bear the Black Knight name, he was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist John Buscema, and first appeared in The Avengers #47 (Dec. 1967).[1] The original Black Knight's descendant and the supervillain Black Knight's nephew, he inherited a mystical sword that carried a curse and took the Black Knight name to help restore honor, and has been a long time member of the Avengers' various incarnations as well as the Defenders, Ultraforce, Heroes for Hire, and MI-13.

The character was featured in a four-issue mini-series in 1990 and two one-shots in 1996 and 2007. Starting in 2015, he was the main character in Marvel's All-New, All-Different Marvel short-lived ongoing Black Knight series, the first ongoing series to feature Dane Whitman as the titular character.[2]

Dane Whitman made his live-action debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Eternals (2021), portrayed by Kit Harington.

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Fiction

Fiction

Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying individuals, events, or places that are imaginary, or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent with history, fact, or plausibility. In a traditional narrow sense, "fiction" refers to written narratives in prose – often referring specifically to novels, novellas, and short stories. More broadly, however, fiction encompasses imaginary narratives expressed in any medium, including not just writings but also live theatrical performances, films, television programs, radio dramas, comics, role-playing games, and video games.

American comic book

American comic book

An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of Action Comics, which included the debut of the superhero Superman. This was followed by a superhero boom that lasted until the end of World War II. After the war, while superheroes were marginalized, the comic book industry rapidly expanded and genres such as horror, crime, science fiction and romance became popular. The 1950s saw a gradual decline, due to a shift away from print media in the wake of television & television shows and the impact of the Comics Code Authority. The late 1950s and the 1960s saw a superhero revival and superheroes remained the dominant character archetype throughout the late 20th century into the 21st century.

John Buscema

John Buscema

John Buscema was an American comic book artist and one of the mainstays of Marvel Comics during its 1960s and 1970s ascendancy into an industry leader and its subsequent expansion to a major pop-culture conglomerate. His younger brother Sal Buscema is also a comic book artist.

Black Knight (Sir Percy)

Black Knight (Sir Percy)

Sir Percy of Scandia, also known as the original Black Knight, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was a medieval knight created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Joe Maneely.

Black Knight (Nathan Garrett)

Black Knight (Nathan Garrett)

Nathan Garrett, also known as the criminal Black Knight, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was a supervillain and descendant of the original Black Knight, and was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Dick Ayers.

Avengers (comics)

Avengers (comics)

The Avengers are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1. Labeled "Earth's Mightiest Heroes," the original Avengers consisted of Iron Man, Ant-Man, Hulk, Thor and the Wasp. Captain America was discovered trapped in ice in issue #4, and joined the group after they revived him.

Defenders (comics)

Defenders (comics)

The Defenders are a set of superhero groups with rotating membership appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are usually presented as a "non-team" of individualistic "outsiders" who, in their prior adventures, are known for following their own agendas. The team often battle mystic and supernatural threats.

Heroes for Hire

Heroes for Hire

Heroes for Hire are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team first appeared in Power Man and Iron Fist #54, and was created by Ed Hannigan and Lee Elias. The team continued to appear in comics regularly over the years, and has made guest appearances in television productions and game environments featuring other superheroes.

MI-13 (comics)

MI-13 (comics)

MI-13, sometimes written MI13 or MI: 13, is a fictional British intelligence agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. MI-13 is depicted as operating out of Portwell House in Whitehall. It was introduced in Excalibur #101, by Warren Ellis under the call sign "The Department" for ten years until New Excalibur #1 explicitly mentioned the term "MI13"; although invariably referred to as such, the agency's official name is the Extraordinary Intelligence Service (EIS).

All-New, All-Different Marvel

All-New, All-Different Marvel

All-New, All-Different Marvel (ANADM) is a 2015–2019 branding for Marvel Comics' entire main line of comics. Taking place after the crossover storyline "Secret Wars", it details the new Marvel Universe, with nearly 60–65 titles relaunched with first issues, with a total of 76 issues. Marvel NOW! 2.0 and Marvel Legacy are concurrent with it.

Eternals (film)

Eternals (film)

Eternals is a 2021 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics race of the same name. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the 26th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film is directed by Chloé Zhao, who wrote the screenplay with Patrick Burleigh, Ryan Firpo, and Kaz Firpo. It stars an ensemble cast including Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lia McHugh, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Ridloff, Barry Keoghan, Don Lee, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, and Angelina Jolie. In the film, the Eternals, immortal alien beings, emerge from hiding after thousands of years to protect Earth from their ancient counterparts, the Deviants.

Kit Harington

Kit Harington

Christopher Catesby Harington is an English actor. He is known for his role as Jon Snow in the HBO epic fantasy television series Game of Thrones (2011–2019).

Publication history

Following his introduction, the Dane Whitman Black Knight became a recurring character in the superhero-team comic The Avengers, with his first solo story appearing shortly afterward in Marvel Super-Heroes #17 (Nov. 1968).[3] From 1979 to 1980, the Black Knight also appeared in a black and white feature in the Marvel UK comic Hulk Weekly, where the feature was to be the longest-lasting of the comic's UK-originated material, appearing in the majority of the title's 63 issues. It was written by Steve Parkhouse with art by Paul Neary and John Stokes. He also appeared in his own Marvel US title, the miniseries Black Knight #1–4 (June–Sept. 1990) by husband-and-wife writers Roy and Dann Thomas and successive pencillers Tony DeZuniga and Rich Buckler. This was followed by the one-shot Black Knight: Exodus #1 (Dec. 1996), by writer Ben Raab and penciller Jimmy Cheung.

Co-creator Roy Thomas commented on the character's conception, "The Black Knight was a combination, visually, of the Black Knight that Stan Lee and Joe Maneely made up in the mid-1950s, with the concept Stan Lee and Jack Kirby had done as a villain of that name, complete with winged horse, in The Avengers. There was also a bit of an homage in there to a DC hero I'd liked in the 1940s, Shining Knight. I shouldn't have named his horse Aragorn, though. I wasn't even that great an admirer of The Lord of the Rings. John Buscema, was scheduled to be the artist of the story that introduced Dane Whitman dressed in the Black Knight costume into THE AVENGERS, but that wound up being a guest stint by George Tuska when Stan Lee took John off the book for one issue to do something else. It was John Verpoorten and I that designed the costume."[4]

He and other Marvel characters were brought to the short-lived Ultraverse imprint. The Black Knight appeared in the Ultraforce team book volumes 1 and 2 and related titles in 1995–96. Then the character became part of the teams: Heroes for Hire (1997), Excalibur (2003), MI-13 (2008) and Euroforce.

In July 2015, it was announced that Frank Tieri and Luca Pizzari would be launching a new Black Knight series as part of Marvel's post-"Secret Wars" relaunch.[5] This series features Whitman as the ruler of New Avalon, a kingdom he has claimed in the reality known as Weirdworld.[6] The ongoing series was cancelled with issue #5 in 2016, as Marvel was unhappy with its sales. The writer of the series, Frank Tieri, then considered it a standalone limited series and expressed his feelings over the series being cut short. Black Knight is notable as the first "All-New, All-Different Marvel" comic book series to be cancelled.[2]

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Marvel Super-Heroes (comics)

Marvel Super-Heroes (comics)

Marvel Super-Heroes is the name of several comic book series and specials published by Marvel Comics.

Marvel UK

Marvel UK

Marvel UK was an imprint of Marvel Comics formed in 1972 to reprint US-produced stories for the British weekly comic market. Marvel UK later produced original material by British creators such as Alan Moore, John Wagner, Dave Gibbons, Steve Dillon, and Grant Morrison.

Paul Neary

Paul Neary

Paul Neary is a British comic book artist, writer and editor.

Miniseries

Miniseries

A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. Many miniseries programs can also be referred to and can also be shown as a television film that is usually shown with only a few limited number of episodes too as well. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. As of 2021, the popularity of miniseries format has increased in both streaming services and broadcast television.

Dann Thomas

Dann Thomas

Dann Thomas is an American comic book writer and is married to comic book writer and editor Roy Thomas. She has at times collaborated with her husband on All-Star Squadron, Arak, Son of Thunder, the Crimson Avenger miniseries, and Avengers West Coast.

Penciller

Penciller

A penciller is an artist who works on the creation of comic books, graphic novels, and similar visual art forms, with a focus on the initial pencil illustrations, usually in collaboration with other artists, who provide inks, colors and lettering in the book, under the supervision of an editor.

Rich Buckler

Rich Buckler

Rich Buckler was an American comics artist and penciller, best known for his work on Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four in the mid-1970s and for creating the character Deathlok in Astonishing Tales #25. Buckler drew virtually every major character at Marvel and DC, often as a cover artist.

One-shot (comics)

One-shot (comics)

In comics, a one-shot is a work composed of a single standalone issue or chapter, contrasting a limited series or ongoing series, which are composed of multiple issues or chapters. One-shots date back to the early 19th century, published in newspapers, and today may be in the form of single published comic books, parts of comic magazines/anthologies or published online in websites. In the marketing industry, some one-shots are used as promotion tools that tie in with existing productions, movies, video games or television shows.

Ben Raab

Ben Raab

Benjamin Raab is an American screenwriter, television producer, comic book writer and editor.

Black Knight (Marvel Comics)

Black Knight (Marvel Comics)

The Black Knight is the alias of several fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Joe Maneely

Joe Maneely

Joseph Maneely was an American comic book artist best known for his work at Marvel Comics' 1950s predecessor, Atlas Comics, where he co-created the Marvel characters the Black Knight, the Ringo Kid, the Yellow Claw, and Jimmy Woo.

Jack Kirby

Jack Kirby

Jack Kirby was an American comic book artist, writer and editor, widely regarded as one of the medium's major innovators and one of its most prolific and influential creators. He grew up in New York City and learned to draw cartoon figures by tracing characters from comic strips and editorial cartoons. He entered the nascent comics industry in the 1930s, drawing various comics features under different pen names, including Jack Curtiss, before ultimately settling on Jack Kirby. In 1940, he and writer-editor Joe Simon created the highly successful superhero character Captain America for Timely Comics, predecessor of Marvel Comics. During the 1940s, Kirby regularly teamed with Simon, creating numerous characters for that company and for National Comics Publications, later to become DC Comics.

Fictional character biography

Early life

Dane Whitman was born in Gloucester, Massachusetts to a rich family. In his youth, he studied physics. Whitman is best known as the modern-day Black Knight, continuing a legacy that began in medieval England. The first Black Knight, Whitman's ancestor Sir Percy of Scandia, lived during the reign of King Arthur.[7] Percy's murder at the hand of his nemesis Mordred[8] began a string of successors, all of them Percy's descendants.

The Black Knight's legacy is revived by Whitman's uncle Nathan Garrett who becomes the supervillain the Black Knight II.[9] After being mortally wounded during a battle with Iron Man, he escapes to his estate, summons his nephew to confess his crimes and asks him to restore honor to their family legacy and atone for Garrett's misdeeds, giving Whitman the weapons that he used for crime.[10]

The Avengers

Whitman becomes the Black Knight, using the horse Aragorn for his mount. He uses the genetic techniques of his uncle to give the horse wings. During his first outing, he is mistaken for his uncle and attacked by the Avengers though they eventually realize their mistake.[11] He later infiltrates the Masters of Evil, proving his worth to the Avengers who offer him provisional membership.[12] Shortly afterwards he inherits Castle Garrett and travels to England. He encounters the spirit of Sir Percy of Scandia there and is given the Ebony Blade.[13] He then encounters Doctor Strange and helps fight the extra-dimensional threat Tiboro.[14]

Marvel Super-Heroes #17 (Nov. 1968). Black Knight figure by John Romita Sr.; background art by Howard Purcell (penciller) and Dan Adkins (inker), from page 14 of story.[15]
Marvel Super-Heroes #17 (Nov. 1968). Black Knight figure by John Romita Sr.; background art by Howard Purcell (penciller) and Dan Adkins (inker), from page 14 of story.[15]

While still a provisional Avenger, he helps them in a battle against Kang the Conqueror. Kang was given the power of death over the Avengers by the Grandmaster as a prize for winning a recent game that Whitman has become unwittingly involved in. When he assists Goliath (Hawkeye) in defeating his chosen opponent, the Grandmaster calls that round of the game a draw since the Avengers did not defeat their opponents on their own. Since Whitman is not a full Avenger at the time, Kang has no power over him and so Whitman is able to defeat him with relative ease. Whitman then officially joins the Avengers in recognition of his aid.[16] Later, the Ebony Blade is used by the Olympian war god Ares to put out the Promethean Flame and turn most of the Olympians to crystal. The Black Knight travels to Olympus with other members and helps defeat Ares.[17]

The Defenders and Otherworld

Whitman is an early member of the Defenders. He was traveling with the Enchantress to the realm of the Asgardian sorceress Casiolena, to a parallel dimension. However, they were captured and imprisoned by the witch. When the Defenders also are trapped by Casiolena, the Black Knight and a newly invoked Valkyrie joins them in the battle against Casiolena. However Whitman becomes the first casualty of the Defenders, after he is treacherously converted to stone by a kiss from the Enchantress. Doctor Strange tries to revert the spell without success.[18] Whitman's spirit is drawn to the 12th century by the sorcerer Amergin the Druid, and he takes spiritual possession of his ancestor, the Crusader Sir Eobar Garrington, until Garrington dies due to the Evil Eye. Meanwhile, Whitman chooses to stay in the 12th century and is cared for by fellow Defender, the Valkyrie.[19] Whitman then battles the Fomor, alongside the time-traveling Avengers. He then employs the Evil Eye to seal the portal between Earth and Avalon. Whitman returns to the 20th century and his original body is restored. He is accompanied by a gift from Amergin: a black, winged horse called Valinor, named after the fictional location of that name.[20]

Some time later, still in Garrington's body, the wizard Merlyn takes Whitman as his champion. He is commanded to find the hero Captain Britain, who is wandering in the coast of Cornwall. Merlyn needs the hero for the defense of Otherworld, his realm, that is being attacked by the Nethergods.[21] The Black Knight is attacked many times by creatures invoked by the sorcerer Mordred but he finds Captain Britain, who is amnesiac.[22] On the road to Otherworld, both heroes are assisted by the old witch Sarah Mumford, the Walker Vortigern, an old king of Britain, and the elf Moondog, the last two sent by Merlyn from Otherworld.[23] On the road, they are attacked by the Iron Ogre, a magic creature invoked by the Evil Walker Cormac. The Ogre bests the heroes and destroys the Ebony Blade. Only a precise arrow shot by the elf Moondog stops the creature.[24] Cormac sends Goblins to battle the heroes and briefly captures Moondog.[25] Meanwhile, when the Black Knight is devastated by the loss of his sword, he meets the Lady of the lake, who gives him the magic sword Excalibur. With the sword, Whitman defeats Cormac.[26] In the meantime Captain Britain is killed by the White Rider, one of the servants of the Nethergod Mandrac, at the door of the passage of Otherworld[27] Whitman and his companions finally cross the doors of Otherworld and fight Mandrac, Lord of the Slain, who was in possession of the body of Captain Britain. Merlyn appears to help the knight and traps Mandrac inside the earth - Merlyn rescues the spirit of Captain Britain from Netherword and defeats Modred, who was attacking him and the knight.[28] In the Otherworld dimension, the Black Knight and Captain Britain go to save Camelot from the attacks of the Nethergod Necromon. In the process, Merlyn reforges the Ebony Sword and King Arthur is resurrected. In the final assault, Whitman and King Arthur succeed in killing Necromon, but Camelot is destroyed.[29] Black Knight and Captain Britain are briefly kidnapped by the Grandmaster to participate in the original Contest of Champions.[30]

The blood curse

Once in modern times again, Whitman learns that the Ebony Blade is cursed: every time it draws blood, it drives its user closer to madness. Whitman frees Sir Percy's spirit from the Earthly plane, purging the blood curse from the sword.[31] Whitman resumes active duty with the Avengers,[32] helping his teammates Wasp and Captain Marvel experiment with their powers, and battles against the fourth version of the Masters of Evil when they invade Avengers Mansion.[33]

When the Sub-Mariner uses the sword to kill his wife Marrina, who had become a monster, the blood curse is revived. The curse begins to transform Whitman's body into the same mystic metal as the blade.[34] He is forced to don an exoskeleton when the curse's creeping paralysis begins to affect his mobility. He also shows signs of mental instability.[35] Ultimately, the blood curse becomes so virulent that it will draw blood from anyone even touching the Black Knight.[36] After the Avengers were disbanded, Whitman joined Thor to defend Asgard from an invasion of the Egyptian God Seth. After the battle, the curse converted the Black Knight to a statue of stone again.[37] The statue is brought by the Avengers to the knight's castle in England, under the care of Lady Victoria Bentley, an old friend of Whitman. After Lady Victoria tries a spell on the statue, Sir Percy takes possession of Whitman's body to stop the blood curse. He takes a young Irish man called Sean Dolan as his squire.[38] Together they go to Doctor Strange's house to ask for help in the battle against Morgan le Fay and Mordred, who intended to return to the physical world using Morgan's old castle in Ireland. The witch summoned the demon Balor, but the heroes are rescued by Valkyrie (summoned by Victoria Bentley).[39] After banishing the villains, Sir Percy's spirit merges with the Ebony Sword, canceling the curse and returning Whitman to his normal state. The Black Knight begins a relation with Victoria Bentley and keeps Sean Dolan as his squire.[40]

Sersi and the Gatherers Saga

After rejoining the Avengers, Whitman is a major member of the team. In this time he develops a weapon that projects a sword-like sheath of energy as a replacement of his Ebony Blade.[41] The Black Knight is involved in the Avengers' attack of the Kree Empire during the Operation Galactic Storm, forming part of the team that went to the capital world in Hala. At the end of the mission, tormented by the genocide inflicted by the Kree Supreme Intelligence on its own people, he and other Avengers follow Iron Man to kill the entity. The Black Knight is the one that struck the mortal blow on the Supreme Intelligence.[42]

Captain America leaves the Avengers because of these events, and the Black Knight eventually becomes the de facto field leader of the Avengers. During this time, he becomes romantically involved with his teammate Sersi (of the Eternals), but is also attracted by Crystal, one of the Inhumans' royal family. The Avengers are attacked numerous times by alternate versions of themselves, called the Gatherers, led by the mysterious Proctor.[43] The relationship between The Black knight and Sersi soon comes under strain, as Sersi proves increasingly unstable and more aggressive, so when the Avengers travel to the planet Polemachus and the tyrant Anskar killed an innocent girl, Sersi killed him immediately.[44] Her fellow Eternals, led by Ikaris, pay a visit to the Avengers and tell them that Sersi was affected by the Mahd W'yry, an incurable disease. In an attempt to stabilize her, and because she asked, Ikaris mentally bonds Sersi and Whitman with a process called the "Gann Josin", but this does little to slow the disease – not in the least due to Whitman's resentment at having the bond imposed upon him, and that he had come to the conclusion that it was Crystal he loved. With the bond, the Black Knight acquired more strength, red eyes, and an intimate mental connection with Sersi.[45]

Meanwhile, the Ebony Sword comes into the possession of Sean Dolan, "squire" of the Black Knight; he becomes angry by Whitman's abandonment of Lady Victoria and transforms himself into the Bloodwraith when he could not endure the sword's curse.[46] In a three-man fight with the Black Knight and Deadpool, Bloodwraith accidentally kills Lady Victoria.[47]

The mental health of Sersi becomes worse with time. When she is framed for the murder of two policemen, Sersi snaps completely, destroying the Avengers mansion and fleeing to the Brooklyn Bridge. She used the Gann Josin bond to call Whitman to aid her and they battle the Avengers together – until the sight of her attacking Crystal enables the Black Knight to break the Gann Josin's hold on him temporarily.[48] Then it is revealed that it was Proctor who caused the Mahd W'yry disease in Sersi. Whitman also discovers that Proctor is an alternate universe counterpart of himself.[49] Having been rejected by his own Sersi and twisted by the Gann Josin and his Ebony Blade's curse, Proctor now travels the multiverse with the aid of the Gatherers and a captured Watcher named Ute on a mission to kill the Sersi of every reality. Ultimately, in the battle of the Avengers against the Gatherers, Sersi slays Proctor with his own Ebony Blade, but is still afflicted by the madness Proctor instilled in her. A mortally injured Ute uses the last of his power to create a gateway into another universe where Sersi could be free of the madness and restore her mind. Whitman decides to leave with her, partly because he does not want to come between Crystal and her husband Quicksilver and partly because he feels responsible for what happened to Sersi.[50]

Ultraforce and Exodus

The pair are transported to the Ultraverse (home of the Malibu Comics characters). They are separated and the Black Knight arrives at the Miami Beach of this universe. Here he meets the young heroes Prime and Prototype, members of a local superhero team called Ultraforce. Whitman impresses them and tells his story. He becomes a member of Ultraforce and begins the search for Sersi.[51] After being tricked by the god Loki (Marvel Comics), Whitman meets Sersi again, but she was possessed by the seventh infinity gem, the Ego gem and attacked him. When he approached her, she recognized him and stopped. However, she was still being controlled by the Ego gem and captured him and Ultraforce for Loki. Black Knight and the rest of the team escaped.[52] In a dispute between Loki and the Grandmaster for the possession of the Infinity Gems, the heroes of Ultraforce were put against his counterparts of Earth-616: the Avengers. The Black Knight was left as a wild card in the competition. Loki won but when the six original gems were reunited, the combined sentient power of the Gems was revealed as the entity Nemesis.[53] The entity began to create a mixed reality when she combined elements of Ultraverse and Marvel. Both teams joined forces against Nemesis and The Black Knight struck a blow to Nemesis with a Nazi Ebony Sword that scattered the Infinity gems.[54] Because of this, the Ultraverse was affected by a reality-warping event called Black September, after which Dane Whitman become the leader of Ultraforce.[55] As leader, Dane Whitman brought Ultraforce in line, adopting new methods, bringing new members, managing the team and having a romantic tension with fellow member Topaz[56]

After various adventures with Ultraforce, the Black Knight and other heroes of Ultraverse fought against an Alien robot, Maxis,.[57] Immediately after defeating the robot, the armada of the Tulkan aliens attacked New York with his powerful elite. Whitman led the victory against the aliens. After the flight of the Tulkans, the robot Maxis becomes more benevolent, and created an interdimensional portal. Whitman returned to Earth-616 with other exiles through this portal.[58]

He and Sersi briefly reunite to return to the Marvel Universe, but something goes wrong along the way. Instead of returning to the Marvel universe's present, they end up in the 12th century and Whitman once again finds his spirit in the body of Sir Eobar Garrington. His consciousness is buried under Garrington's, however, and Sersi is forced to pass Garrington's soul onto the next plane (with his permission) to restore Whitman's consciousness. Whitman finds himself embroiled in a conflict with the evil mutant Apocalypse alongside his ancestor's best friend Bennet du Paris, the mutant who would later become Exodus. Apocalypse tries to get du Paris to kill his friend, but du Paris refuses. Judging him weak, Apocalypse puts du Paris in a state of suspended animation. Out of respect for his ancestor's friendship with du Paris, Whitman organizes an order of knights to guard du Paris' body, which they do through the ages until he is found and revived by Magneto. Sersi creates another portal, this time to the correct time period, and she and Whitman depart the 12th century.[59]

Heroes for Hire

Whitman and Sersi are somehow separated in transit, which rips their Gann Josin bond apart. Whitman finds himself back in New York in the proper time, but without Sersi. He is soon dealt another shattering blow when he learns that the Avengers and most of the other major heroes have apparently perished in their battle with Onslaught while he was gone, including Crystal. Whitman then learns that the Lady of the Lake has selected him as the Pendragon for his age. She bestows upon him new mystical equipment from Avalon: a suit of armor, the enchanted flying horse Strider, the Shield of Night, which absorbs energy, and the Sword of Light, which returns that energy in the form of an energy projectile.[60]

The newly empowered Black Knight helps the Heroes for Hire defeat Nitro, then accepts Iron Fist's offer to join the newly formed team (due primarily to his concern over former teammate and friend Hercules, who has been drinking heavily out of grief for the Avengers' deaths).[60] Whitman eventually learns what happened to Sersi when she reappears asking for help to defeat yet another of her old enemy Ghaur's nefarious schemes with the help of the Eternals. After the team-up, Sersi and Whitman decided to be separated. Later, the Heroes for Hire find themselves in the midst of a major conflict in the High Evolutionary's city of Wundagore.[61] During this time, Whitman fought again with Quicksilver for the affection of the inhuman Crystal, but she rejected both of them.[62] The Black Knight leaves Heroes for Hire to assist the Knights of Wundagore along with Quicksilver and later returns to the Avengers when they expand their roster to include satellite teams around the world. Whitman is sent to the Slorenian border, where the Bloodwraith has used the Ebony Blade to absorb the souls of the entire population after they have been killed by the android Ultron. After the "Kang War" arc, the Avengers disband these global teams.[63]

New Excalibur

Whitman reappears in New Excalibur in the mid-2000s. He has opened up a museum in England chronicling the Black Knights that have existed throughout history. Whitman learns that Sir Percy was not the original Black Knight, but that eight men had held the Ebony Blade prior to him. The Ebony Blade, however, corrupted these men, and Sir Percy was deemed the only one who was noble enough to wield the Blade. Also at this time, Merlin told Whitman that he must not destroy the Blade as he had previously been told to do. It is not clear whether he has access to his Avalonian equipment at present. In New Excalibur, Whitman is invited to join the team, but after the second adventure with them he refuses, as he believes that his Ebony Blade is not the real one and he needs to find the original.[64]

MI-13

Whitman returns to join MI-13 as part of the Secret Invasion crossover event.[65] He is armed by what he believes was the Ebony Blade, which strongly encourages him to kill, but is later revealed to be a fake[66] created by Dracula;[67] this fake possesses an intelligence and feeds on blood. Whitman also is revealed to have a literal stone heart, given to him by Sersi to keep him "above it all" and uninvolved.[68]

Whitman battles the Skrull forces in London, showing a new informal and wisecracking personality (a deliberate defence against the "Ebony Blade's" suggestions), and quickly bonds with medic Faiza Hussain, with whom he appears to have romantic tensions. Following the Skrull war, he makes her his squire.[69]

After discovering that he did not have the real Ebony Blade, he goes to Wakanda and is given the real Blade back. He still retains the fake, vampiric sword.[68] After recovering the sword, Whitman helps the team in the fight with the vampires that wanted to invade Britain. At the end, he begins a relationship with Faiza Hussain.[70]

Original Sin

During the events of Original Sin, a historian named Rebecca Stevens learns that Whitman had violently attacked and nearly killed a new version of Savage Steel due to the influence of the Ebony Blade. Rebecca pleads with him to turn over the sword to S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Avengers, reasoning that its bloodlust is driving him mad, but Whitman refuses. Despite his assurance that he is fine, his home is seen covered in slash marks, with Whitman himself curled up on the floor in a mentally unhinged state. He is also seen threatening to slay Rebecca with the Blade, but she remains unaware of the danger.[71]

Around this same time, Whitman returns to action as the leader of Euroforce, a team of European superheroes.[72] Though he claims to not be bitter about being excluded from Captain America's new team of Avengers, it is implied that Whitman's deteriorating mental state had been the reason that he was passed over for membership.[73]

Journey to Weirdworld

As part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel event, the Black Knight arrives on Weirdworld after killing Carnivore while losing control to the Ebony Blade, which causes him to flee from the scene of Carnivore's death. Upon arriving on Weirdworld, he kills King Zaltin Tar to establish New Avalon and builds an army with the help of two warriors named Shield and Spear.[74] Black Knight has the army built in anticipation of the arrival of the Avengers Unity Division, who are seeking to bring him to justice.[75] After struggling to maintain his sanity, Whitman is forced to battle the Uncanny Avengers, led by the aged Steve Rogers, who wish to arrest him for killing a criminal when he was still part of the Avengers team.[76] It is revealed that Whitman accidentally entered Weirdworld, along with a HYDRA submarine, from 1945. The members of Hydra on board the submarine became the group known as the Fangs of the Serpent to the inhabitants of Weirdworld.[77] As the Uncanny Avengers arrive to arrest Whitman, he unites the armies of the land to fight against them. Eventually, he is defeated and a truce is made: Rogers will take the Ebony Blade back to Earth and Whitman will be free to rule New Avalon. However, Rogers is possessed by the Blade and attacks his teammates.[78] Meanwhile, the son of the king that Whitman overthrew to become the new lord gathers the Fangs of the Serpent to attack Whitman. After their defeat, Rogers and Doctor Voodoo agree that the only person who can bear the toll of the Ebony Blade is Whitman, and the Blade also shows this by not allowing any harm to come to Whitman. As the Avengers leave, leaving behind an expert on the Black Knight who came with them to look after Whitman, it is concluded that Whitman had been maintaining his sanity better than everyone had thought. Whitman concludes that for now ruling New Avalon is good, and the story ends on a light tone, Whitman not being persecuted as he has suffered enough under the Blade's spell.[77]

Return to heroic activity

During "Secret Empire", Black Knight returns to Europe to help Euroforce fight HYDRA groups following their conquest of the United States. The group is imprisoned by HYDRA until they were freed by the Champions of Europe.[79]

In "The War of the Realms" event, the Black Knight, Union Jack, and Spitfire are defeated by Malekith the Accursed. Before he can slay them, he is attacked by Captain Marvel and the War Avengers.[80] Later, he helped Punisher and his kill crew when they were attacking the Dark elves and some trolls.[81]

During the "Empyre" storyline, Black Knight tells Captain America that he has been focusing on becoming a hero again after fighting the Giants and Dark Elves. He joins other Avengers in the fight against the Cotati in the Savage Land.[82]

Later in "Savage Avengers", Dane is contacted by the more ruthless iteration of Earth's mightiest after singlehandedly tearing down a KKK operation. He was specifically nominated by Cain Marko because they needed the help of his Ebony Blade to slay the dragon Sadurang, a leftover from Malekith's War of the Realms.[83]

Advent of Knull and revelations

Sometime after the Avengers reasserted their presence in the world, the Phoenix Force would descend after the attempted takeover by Moon Knight and his patron deity Khonshu.[84] Dane would be amongst a host of other recipients selected by the enigmatic cosmic entity to participate in a tournament to decide its next host.[85]

With the onset of the "King in Black", The Black Knight has his hands full dealing with personal issues stemming from his loss of respect as a hero coupled with psychological issues begotten from bearing the accursed Ebony Blade. When the dark god Knull descended upon the Earth seeking to subsume it, he used his collective mind hive to invade the psyche space of the fallen hero in an attempt to claim his fabled blade from the stars. Revealing the swords true nature as an evil blade which amplifies the negative qualities in callow individuals already prone to hatred, violence and negative aspects not the other way around.[86]

The revelation shakes Whitman to his core, as he is forced to realize the sword was never corrupting him and that Merlin lied about only the most pure-hearted beings' eligibility to use it. That all those times he went ballistic were of his own volition, the blade merely exacerbating these qualities to strengthen itself, as that was its true function.

With some convincing from the young heroine Aero however, Dane is able to come to grips with such insights and learn to own his faults in order to help save all of Shanghai from an enclave of Symbiote Dragons taking the form of Swordmaster's own personal boogie man. Learning to use his inner darkness in such a way to unlock new powers within his signature weapon that he'd never learned to use before.[86] After helping out the Avengers in resolving a mysticism based problem at Central Park, Dane is summarily cut down by a mysterious assailant using the Obsidian Dagger; the opposing weapon of the Ebony Blade.

A little while afterward the Black Knight's body is catered back to England where he is unexpectedly resurrected by a blood offering to the enchanted steel by Jackie Chopra; an Arthurian history buff he'd brought on as a liaison to better understand his familial history.[87]

Whitman has a panic attack while the two are having lunch due to the trauma of dying and resurrecting. After sending his ersatz therapist away for a bit, he decides to contact his predecessor Sir Percy to inquire about how what happened happened. It was revealed that there are many hidden powers which the Ebony Blade possesses that Dane's ancestor had not told him about. One such case being that those of Arthurs noble bloodline can draw upon the power of self-revival should they perish in battle.

But before the spirit could reveal how he died despite this aspect of the weapon, Dane's home is broken into by the monster hunter Elsa Bloodstone; another "Avengers Adjacent" who had been following a string of murders related to Dane and his ebony relic.[88] The conflict is quickly broken up by Jackie who returns after finding the mutilated remains of her history teacher. Jackie explains she has been having visions of the past ever since she touched Dane's Ebony Blade, and they all come to realize that the relics created from the same starstone that begot the fabled skein in the first place were not destroyed upon their initial creation.

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Gloucester, Massachusetts

Gloucester, Massachusetts

Gloucester is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It sits on Cape Ann and is a part of Massachusetts's North Shore. The population was 29,729 at the 2020 U.S. Census. An important center of the fishing industry and a popular summer destination, Gloucester consists of an urban core on the north side of the harbor and the outlying neighborhoods of Annisquam, Bay View, Lanesville, Folly Cove, Magnolia, Riverdale, East Gloucester, and West Gloucester.

Black Knight (Sir Percy)

Black Knight (Sir Percy)

Sir Percy of Scandia, also known as the original Black Knight, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was a medieval knight created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Joe Maneely.

Black Knight (Nathan Garrett)

Black Knight (Nathan Garrett)

Nathan Garrett, also known as the criminal Black Knight, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was a supervillain and descendant of the original Black Knight, and was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Dick Ayers.

Iron Man

Iron Man

Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The character made his first appearance in Tales of Suspense #39, and received his own title in Iron Man #1. In 1963, the character founded the Avengers superhero team with Thor, Ant-Man, Wasp and the Hulk.

Aragorn (comics)

Aragorn (comics)

Aragorn was a fictional winged horse appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Aragorn has served as a mount for various characters.

Avengers (comics)

Avengers (comics)

The Avengers are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1. Labeled "Earth's Mightiest Heroes," the original Avengers consisted of Iron Man, Ant-Man, Hulk, Thor and the Wasp. Captain America was discovered trapped in ice in issue #4, and joined the group after they revived him.

Doctor Strange

Doctor Strange

Doctor Stephen Strange is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in Strange Tales #110. Doctor Strange serves as Sorcerer Supreme, the primary protector of Earth against magical and mystical threats. Strange was introduced during the Silver Age of Comic Books in an attempt to bring a different kind of character and themes of mysticism to Marvel Comics.

Howard Purcell

Howard Purcell

Howard Purcell was an American comics artist and writer active from the 1940s Golden Age of Comic Books through the 1960s Silver Age.

Dan Adkins

Dan Adkins

Danny L. Adkins was an American illustrator who worked mainly for comic books and science-fiction magazines.

Grandmaster (Marvel Comics)

Grandmaster (Marvel Comics)

The Grandmaster is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in The Avengers #69. The Grandmaster is one of the ageless Elders of the Universe and has mastered most civilizations' games of skill and chance. Different media appearances depict him as the Collector's brother.

Ares (Marvel Comics)

Ares (Marvel Comics)

Ares is a fictional character, a deity appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is based on the Greek god of the same name. He first appeared in Thor #129 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Ares has commonly appeared as an enemy of Thor and Hercules and starred in his own self-titled series in 2006.

Defenders (comics)

Defenders (comics)

The Defenders are a set of superhero groups with rotating membership appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are usually presented as a "non-team" of individualistic "outsiders" who, in their prior adventures, are known for following their own agendas. The team often battle mystic and supernatural threats.

Powers and abilities

The Black Knight was originally a normal athletic human being with no superhuman powers. While sharing the gann josin with Sersi, his strength, speed, and other physical abilities were mildly enhanced. After the gann josin link was broken, Whitman returned to being a normal human being. As part of his new role as the Pendragon, Whitman has gained minor mystical abilities, such as the ability to see through mystical illusions by looking "past the mundane".

Whitman is an excellent swordsman whose skills have allowed him to best Swordsman in combat. He is also an excellent fighter in general, able to hold his own against such skilled fighters as Captain America, and Wolverine. He is also an expert horseman. Whitman started out as a scientist, earning a master's degree in physics while being proficient in a wide array of advanced sciences and technologies, including genetic and mechanical engineering. He maintains a scientific approach and perspective more often than not, despite his ties to the world of magic. He has also demonstrated good leadership skills as leader of both the Avengers and Ultraforce. He has strong strategic and tactical skills.

For a short while Dane became a recipient of the Phoenix Force while partaking in its mock trial contest to choose a new vessel for its power. He lost those facilities when he was bested by the Winter Guard's Crimson Widow.

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Sersi

Sersi

Sersi is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as a member of the Eternals, a race of superhumans. She was also a member of the Avengers and God Squad. Sersi first appeared in the 1976–1978 comic book series The Eternals.

Captain America

Captain America

Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 from Timely Comics, a predecessor of Marvel Comics. Captain America was designed as a patriotic supersoldier who often fought the Axis powers of World War II and was Timely Comics' most popular character during the wartime period. The popularity of superheroes waned following the war, and the Captain America comic book was discontinued in 1950, with a short-lived revival in 1953. Since Marvel Comics revived the character in 1964, Captain America has remained in publication.

Wolverine (character)

Wolverine (character)

Wolverine is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, mostly in association with the X-Men. He is a mutant with animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, a powerful regenerative ability known as a healing factor, and three retractable claws in each hand. Wolverine has been depicted as a member of the X-Men, X-Force, Alpha Flight, the Fantastic Four, and the Avengers.

Avengers (comics)

Avengers (comics)

The Avengers are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1. Labeled "Earth's Mightiest Heroes," the original Avengers consisted of Iron Man, Ant-Man, Hulk, Thor and the Wasp. Captain America was discovered trapped in ice in issue #4, and joined the group after they revived him.

Weapons and equipment

Whitman has gone through several different sets of equipment since his creation.

Mystical armaments

Ebony Blade

Whitman eventually gained the Ebony Blade, a weapon that had been passed down through the ages from one of his ancestors to another. Although it was incredibly powerful, it carried a harmful curse that caused Whitman to eventually abandon it. As of New Excalibur #10, Whitman gained possession of a faux Ebony Blade.

Excalibur

For a time, Dane Whitman also wielded Excalibur in his battles against the evil dark wizard Necromon in Hulk (UK) #42-63, but later relinquished it to a reborn King Arthur.

Scientific paraphernalia

Whitman first became the Black Knight to atone for the crimes that his uncle Nathan Garrett had committed using the name. He started out with his uncle's non-magical tools: a javelin that fired energy blasts, a suit of body armor, and a genetically-engineered winged white horse named Aragorn.

Power lance

The power lance is an invention of his late uncle Garrett's. Dane would make use of the former Black Knight's signature weapon designed through his expertise in mechanical automation as an alternative to using the Ebony Blade for a while. Taking the appearance of a typical jousting shaft, the power lance is a marvel of technological craftsmanship studded with numerous modern armaments and gadgetry.

Neural sword

After giving up the Ebony Blade, Whitman designed and constructed a neural sword. The neural sword appears to be made of a laser beam and cuts through non-living matter. Its "laser" blade is a neural disruptor when used against living beings; when Whitman cuts someone with the sword, it delivers a massive jolt to the being's central nervous system. This jolt is usually enough to incapacitate someone within just a few hits. Alternately, Whitman can reverse the neural sword's energy stream so that it encases its hilt and, by extension, Whitman's fist in a high-energy field. Using the sword in this fashion enables Whitman to punch with some unspecified degree of enhanced strength. The neural sword also creates a refraction field used to defend against energy-based attacks. The blade also included a lethal setting which Whitman reserved for rare circumstances.

Photon shield

For a brief period while in the service of MI:13, Dane too adopted a hard-light energy shield similar to those used in the past by Captain America and the U.S.Agent.

Avalonian facilities

In the 1997 Heroes for Hire series, the Lady of the Lake named Whitman the Pendragon for the current era and gave him an amulet. When Whitman says the word "Avalon" while wearing the amulet, he gains the following:

Armor: The armor Whitman currently wears has been described as mystical. It is said to be supernaturally durable for its light weight, but specific information on the durability of the armor is scarce.
Strider: Strider is a mystical creature like Valinor rather than a genetically engineered one like Aragorn, but he is unique in that he possesses mystical powers of his own. Most notably, Strider is capable of far greater air speeds than either of Whitman's previous mounts; for example, he is easily capable of breaking the sound barrier. Whitman can verbally summon Strider to appear at his side or return to Avalon as he pleases. While mounted on Strider, Whitman is magically protected from any harsh environments, such as the depths of the ocean.
Shield of Night: The Shield of Night is a mystical kite shield; it not only protects him from most attacks but also absorbs the energy of the forces directed against it. He can then release that stored energy in the form of power blasts from his blade, the Sword of Light. Whitman has used it to block and absorb the energy of everything from Nitro's explosive blasts to fire to punches.
Sword of Light: The Sword of Light is a mystical sword capable of projecting the energy absorbed by the Shield of Night in blasts of the same kind of energy. It is also supernaturally durable and can cut through almost any substance.

While Whitman still has access to Strider and the mystical armor, he has not been seen using the Shield of Night or Sword of Light for some time.

Miscellaneous

Whitman has also employed an atomic steed, typically used by the High Evolutionary's Knights of Wundagore, in place of a winged horse at one time.

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Excalibur

Excalibur

Excalibur is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes also attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Britain. It was associated with the Arthurian legend very early on. Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone are not the same weapon, though in some modern incarnations they are either the same or at least share their name. In Welsh, it is called Caledfwlch; in Cornish, Calesvol ; in Breton, Kaledvoulc'h; and in Latin, Caliburnus. Several similar swords and other weapons also appear in this and other legends.

Black Knight (Nathan Garrett)

Black Knight (Nathan Garrett)

Nathan Garrett, also known as the criminal Black Knight, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was a supervillain and descendant of the original Black Knight, and was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Dick Ayers.

Aragorn (comics)

Aragorn (comics)

Aragorn was a fictional winged horse appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Aragorn has served as a mount for various characters.

Heroes for Hire

Heroes for Hire

Heroes for Hire are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team first appeared in Power Man and Iron Fist #54, and was created by Ed Hannigan and Lee Elias. The team continued to appear in comics regularly over the years, and has made guest appearances in television productions and game environments featuring other superheroes.

Kite shield

Kite shield

A kite shield is a large, almond-shaped shield rounded at the top and curving down to a point or rounded point at the bottom. The term "kite shield" is a reference to the shield's unique shape, and is derived from its supposed similarity to a flying kite, although "leaf-shaped shield" and "almond shield" have also been used in recent literature. Since the most prominent examples of this shield have appeared on the Bayeux Tapestry, the kite shield has become closely associated with Norman warfare.

Nitro (comics)

Nitro (comics)

Nitro is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in 1974.

High Evolutionary

High Evolutionary

High Evolutionary is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

New Men (Marvel Comics)

New Men (Marvel Comics)

The New Men are a fictional group of characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are depicted as uplifted animals created by the High Evolutionary.

Reception

In 2012, IGN ranked Black Knight 22nd in their "Top 50 Avengers" list.[89]

Other versions

Marvel Zombies

Dane Whitman appears as a zombified version of himself in Marvel Zombies, in the one-shot issue Marvel Zombies: Dead Days #1. He battles Thor in a battle between the living and dead inhabitants of the Marvel Universe in New York City.[90]

Ultimate Marvel

The Ultimate Marvel version of Dane Whitman appears in the pages of Ultimate Comics: Ultimates as a member of the West Coast Ultimates that preceded the current group by almost a decade. This version was a corporal in the Marine Corps. After saving the lives of his fellow soldiers from an explosive in Baghdad, he received the Purple Heart, the Silver Star Medal, and the Medal of Honor, but was left quadriplegic. As Black Knight, he is highly unstable and was kept from officially joining the team until he stabilized. This never came to pass, as the team botched the mission and the project was shut down immediately. Later, the project was revived by Ford, a corrupt California governor who sent the group to fight the Ultimates.[91]

Proctor

Proctor is a villainous alternate version of the Black Knight who first appears in The Avengers #344 (Feb. 1992).[92] He leads a team called the "Gatherers", whose goal is to kill all versions of Sersi in retaliation for the one in Proctor's reality rejecting him. His mission brings him to the mainstream reality's Earth, where he tries to win Magdalene's love.[93] and infiltrate the Avengers.[94] At the end of his confrontation with the Avengers, he is impaled by the Ebony Blade but manages to escape.[95] Proctor possesses superhuman strength, speed, stamina, durability, agility, and reflexes, telepathy, the psionic ability to manipulate the chemical composition of the human brain, and can project destructive energy beams from his eyes.

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Marvel Zombies

Marvel Zombies is a five-issue limited series published from December 2005 to April 2006 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Robert Kirkman with art by Sean Phillips and covers by Arthur Suydam. It was the first series in the Marvel Zombies series of related stories. The story is set in an alternate universe where the world's superhero population has been infected with a virus which turned them into zombies. The series was spun out of events of the crossover story-arc of Ultimate Fantastic Four, where the zombie Reed Richards tricked his Ultimate counterpart into opening a portal to the zombie universe only for the latter to contain the former from ever coming to his universe.

Marvel Zombies: Dead Days

Marvel Zombies: Dead Days

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Thor (Marvel Comics)

Thor (Marvel Comics)

Thor Odinson is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by artist Jack Kirby, writer Stan Lee, and scripter Larry Lieber, the character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83, debuting in the Silver Age of Comic Books. Thor is based on the Norse mythological god of the same name. He is the Asgardian god of thunder, whose enchanted hammer Mjolnir enables him to fly and manipulate weather, among his other superhuman attributes. A founding member of the superhero team the Avengers, Thor has a host of supporting characters and enemies.

Marvel Universe

Marvel Universe

The Marvel Universe is a fictional shared universe where the stories in most American comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Comics take place. Super-teams such as the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and many Marvel superheroes live in this universe, including characters such as Spider-Man, Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk, Ant-Man, the Wasp, Wolverine, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Daredevil, and Captain Marvel, Blade, Black Widow, Hawkeye, among numerous others. It also contains well-known supervillains such as Doctor Doom, Magneto, Ultron, Thanos, Loki, The Green Goblin, Kang the Conqueror, Red Skull, The Kingpin, Doctor Octopus, Carnage, Apocalypse, Dormammu, Mysterio, Electro, and the Vulture. It also contains antiheroes such as Venom, Namor, Deadpool, Silver Sable, Ghost Rider, The Punisher, and Black Cat.

Ultimate Marvel

Ultimate Marvel

Ultimate Marvel, later known as Ultimate Comics, was an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring re-imagined and modernized versions of the company's superhero characters from the Ultimate Marvel Universe. Those characters include Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Ultimates, the Fantastic Four, and others. The imprint was launched in 2000 with the publication of the series Ultimate Spider-Man and Ultimate X-Men in 2001, followed by The Ultimates and Ultimate Fantastic Four in 2002 and 2004 respectively providing new origin stories for the characters. The reality of Ultimate Marvel is designated as Earth-1610 as part of the Marvel Comics Multiverse.

West Coast Avengers

West Coast Avengers

The West Coast Avengers is a fictional group of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team first appeared in The West Coast Avengers #1, created by Roger Stern and Bob Hall. It was the first spin-off publication for the Avengers.

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United States Marine Corps

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Baghdad

Baghdad

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Purple Heart

Purple Heart

The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, which took the form of a heart made of purple cloth, the Purple Heart is the oldest military award still given to U.S. military members. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York.

Medal of Honor

Medal of Honor

The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. The medal is normally awarded by the president of the United States, but as it is presented "in the name of the United States Congress", it is sometimes referred to as the "Congressional Medal of Honor".

Ultimates

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The Ultimates is a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics and created by writer Mark Millar and artist Bryan Hitch, which first started publication from The Ultimates #1, as part of the company's Ultimate Marvel imprint. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Avengers comic-book franchise, centering around an elite military task-force of super-humans and special agents organized by the U.S. government, known as the Ultimates, to combat growing threats, both of human and non-human origin, to the country and in turn, the world, as they slowly learn to work together and form a family-like bond with each other, despite their differing natures and personalities.

Sersi

Sersi

Sersi is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as a member of the Eternals, a race of superhumans. She was also a member of the Avengers and God Squad. Sersi first appeared in the 1976–1978 comic book series The Eternals.

In other media

Television

Dane Whitman / Black Knight makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes episode "Come the Conqueror".

Film

Kit Harington portrays Dane Whitman in Eternals.[96] This version is a history professor at London's Natural History Museum who is in a romantic relationship with Sersi. In the film's post-credits scene, Dane opens a chest containing the Ebony Blade when an unseen person (identified off-screen as Blade[97]) asks whether he is ready for it.

Video games

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Kit Harington

Kit Harington

Christopher Catesby Harington is an English actor. He is known for his role as Jon Snow in the HBO epic fantasy television series Game of Thrones (2011–2019).

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Natural History Museum, London

Natural History Museum, London

{{FoRHD atural History Museum London logo (large).svg | image = Natural History Museum London Jan 2006.jpg | caption = Front façade of the museum in January 2006 | map_type = central London | pushpin_map = Central London | former_name = | established = 1881 | location = Kensington & Chelsea, London, SW7United Kingdom | coordinates = 51°29′46″N 00°10′35″W | type = Natural history museum | visitors = 4,654,608 | director = Douglas Gurr

Avengers in Galactic Storm

Avengers in Galactic Storm

Avengers in Galactic Storm (アベンジャーズ・イン・ギャラクティックストーム) is a 1995 fighting arcade game developed and published by Data East. It features a single or two-player story mode or multiplayer head-to-head mode, and was the first modern fighting game to feature assistant characters commonly referred to by gamers either as "helpers" or "strikers". The game is based on characters in the Marvel universe, primarily The Avengers but also the Kree. The game's plot and roster of playable characters is based on the Operation: Galactic Storm story arc. Before their bankruptcy in 2003, it was one of Data East's last fighting games, as well as their third and last game based on The Avengers after their two 1991 video games: the Captain America and The Avengers beat 'em up arcade and the NES platform game of the same name.

Marvel Avengers Alliance

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Marvel Avengers Alliance was a turn-based social-network game developed by American studio Offbeat Creations and published by Playdom on March 1, 2012. It is based on characters and storylines published by Marvel Comics, and written by Alex Irvine. The game was available as an Adobe Flash application via the social-networking website Facebook. It launched in Facebook at March 1, 2012. It was initially released as promotion for the 2012 Marvel Studios crossover film The Avengers. It won the award for Best Social Game on the G4tv.com Video Game Awards 2012.

Lego Marvel's Avengers

Lego Marvel's Avengers

Lego Marvel's Avengers is a Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, for the Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and OS X. It is the spin-off to Lego Marvel Super Heroes and the second installment of the Lego Marvel franchise. The game is based on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, primarily following the plots of The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron, with single levels based on Captain America: The First Avenger, Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Downloadable content

Downloadable content

Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enabling the publisher to gain additional revenue from a title after it has been purchased, often using some type of microtransaction system.

Collected editions

Title Material collected Published date ISBN
Avengers / X-Men: Bloodties Black Knight: Exodus and Avengers #368-369, X-Men (vol.1) #26, Avengers West Coast (vol. 2) #101, Uncanny X-Men #307 January 2000 978-0785161288
Black Knight: The Fall of Dane Whitman Black Knight (vol. 3) #1-5, material from Original Sins #2 June 2016 978-1302900311
King in Black: Planet of the Symbiotes King in Black: Black Knight #1 and King In Black: Planet of the Symbiotes #1-3 July 2021 978-1302928100
Black Knight: Curse Of The Ebony Blade Black Knight: Curse Of The Ebony Blade #1-5 November 2021 978-1302930219
Death of Doctor Strange Companion Death Of Doctor Strange: X-Men/Black Knight #1 and Death Of Doctor Strange: Bloodstone #1, Death Of Doctor Strange: Avengers #1, Strange Academy Presents: The Death Of Doctor Strange #1, Death Of Doctor Strange: Spider-Man #1, Death Of Doctor Strange: White Fox #1, Death Of Doctor Strange: Blade #1 March 2022 978-1302933104

Source: "Black Knight (Dane Whitman)", Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, (2023, March 25th), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Knight_(Dane_Whitman).

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