Up until the publication of this issue in 1997-98, there were 3 people to carry the mantle of the Black Knight in the Marvel Universe. The first was Percival from King Arthur's Court, who bore a sword forged by Merlin that could only be defeated by one that wielded this sword’s counterpart. (OK, stop right there! Why create a powerful tool only to give it an equally powerful way to stop it? Seems stupid to me. Or is this like Batman having some kryptonite to keep Superman in check?)
Anyways, centuries later, a curse was bonded to the sword in which if anyone kills with it, even accidentally, it turns the killer evil. A biologist named Nathan Garrett becomes possessed by the blade and becomes the villainous Black Knight. But Garrett's reign of terror is short-lived and he is killed.
Enter Dane Whitman, nephew of Garrett. He discovers that his uncle was the Black Knight but he decides to go on the path of good. Tell that to the Avengers as they still think this is the evil version of the Black Knight and mayhem ensues when Dane tries to save them from Magneto and later Kang.
This all seems pretty straight forward, right? Well somebody forgot to post the memo to issue writer Glenn Herdling, because this was the most convoluted story that I have read in a long time. This book has flashbacks, flash forwards and even a flashback hiccup (that's when you flashback to someone else who then has a flashback in their flashback. Confusing, ain't it?) Another issue is that because of this excessive jumping around in the Marvel timeline, some potholes are left wide open and seemingly forgotten. Only I didn't forget! (This is also another one of those times where a bibliography would've come in handy, as I have little idea where most of this takes place and I'd like some closure!)
Along with the plot, the art wasn't all that great either. Dane doesn't look the same one panel to the next. Proportions of characters were all wrong and it looked like someone was trying to copy Rob Liefeld a bit too much.
This was such a disappointment. I really like the character of the Black Knight- good or bad. But they just don't do him justice. And that my friends is a true crime!
Not Worth Consuming.
Rating: 3 out of 10 stars.
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