Black Knight is a title held by several Marvel Comics characters. The first is a medieval knight created by writer-come-editor Stan Lee and artist Joe Maneely. The second, Nathan Garrett, is a supervillain descendant of the original, created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Dick Ayers. The third, Dane Whitman, created by writer Roy Thomas, John Verpoorten and artist George Tuska, is the villain's nephew, a superhero and a member of the superhero team the Avengers. A fourth Black Knight with no revealed genetic connection debuted in The Black Panther #3 (June 2005), created by writer Reginald Hudlin and penciler John Romita Jr.
A descendant of the first Arthurian Black Knight, Sir Percival, Whitman assumed the title from his villainous uncle, who entrusted him with restoring honor to their family legacy after being mortally wounded by Iron Man. After helping them to defeat Kang the Conquerer, Whitman was made a full member of The Avengers, placing him among the first new additions to the team, and the last one to join them in The '60s.
During his time as an Avenger, Whitman sometimes served as their field leader in Captain America's absence. He also began a romantic relationship with teammate Sersi of The Eternals, and the two are often associated with one another for their longstanding on-and-off dynamic. Outside of the Avengers, Whitman as also been a member of The Defenders, Excalibur, MI13, Heroes for Hire, and even the Masters of Evil, though in the latter's case it was for infiltration purposes.
The Dane Whitman incarnation of Black Knight made his live-action debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Eternals, portrayed there by Kit Harington.
Black Knight appears in the following works:
Notable Comic Books
- The Avengers (various runs)
- The Defenders (various runs)
- The Black Knight & Captain Britain: The Otherworld Saga (published by Marvel UK in the anthology Hulk Comic, 1979–1980)
- Black Knight (various runs)
- vol. 1 (1955-1956)
- vol. 2 (1990)
- vol. 3 (2015–2016)
- The Infinity War (1992)
- The Infinity Crusade (1993)
- Excalibur (various runs)
- Captain Britain and MI13 (2008–2009)
- King in Black: Black Knight #1 (2020)
- Black Knight: Curse of the Ebony Blade #1-5 (2021)
Live-Action Films
- Eternals (Dane Whitman), portrayed by Kit Harington
Video Games
- Avengers in Galactic Storm (1995)
- Marvel: Avengers Alliance (2012)
- LEGO Marvel's Avengers (Nathan Garrett) (2016)
- Lego Marvel Superheroes 2 (Sir Percy, Nathan Garrett, and Dane Whitman) (2017)
Western Animation
- The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes (2011) note
Black Knight’s comic appearances contain the following tropes:
- Creepy Crows: In the third issue, Merlin spots a raven and takes it as an ill omen.
- Dark Age Europe: Unlike the other series, this book firmly took place during the Dark Ages, with Sir Percy of Scandia staying in Camelot with Arthur and Merlin and the rest.
- Expy: The story is basically The Scarlet Pimpernel in King Arthur's Camelot.
- Horny Vikings: The second issue deals with an invasion of Norsemen lead by Lief the Lucky.
- Loves My Alter Ego: Lady Rosamund finds Sir Percy cowardly, but is excited and intrigued by the Black Knight.
- The Tourney: The second issue also has a story about a jousting tourney where Mordred challenges Arthur, but the Black Knight takes his place.
- Body and Host: The spirit of Sir Percy actually manages to possess Dane Whitman in order to save them (and the world) from Mordred. Victoria Bentley (Doctor Strange's former love interest) is also possessed by Brunnhilde and becomes the new Valkyrie for a time.
- I Choose to Stay: Dane, of course, wants to stay in Weirdworld, but has to let the Uncanny Avengers take the Ebony Blade with them. However, Rebecca Stevens elects to stay with him.
- Let's You and Him Fight: The Uncanny Avengers want to arrest Dane and take him back to Earth for the murder of Carnivore, but Dane wants to stay in Weirdworld, as he's establishing New Avalon.
- Maniac Monkeys: Subverted: the Underwater Apes of Apelantis are one of Dane's allies.
- Trapped in Another World: Subverted: Dane went to Weirdworld willingly after losing control to the Ebony Blade. While there, he's established New Avalon.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: In Dane's next appearance, there is no mention of Weirdworld, New Avalon, or even Rebecca Stevens, and Dane has the Ebony Blade back.
