Black Knight: Curse of the Ebony Blade #1

I've always liked Marvel's Black Knight, the mix of super-hero and Arthurian legend (although I must admit my favorite version wears a leather jacket on top of chain mail armed with a lightsaber). Black Knight: Curse of the Ebony Blade #1 offers some insight into the mental and emotional state of hero and part-time Avenger Dane Whitman who is in possession of the cursed Ebony Blade which offers him the chance at heroic action but only by diving head-first into dark emotions and power he doesn't fully understand.

While there is still quite a bit of story to get introduced, the first issue does showcase the Black Knight's role on the team, why he feels the need to play the fool, and the concerns some of the other heroes have about him. It also features the character's death at the hands of an unknown assailant in front of the Avengers (but don't fret, a bit of blood and our hero is back in action by the issue's end).

Camelot and the history of the blade will obviously play into the larger arc here as well as a professor who is likely now more tied to the story than she ever thought possible.

[Marvel, $3.99]

• Title: Black Knight: Curse of the Ebony Blade #1
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Simon Spurrier
• Artist: Sergio Fernandez Davila