In the pages of Marvel Comics, there are two very similar yet distinct characters – Black Knight and Blade. Both wield swords and have connections to the supernatural, which leads some fans to wonder – is Black Knight actually the same character as Blade? Let’s take a deep dive into their origins, abilities, and story arcs to get to the bottom of this question.
Who is Black Knight?
Black Knight is the name used by several characters in Marvel Comics, with the first appearing in 1955. The original Black Knight was Dane Whitman, a physicist who inherited a mystical ebony sword from his criminal uncle Nathan Garrett, the previous Black Knight. Upon discovering the sword, Dane chose to become a hero and joined the Avengers.
As Black Knight, Dane wields the Ebony Blade, an enchanted sword carved from a meteor. The blade can cut through almost any substance and can be summoned telepathically. He rides a winged horse named Aragorn into battle and wears armor made from the hide of the beast. Dane has no inherent superpowers but is a skilled swordsman and athlete.
Over the years, others have taken up the mantle of Black Knight including Dane’s uncle Nathan, Valkyrie while transformed into a man, Dane’s nephew Augustine du Lac, and even Loki for a brief time. But Dane Whitman remains the definitive Black Knight.
Black Knight’s Key Storylines
- Joined the Avengers and fought threats like Kang the Conqueror (Avengers #48, 1967)
- Battled the Enchantress alongside the Defenders (Marvel Feature #1, 1971)
- Fought the Avengers while under the control of the Ebony Blade (Avengers #223, 1982)
- Regained control and rejoined the Avengers (Avengers #250, 1985)
- Quested for the Ebony Blade alongside Doctor Strange (Black Knight #1, 1990)
- Joined Excalibur and battled Black Air (Excalibur #1, 2001)
Who is Blade?
Blade, also known as Eric Brooks, first appeared in 1973’s Tomb of Dracula #10. He is a vampire hunter – a “daywalker” with all the powers of a vampire but none of their weaknesses, allowing him to hunt vampires during the day.
Blade’s mother was bitten by a vampire while pregnant with him. This gave Blade superhuman strength, speed, stamina, agility, and senses. He ages slowly and is immune to sunlight and other vampire vulnerabilities. He’s an expert martial artist and swordsman, with a particular specialty in knives and daggers.
To feed his vampiric urges without harming humans, Blade synthesizes an artificial blood serum. He uses an arsenal of weapons – blades, stakes, garlic, silver, firearms – to take down all manner of undead threats.
Blade’s Key Storylines
- Teamed up with Dracula against Dr. Sun (Tomb of Dracula #37, 1975)
- Battled Morbius the Living Vampire (Adventure into Fear #24, 1974)
- Formed the Border Line Investigations agency with Frank Drake and Hannibal King (Blade: The Vampire Hunter #1, 1994)
- Regained his vampire powers and defeated Draconis (Blade #1, 1998)
- Joined the Avengers against a vampiric threat (Avengers #385, 1995)
- Fought Dracula and the vampire nation of Cinthia (Captain America #449, 1996)
Comparing Origins and Abilities
Despite some superficial similarities, Black Knight and Blade have very different backgrounds and power sets:
| Character | Black Knight | Blade |
|---|---|---|
| Real Name | Dane Whitman | Eric Brooks |
| Origin | Human granted powers via enchanted sword | Part vampire “daywalker” after mother bitten by vampire |
| Powers | No inherent powers, relies on magic sword and armor | Superhuman physical abilities and immunity to vampire weaknesses |
| Weapons | Ebony Blade, Aragorn winged horse | Swords, knives, stakes, firearms, garlic, silver |
| Abilities | Expert swordsman and athlete | Master martial artist, weapon expert, and swordsman |
As seen above, Black Knight and Blade have very different backgrounds. One is a human empowered by magic, the other is a half-vampire empowered by his unique biology. Their weapons and skillsets also differ significantly. Blade has a much broader vampire-hunting arsenal, while Black Knight focuses on swordsmanship.
Allies and Enemies
Black Knight and Blade also tend to have different allies and enemies:
| Character | Black Knight | Blade |
|---|---|---|
| Allies | Avengers, Defenders, Excalibur | Hannibal King, Frank Drake, Misty Knight, Avengers |
| Enemies | Kang, Enchantress, Mordred | Dracula, Morbius, Deacon Frost |
Black Knight has strong ties to other superhero teams like the Avengers. Blade is more associated with vampire hunters and street-level heroes. Their rogues galleries don’t have much overlap, with Black Knight facing more magical threats while Blade fights vampiric villains.
Character Personalities
In terms of personality, Black Knight and Blade have some distinct differences:
| Character | Black Knight | Blade |
|---|---|---|
| Personality | Noble, heroic, follows code of chivalry | Grim, cynical, driven by vengeance |
| Temperament | Cool under pressure | Harbors deep anger and guilt over vampire condition |
| Attitude Toward Violence | Uses force only when necessary | Will kill any vampire threat ruthlessly and brutally |
Dane Whitman is very noble and heroic as Black Knight, following a traditional code of chivalry. As a vampire hunter, Blade is much more cynical, brooding, and angry. Black Knight tries to find the most peaceful solution to conflicts, while Blade readily employs extreme violence against vampire threats.
Conclusion
While there are some surface similarities between Black Knight and Blade, when looking deeper into their backgrounds and story arcs it is clear they are very distinct characters. Black Knight is a human knight empowered by an enchanted sword, while Blade is a half-vampire vampire slayer. They have unique backgrounds, power sets, allies, enemies, and personalities that set them apart.
So in summary – no, Black Knight and Blade are absolutely not the same character. They are completely separate individuals who happen to operate in similar supernatural, swords-and-sorcery milieus. But their origins, abilities, storylines, and characterization all make it clear that the Black Knight is not secretly the character known as Blade. They just both happen to be really good with swords!