Black Knight: Curse of the Ebony Blade #1: Metal Health

Fresh off his appearance in King in Black, Dane Whitman is back and swooping in to save the Avengers once again…..well, maybe “save” is the wrong word. Writer Si Spurrier gives us a really meaty first issue. It’s got everything you could want in a first issue and more. The best part is that it never talks down to the reader, even if you don’t know the slightest thing about this character, that’s okay, Spurrier gives a quick origin, lays out the basics of Whitman’s character, presents a good story, and throws in some humor to boot. Whitman is a character that could send you down a very deep rabbit hole really easily, and Spurrier sends you down it just enough for you to lose your bearings before yanking you to safety. Whitman has a complicated relationship with his fellow Avengers and it’s one that so fun to watch and that shows in full force in this book. It’s split into two parts, but not officially, if that makes any sense. The first is just great full-tilt action and the second is really a character study on Dane Whitman and the set-up for next issue, which is gonna be slammin’. 

Sergio Davila is a really solid artist. He has a great hold on this character and the Marvel universe. He’s able to cram so much into each panel without overcrowded that it’s really a breath of fresh air compared to some other artists that are on high-profile books.  Beyond the technical aspect, he’s a great storyteller and he’s really fortunate to be working with inker Sean Parsons. Parsons definitely gives the book its mood which runs the full gambit from bright superheroes to downright dark and scary.