“It’s Been a While…”

I’ve been thinking about writing this article ever since my previous piece on “EXPERIENCING THE ULTRAFORCE CARTOON” for the Unspoken Decade a while ago. While I primarily focus on podcasting with “Unspoken Issues,” I also have a small passion for writing. To compensate for taking so long to write again, I’m taking on a triple role for this project. “Knightmare” will have a podcast, a video series, and a webpage post, all released within a short window of each other.

Why “Knightmare”?

To be honest, the simple answer is that, like many mid-90s comics, it caught my attention because “It looked cool!” I spontaneously picked up “Knightmare” #1 from our local comic shop solely based on its cover. Image Comics had been making waves for nearly three years at that point, and I was a loyal fan, allocating my spending towards their titles. The cover, illustrated by Marat Mychaels and Al Vey, did precisely what it was designed to do in 1995: grab my attention and separate me from my money. I had no prior knowledge of this book’s creative team, but I was well aware that the Image universe was introducing new heroes regularly, and I wanted to be part of the “Knightmare” from the very beginning!

Introducing the Vigilante: Knightmare

With a plot crafted by Robert Liefeld (known for “Bloodstrike” and “Supreme”) and scripted by Robert Loren Fleming (renowned for “Thriller” and “Ragman”), “Knightmare” introduces us to Alec Knight, a former Chicago mob enforcer who has a change of heart. However, before he can sever ties with “the family,” Don Carbone, Alec’s boss, catches wind of his intentions. Don Carbone dispatches Alec’s fellow enforcer, Logan, along with a crew of men to eliminate Alec and his family. This tragic event results in Alec’s only son, Jeff, being killed, his wife, Connie, being left in a coma, and Alec being shot in the head and left for dead. Miraculously, Alec survives, makes a full recovery, and decides to honor his family’s memory by seeking vengeance against Don Carbone and Logan as the vigilante known as “Knightmare.”

Seeing the costume, the “KNIGHT” in “Knightmare” is evident, particularly with the shiny helmet and beefy shoulder armor. This ties into a unique aspect of the book: Alec’s admiration for the story of “Don Quixote,” which he references frequently throughout the six-issue series. “Don Quixote” is a classic Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes, depicting the adventures of an eccentric man who embarks on delusional quests as a self-proclaimed knight-errant, inspired by chivalric tales. Alec even named his AI-powered motorcycle “Rocinante” after Quixote’s horse. In contrast to delusional quests, Alec’s mission is quite straightforward, and you won’t see him engaging in fanciful battles with imaginary giants. Anyone associated with the Carbone family stands a good chance of encountering the lethal end of Knightmare’s staff.

Slaying Giants: Knightmare’s Adversaries

In this 6-issue series, space is limited for multiple antagonists, but Alec encounters several foes. Let’s start with Don Carbone, the mob boss, who plays a significant role. Carbone was approached by some US Military personnel to acquire black-market nukes. When Alec learns about this deal, he contemplates leaving the Carbone family, setting off a chain of events that results in Carbone ordering the hit on him.

The brash hitman assigned to eliminate Alec was Logan, who had trained and risen through the ranks alongside Alec in the Carbone family’s enforcer business. Logan’s loyalty to Carbone is unwavering, and he doesn’t hesitate to carry out the order to kill his friend. As the two clash multiple times in the story, Logan remains as ruthless as ever, presenting a significant challenge to Alec. Alec is determined to take revenge on Logan for the harm he caused to his family, setting the stage for an explosive and deadly showdown in the book.

Let’s talk about the yakuza assassin, Kirasu. He’s not just the villain who arms the “nukes” during Carbone’s dockside arms deal; he’s also the one who gives Knightmare a significant beating. When Knightmare tracks him down, they have a brawl on a moving truck, but it doesn’t take long for Knightmare to end up almost gutted and thrown onto the road, watching as the vehicle speeds away with Kirasu standing triumphant on top.

Now, let’s dive into my personal favorite antagonist in the entire series, Thrillkill! Thrillkill is an entity summoned by Don Carbone’s estranged daughter, Tina, with a single mission: to eliminate Don Carbone. Up until Thrillkill’s introduction, the story had elements akin to a Jean Claude Van-Damme action thriller—mafia, yakuza, and potential nuclear catastrophes. However, Thrillkill flips the script. This entity has connections to Pandora’s Box and is obsessed with the gore it has reveled in throughout its existence, to the point where it can’t stop talking about it. Alec’s showdown with Thrillkill unfolds in issues four and five, culminating in one of my favorite moments from the book when Alec slashes Thrillkill’s throat enough to sever its vocal cords, yet Thrillkill WILL NOT STOP TRYING TO SPEAK.

Bringing a Knightmare to Life

Marat Mychaels, the artist behind these characters, brings them to life with a dynamic flair for action that leaps off the pages. The intensity of the scenes is palpable as fists pound faces, weapons are discharged with haste, and body parts are swiftly severed. In issue five, John Fang takes over the pencil work and seamlessly continues the action-packed battle between Knightmare and Thrillkill. There’s even a standout moment where a large page showcases a fancy border around their fierce confrontation.

Robert Loren Fleming’s scripting work is commendable, though it hints at the potential for more character development, especially for figures like Detective Murtaugh, Caine, Mr. Tapp, Kirasu, and Tina Carbone. The zero issue of the series ties things up neatly, featuring Alec’s ultimate deadly face-off with Logan in the same hospital room where his wife awakens from her coma, ready to testify against the mob.

A Knightmare-ish Experience

In a decade brimming with emerging comic book characters, “Knightmare” faced a tough challenge to stand out. Despite my initial choice to read it because it “looked cool” on a shelf nearly 30 years ago, I’m not disappointed with my decision. The book held some unexpected surprises and delivered satisfying doses of brutality on its pages. My only regret is that “Knightmare” didn’t have the opportunity to explore Chicago a bit more in a seventh and eighth issue, perhaps delving into mob connections and teaming up with The Savage Dragon. Looking ahead, as Liefeld works on his Extreme movie universe, maybe one day we’ll sit in the theater, watching a data file on Bloodstrike’s computers reveal a sleek figure in a blue suit taking on mobsters. We’ll do our best Leo DiCaprio impression, point at the screen, and shout, “KNIGHTMARE!”

Did you read “Knightmare”?  Chime in and let us know your thoughts on the Unspoken Decade’s Facebook page!  We would love to hear from you!

To catch our special Unspoken Issues video series on “Knightmare” check out our YouTube playlist on all six issues by clicking HERE!

You can also check out the Unspoken Issues audio podcast for “Knightmare” slated to drop on 11/13/2023 by accessing any podcatcher and subscribing to “The Source Material Comics Podcast,” the home for Unspoken Issues! If Spotify is your jam just click HERE to easily find us!