supervillain
A supervillain or supercriminal is a variant of the villainous stock character that is commonly found in American comic books, usually possessing superhuman abilities. A supervillain is the antithesis of a superhero.
Supervillains are often ...
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Comics'' in 19 ...
.
Publication history
The character first appeared in ''
Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
'' #101 (Aug. 1977) and was created by writer
Bill Mantlo
William Timothy Mantlo (born November 9, 1951) is an American comic book writer, primarily at Marvel Comics. He is best known for his work on two licensed toy properties whose adventures occurred in the Marvel Universe: '' Micronauts'' and '' ...
Latveria
Latveria is a fictional country appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted within the storylines of Marvel's comic titles as an isolated European country ruled by the fictional Supreme Lord Doctor Doom, suppo ...
n scientist, unsatisfied with serving
Doctor Doom
Doctor Victor Von Doom is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and first appeared in '' The Fantastic Four'' #5 in July 1962. The monarch of the f ...
whom he referred to as a "grotesque mockery of a man" and thought himself as his superior. Upon learning of Velsing's treacherous ideals, Doom uses a bio-fusion device to graft a skull-like metal helmet to Velsing's head, scarring him as a way to make him even with Doom. Velsing flees and comes under the care of Victoria Frankenstein, who nurses him back to health at Castle Frankenstein. The character gains a variety of weapons and rides the "Hellhorse", a mutated bat-winged flying black horse genetically engineered from
Nathan Garrett
Nathan Garrett, also known as the criminal Black Knight, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was a supervillain and descendant of the original Black Knight, and was created by writer-editor ...
's flying white horse by Victoria Frankenstein. Calling himself the Dreadknight, the character attempts to force more resources from Frankenstein to defeat Doctor Doom, only to be defeated by
Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
and
Frankenstein's Monster
Frankenstein's monster or Frankenstein's creature, often referred to as simply "Frankenstein", is a fictional character who first appeared in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel '' Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus''. Shelley's title thus compare ...
.
Dreadknight is revived by the mystical villains
Morgan Le Fay
Morgan le Fay (, meaning 'Morgan the Fairy'), alternatively known as Morgan ''n''a, Morgain ''a/e Morg ''a''ne, Morgant ''e Morge ''i''n, and Morgue ''inamong other names and spellings ( cy, Morgên y Dylwythen Deg, kw, Morgen an Spyrys), is a ...
and
Mordred
Mordred or Modred (; Welsh: ''Medraut'' or ''Medrawt'') is a figure who is variously portrayed in the legend of King Arthur. The earliest known mention of a possibly historical Medraut is in the Welsh chronicle ''Annales Cambriae'', wherein h ...
and menaced
Captain Britain
Captain Britain is a title used by various superheroes in comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with Excalibur. The moniker was first used in publication by Brian Braddock in ''Captain Britain Weekly'' #1 by writer ...
, Victoria Bentley, and Sean Dolan, but is defeated by Dane Whitman.
Dreadknight appeared as a member of Wizard's latest incarnation of the
Frightful Four
The Frightful Four are a group of fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They serve as the antithesis to the Fantastic Four.
Publication history
The Frightful Four first appeared in ''Fantastic Four'' ...
Man-Bull
The Man-Bull is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
The character made its live-action debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe television series '' She-Hulk: Attorney at Law'', played by Nate Hurd.
Pub ...
. In their attempt to capture a physicist named Dr. Cargill, the Frightful Four were defeated by Spider-Man and Dr. Cargill's daughter Turbine.
Dreadknight was among the villains that attended the wedding of
Absorbing Man
Absorbing Man (Carl "Crusher" Creel) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in '' Journey into Mystery'' #114, cover dated March 1965, created by writer Stan Lee and writer/artist ...
She-Hulk
She-Hulk (Jennifer "Jen" Walters) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in ''The Savage She-Hulk'' #1 (cover-dated February ...
crashed the wedding.
Hawkeye impersonated Dreadknight in order to get close to the Thunderbolts.
Following Doctor Doom's apparent death at the hands of Onslaught, Dreadknight briefly takes over Latveria and battles Spider-Man, where he is defeated by him.
During the '' Dark Reign'' storyline,
Quasimodo
Quasimodo (from Quasimodo Sunday) is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the novel '' The Hunchback of Notre-Dame'' (1831) by Victor Hugo. Quasimodo was born with a hunchback and feared by the townspeople as a sort of monster, bu ...
researched Dreadknight amongst other villains for
Norman Osborn
Norman Osborn is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #14 (July 1964) as the firs ...
. When researching Dreadknight, Quasimodo considered him to be a poor, pitiful creature.
Dreadknight later appeared fighting
Tony Stark
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The char ...
and apparently still resenting
Doctor Doom
Doctor Victor Von Doom is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and first appeared in '' The Fantastic Four'' #5 in July 1962. The monarch of the f ...
. Iron Man defeated Dreadknight, while the Hellhorse flew off without him.
Powers and abilities
Dreadknight wears a steel alloy body armor granting him superhuman strength and durability. He uses a power lance capable of projecting energy blasts; electrified steel cable bolas; miniature missiles; and also uses a carbon dioxide pistol that fires concentrated nerve gas which can render opponents unconscious or kill them. Bram Velsing is also a gifted scientist with skills as an engineer.
Dreadknight rides the "Hellhorse", a mutated flying black horse with sharp teeth, a razor-barbed mane, bat-like wings, talons, and a dragon-like tail. It was genetically engineered by Victoria Frankenstein from the flying white horse that was used by
Nathan Garrett
Nathan Garrett, also known as the criminal Black Knight, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was a supervillain and descendant of the original Black Knight, and was created by writer-editor ...
, the villainous version of the
Black Knight
The black knight is a literary stock character who masks his identity and that of his liege by not displaying heraldry. Black knights are usually portrayed as villainous figures who use this anonymity for misdeeds. They are often contrasted wit ...
.
Other versions
Ultimate Marvel
The
Ultimate Marvel
Ultimate Marvel, later known as Ultimate Comics, was an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring re-imagined and modernized versions of the company's superhero characters from the Ultimate Marvel Universe. Those characters ...
version of Bram Velsing appears in a suit of armor based on
Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
's designs. His armor features a skull motif and is painted in a color scheme reminiscent of his mainstream Marvel Universe counterpart. The German-born Velsing made his home in a renovated Castle
Frankenstein
''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific exp ...
where he fought Iron Man. At the end of their encounter, Iron Man locked down the defeated Velsing's armor leaving him to suffocate. At one point during the battle, Velsing asks why a girl like Justine Hammer is in his presence "without a leash".''Ultimate Comics: Armor Wars'' #2-3
In other media
Television
* Dreadknight and his Hellhorse, Nightwing appears in ''
Iron Man
Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
'', voiced by
Neil Dickson
Neil Dickson (born November 26, 1950) is an English actor, who has worked extensively in both American and British film and television.
Biography
At the age of five, Dickson contracted poliomyelitis, but he was fortunate enough to make a comp ...
. These versions serve as the
Mandarin
Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to:
Language
* Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country
** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China
** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...
's henchmen, with Dreadknight competing against fellow henchman Blacklash for Hypnotia's affection.
* A legion of Dreadknights appear in the '' Iron Man: Armored Adventures'' episode "Ancient History 101". The Dreadknights are stone statues created by the original Mandarin to guard one of his Makluan rings and test his potential successors' wisdom. They come to life after Gene Khan fails the test and continue to attack him and his friends until Tony Stark passes the aforementioned test.
Toys
*
Toy Biz
Toy Biz (also stylized as ToyBiz), was a toy company which later became a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment and was renamed to Marvel Toys. It was best known for producing action figures and toys and holding the Marvel Comics license from 1990 ...
produced a Dreadknight action figure for the 1994 ''Iron Man'' animated series tie-in line.
* A figure of Dreadknight was released in ''The Danger of Dreadknight'' four-pack from the '' Marvel Super Hero Squad'' line, packaged with two figures of Iron Man and one of the
Mandarin
Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to:
Language
* Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country
** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China
** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...
.
* A figure of Dreadknight is included in the San Diego Comic Con exclusive Marvel Legends "The Raft" box set. The body mould of this figure would be reused on characters such as
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first and best-known incarnation Norman Osborn, created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, is generally regarded as one of the ...
,
Hobgoblin
A hobgoblin is a household spirit, typically appearing in folklore, once considered helpful, but which since the spread of Christianity has often been considered mischievous. Shakespeare identifies the character of Puck in his '' A Midsummer N ...
,
Black Knight
The black knight is a literary stock character who masks his identity and that of his liege by not displaying heraldry. Black knights are usually portrayed as villainous figures who use this anonymity for misdeeds. They are often contrasted wit ...