The Face Of Doom!

Can YOU

Name This Marvel Villain??

If you're noticing similarities between our mystery villain and another lance-toting villain astride a winged, black horse, rest assured that this man is not and is no relation to the Black Knight in any way--though the same can't be said for his steed, which indeed formerly belonged to the Black Knight and which you'll see has obviously undergone some alterations.

But along with the Knight's mode of transportation, the Dreadknight has also chosen to retain the "knight" portion of the name, despite the fact that both he and Nathan Garrett lack the noble qualities of the knights of old and give them a bad name with their every transgression.

The Dreadknight first appeared during Iron Man's conflict with the Frankenstein monster at (you guessed it) Castle Frankenstein, catching the golden Avenger in a vicious surprise attack just as Iron Man was making peace with his foe.

It turned out that the Dreadknight was the enemy of the monster as well as Iron Man, seizing control of not only the castle but also a woman the monster and his fellow "creations" only know as "Mother." But who is the Dreadknight, and what is he after in this isolated location? We'll learn in a moment how he managed to get ahold of the Black Knight's horse, but first we need to learn more about the man--Bram Velsing (an amalgam either of Bram Stoker and Van Helsing, or simply Abraham Van Helsing, take your pick), an engineer in the service of none other than Victor von Doom, who had fallen out of favor with his master thanks to just a few ill-timed words.

Fleeing from Latveria, the exhausted Velsing is taken in by "Mother"--the Baroness of Castle Frankenstein, who cares for her great-grandfather's creations which were deemed failures. But, harboring a fierce grudge towards Doom, Velsing turns on those who rescued him and keeps the monster in check by holding the Baroness prisoner until she divulges von Frankenstein's secret of creation. It's also revealed that the current appearance of the Black Knight's horse is the unfortunate result of the Baroness's attempt to return it to normal.

Eventually, Iron Man breaks free of his restraints and takes on the Dreadknight, who without intending it makes a surprisingly adept version of the Black Knight--and Iron Man should know.

Yet the Dreadknight has reckoned without the monster, who has also broken free and arrives at a crucial moment in the battle--crucial for the Dreadknight, that is, with his life literally hanging in the balance depending on how the monster decides his fate. But it's the true monster who meets defeat this day.

The Dreadknight would go on to make several more appearances over the years, including a clash with the Black Knight of the 20th century as well as signing up as a member of the Frightful Four. (Wouldn't you like an invitation to attend that group's reunion--their ranks have swelled to the point where they might as well have a Fifth Avenue mansion and a butler.)