Silent Knight
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The silent knight was a Medieval-set comic book series that was published by DC Comics. The series first appeared in the comic book The Brave and the Bold #1 back in 1955. The series would after that appear in every issue until #22.This was before The Brave and the Bold became a monthly Batman team-up title. In the early issues the comic book highlighted fictional historical adventure series. The Silent Knight was one of three such ongoing series to premere in the first issue (the other two being Robin Hood and the Viking Prince).
The Silent Knight was set in sixth-century England which in the series was the time of brave knights, bandits, King Arthur, evil Lords, sorcery and Dragons. The stories were written by Robert Kanigher. The title character was a young man named Brian Kent. He was a young man who one day while riding in a forest near his home,a forest called the Forest Perilous, plunges into a deep pit. In the pit Brian finds a trunk with a suit of silver armor, a sword, a red helmet and shield. After finding these items, he puts them on and uses them to fight the evil lord of his kingdom Sir Oswald Bane and Sir Oswalds soldiers. The soldiers are referred to by the medieval term Men-at-arms. Brian also uses the armor to protect those citizens of the kingdom that Sir Oswald and his Men-at-arms would in any way try to harm. When Brian does this he fullfills his fathers dying wish. While he wears he wears the armor Brian never speaks. He feels that his voice would give away his identity. His silence is why people take to calling him the Silent Knight.
As the Silent Knight, Brian shows himself to be a superb fighter. He is a master of the knightly skills of tilting, horsemanship, hawking, fencing, Archery and Chivalry. In his origin story Brian's talent for swordfighting enables him to out-fight some of the king's soldiers. In another story, called "the Sword in the Lake", Brian demontrates great strength when he dives to the bottom of the lake in full armor to retireve a necklace and come right back up again. He also shows loyalty to the knightly code of conduct by never taking unfair advantage of an opponent. For that reason he never uses a weapon with a greater reach than his adversary's.
Brians refusal to speak and let anyone know who he is under the helmet does create some problems. One of those is that he is love with the Lady Celia. She sees only his public image as an oaf and loves only the Silent Knight. She is of course completely unaware that Brian is the Silent Knight and that is a difficult thing for Brian to deal with. This problem and the fact that he conceals his Knightly skills with a reputation for being an oaf makes Brian Kent's secret identity as the Silent Knight almost seem like Clark Kent becoming Superman.
[edit] Fictional history
The Silent Knights origin began with a duel at a medieveal jousting tournament. The duel was between the evil Sir Oswald Bane and the good hearted Sir Edwin Kent. Both men are feudal Lords of a kingdom in Sixth-century England. Sir Edwin was Brains father and the tournament ends with his being struck down and killed. Sir Oswald claims the death to be an accident the none of the spectators believe him. There is also concern expressed over what will become of the kingdom once Sir Oswald rules it alone.
Sir Edwin's final words to Brian are to asks him to rule over the kingdom in his father's place and to look after the people. Sir Oswald after having heard those words calls Brain to his throne room soon afterwords. He tell Brian that if he is to rule he must first learn the ways of a Knight. Brian is to be tutored by Sir Grot, a friend of Brian's father.
While Brian does very well with learning the various skill of a knight, Sir Grot fears that Sir Oswald will kill him if the boy becomes to good. For this reason the tutor publicly calls the boy incompetent or to use the medieval term an oaf.
One day while trying to handle one of Sir Oswald's prize hawks, Brian loses control of the bird and it flies off. Realising that Sir Oswald might punish them if the hawk is lost Brian goes after it. He pursues it into the Forest Perilous. There he finds the suit of armor complete with helmet, shield and sword.
Brian puts the armor on and discovers that it is a perfect fit. After that he hears travellers being threatened by Sir Oswalds Men at Arms. Brian uses the armor to defeat the soldiers all the while never uttering a word. One of the soldiers even challenges him to say his name. He right there decides that speaking would reveal who he was under the helmet. Apparently fearing retaliation by Sir Oswald, Brian decided that would not be a good idea. His silence earns him the name the Silent Knight which than sticks to him from than on.
With the battle over, Brian stores the armor back on the Forest Perilous, retrives the suddenly friendly hawk and returns to his tutor. Sir Grot tell Brain that word is spreading of a great fighter called the Silent Knight and wonders where Brian got scratchs that he now has. Brian makes up an excuse about stumbling against thorns and does not tell Sir Grot that he is the Silent Knight.
This story was first printed in The Brave and the Bold #1 published in 1955 by D.C comics.
[edit] Later Appearances
The Silent Knight made a minor appearance during a time-travel story in All-Star Squadron #55.
In the 1990s Hawkman series, Brian, with his hawk-motif armor and trained falcon, was revealed to be a past avatar of the Hawk-God. A further retcon in the 2000s Hawkman implied he was a past incarnation of Carter Hall.
In Seven Soldiers: Shining Knight #1 (Aug 2005), Sir Gawain is referred to in a caption as "the silent knight, attended by his wondrous hawks."
[edit] Source
Adventure Heroes:Legendary Characters from Odysseus to James Bond. Pg 236-237
