MOORE'S WILD KNIGHTS

By: Arnold T. Blumberg
Date: Wednesday, August 29, 2001

Daredevil, the Punisher, Elektra, and many more of Marvel's more down-to-earth stars have been revamped in one way or another for a new century and a new generation of readers via the Marvel Knights imprint. Taking a slightly more mature perhaps even darker look at the grimier corners of the Marvel Universe, this group of titles will soon be joined by one of Marvel's most morally upstanding citizens Captain America himself. Guiding all of these characters through their new adventures is Group Editor Stuart Moore, who has also been responsible for the team title that drew the entire line together, also titled MARVEL KNIGHTS.

While that group book is coming to an end, it won't be away for long. Meanwhile, in the absence of that series, a new title named DOUBLE-SHOT will debut in October, taking the place of the team series and offering a very familiar venue for showcasing the talents of the industry's best creators on the heroes and villains of the Marvel Knights line. The new series adopts an anthology approach, one that reaches back to the earliest years of the Marvel Universe.

"[DOUBLE-SHOT] features individual stories of various Marvel Knights heroes two stories per issue done by a wild variety of creative teams," explains Moore. "Glenn Fabry, famed cover artist of PREACHER, provides covers."

The first issue will kick off with a bang probably quite literally. In fact, this debut has even lured Marvel's illustrious Editor-in-Chief back to the drawing board.

"Issue #1 kicks off with a PUNISHER story," says Marvel Knights Group Editor Stuart Moore. "[It's] written by regular PUNISHER writer Garth Ennis with rare interior art by Joe Quesada, Marvel's editor-in-chief, and inker Danny Miki."

Besides the Punisher lead story, the first issue will also feature a Daredevil adventure written and drawn by Rob Haynes, who last tackled the scarlet-garbed protector of Hell's Kitchen in DAREDEVIL: NINJA. Hayne's DOUBLE-SHOT Daredevil tale promises to illuminate one of the dark corners in Man Without Fear's life.

"[The story] answers certain burning questions about the Kingpin of Crime," Moore explains cryptically.

After hitting the ground running with two of the Marvel Knights line's most dynamic heroes (or anti-heroes depending on your point of view), the second issue will focus on Marvel's resident grizzled old warhorse Nick Fury.

"Issue #2 leads off with "Fury's World," a wild tale of NICK FURY, AGENT OF SHIELD, by superstar writer Grant Morrison (NEW X-MEN, JLA) and hot new artist Manuel Gutierrez," says Moore.

Following Fury's antics, DOUBLE-SHOT #2 will showcase a return by one of Marvel's most gruesome '70s icons, and he'll most likely be dealing with some 'burning' questions of his own (some of you older fans should know what I mean).

"Master of the macabre Ted McKeever (METROPOL, EDDY CURRENT) provides an all-new, very disturbing MAN-THING story," says Moore.

The anthology also welcomes one of the publisher's hottest heroines as well as one of the industry's hottest writers in a team-up sure to set sales records.

"Issue #3 features an ELEKTRA tale by novelist and comics writer Greg Rucka (SPIDER-MAN'S TANGLED WEB, WHITEOUT, DETECTIVE COMICS) and ace ELEKTRA cover artist Greg Horn, rendered in full CGI-painted style," says Moore.

The back-up for this issue will reunite '80s stars Cloak and Dagger once again (they've most recently been appearing in the MARVEL KNIGHTS series), with a story by Peter Gross (BOOKS OF MAGIC) and Ryan Kelly, the team behind the Eisner-nominated LUCIFER.

"Future stories will feature work by Gene Ha (TOP TEN), John Totleben (SWAMP THING, MIRACLEMAN) and more, including a 'prequel' story by the all-new MARVEL KNIGHTS teambook creative team."

What's that? A new MARVEL KNIGHTS team book? Proving that DOUBLE-SHOT is not quite the replacement of the MARVEL KNIGHTS series that fans originally believed, Moore elaborates on the next permutation of MARVEL KNIGHTS and the roles both titles will play in the Marvel Knights line.

"The new team book will feature most of the same characters from the first series, but it'll go off in a very different direction," says Moore. "I'd say that MARVEL KNIGHTS was our AVENGERS, or our JUSTICE LEAGUE. DOUBLE-SHOT is kind of a cross between MARVEL FANFARE and the old STRANGE TALES, which told two separate stories per issue and often got a nice balance going between, say, Nick Fury and Dr. Strange."

A sprinkle of nostalgia with the modern Knights-oriented take on classic Marvel characters most with several anthology appearances already under the super-belts sounds like a recipe for success. Should DOUBLE-SHOT make the grade, it'll be a revival of one of Marvel's tried and true approaches to superhero storytelling. In fact, the title will run an issue longer than originally planned due to the surplus of solid material from so many hot writers and artists eager to lend their talents to the project.

"[DOUBLE-SHOT] was originally scheduled to be four [issues], but we held it over due to popular demand and too much good material to run," says Moore. He's clearly high on the potential of the series, particularly since it evolved from a schedule-filler into what could be a power-packed showcase of the best and brightest.

"It started off as a way to have some fun and fill in the hole left in the schedule by the team book," says Moore. "But it's turned into a great way to work with some of the best writers and artists in the industry, who may only have room in their schedule to do a short story," says Moore.

Recalling the days when the Marvel Universe was being built by the likes of Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and so many more via anthology titles like STRANGE TALES, TALES TO ASTONISH, and TALES OF SUSPENSE, DOUBLE-SHOT is a Marvel anthology for the 21st century. The new series teams the biggest names in modern comics with some of the hottest heroes in the Marvel Universe, a combination sure to please fans who have already given their vote of confidence to the Marvel Knights line through sterling sales and gushing reviews. By the time issue #5 of DOUBLE-SHOT hits the stands, a double dose of the Marvel Knights magic may not be nearly enough.