Southern Knights

Comic Book

the rugby union side

Southern Knights was a comic book created by the husband and wife team of Henry and Audrey Vogel. It chronicled the adventures of a superhero team based in Atlanta, Georgia. Initially known as "The Crusaders", they were renamed The Southern Knights with their second issue due to Archie Comics' Red Circle Imprint having their own group called The Mighty Crusaders,
Kristin Austin — A petite graduate of Clemson University who is strong enough to destroy a tank and tough enough to withstand at least .50 cal. machine gun rounds. Confident, outgoing, flirtatious, and hot tempered, she becomes enraged by any show of chauvinism. Having had her powers since early childhood, she is comfortable with being superpowered and rarely hesitates to use her strength in public. Dragon (Moranderin/Mark Dagon) — The last of the dragons (or so he initially believes). After his mate and child were slain by men, he found that he could take on the form of a human male. After having his revenge on the slayer of his family, he wandered the world for a thousand years until meeting up with the Knights. In dragon form he is immensely strong and tough, can fly and breathe fire. In human form he is no tougher or stronger than a normal human. He was eventually featured in his own four issue limited series, which chronicled several of his adventures from the centuries before the other Southern Knights were born. Aramis Merrow — A teenage sorcerer from the 17th century who was placed in suspended animation by his parents when their coven was attacked. He was awakened by Kristin while she was exploring the house the team had moved into. His magical powers include flight, scrying, summoning illusions, mystical shields, and bolts of magical energy. His major weakness is trying to adjust to modern day life. The only non founding member, he was introduced in issue #5. A running joke of the series is that despite his participating in nearly all of the Knights' missions, often playing the key role to their victories, he is persistently denied membership on the grounds that their work is too dangerous for someone his age. He is finally given official membership in issue #26. The team's groundskeeper, Bryan Daniels, would sometimes don a high tech suit of armor, designed by David Shenk, to help them out.

Franklin John Barl A wealthy socialite, and neighbor to the Knights. After they rescued him, he became their official sponsor, but when he failed to relay crime reports, they publicly humiliated him in retaliation. The most frequently appearing villain of the series, he repeatedly threatens to get the team thrown out of the neighborhood, but this plot thread is never actually developed. Dread A sociopath who has the mental power to draw forth a person's deepest fear and make it appear real to the victim. Viper A powerful criminal organization led initially by Serpent, then by Zephyr Flint, then by an unidentified man. (Not to be confused with the VIPER from Champions and League of Champions.) Carl and Larry Two hitmen who rely on their wits. Morrigan A goddess who draws power from the sacrifice of living creatures. It was a worshipper of Morrigan who slew Dragon's mate.

The superteam debuted in The Crusaders #1 (December 1982). The original creative team included three writers: co creators Henry and Audrey Vogel and co plotter/letterer David H. Willis. The team was filled out by Jackson Guice on both pencils and inks, though Guice would be penciling only on Southern Knights #2 and gone entirely after that. The series was published quarterly at first by the Guild, a company founded by Willis and Henry Vogel for the sole purpose of publishing the series. Artists came and went in quick succession, but with issue #5 penciler Chuck Wojtkiewicz and inker Steve Kent came on as the steady art team, and sales became exceptionally high for a self published series. After issue #7, Southern Knights was taken on by Comics Interview (a company which had previously only put out magazines), and following a half year's hiatus, went bi monthly. Comics Interview president David Anthony Kraft quickly came up with the idea of using the tagline "The #1 Super Team of the South".