KNIGHT OF DARKNESS

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Alternate reality (Earth-38970) humanoid (exact nature unrevealed)

Occupation: Ruler, general

Group Membership: Leader of his army and fleet

Affiliations: Shadow Warriors

Enemies: Star Team (Zem-21, Zeroid Blue, Zeroid Red)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Black Nebula (likely also the Space Arena)

First Appearance: Star Team (1977)

Powers/Abilities: The Knight of Darkness was brazen, arrogant and overconfident, carelessly gloating about his plans for conquest.

    He had a Uni-Blaster that could paralyze an android (and possibly humans as well). He wore an intimidatory uniform and flew a spaceworthy rocket sled.

Height: 7'
Weight: Unrevealed
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Unrevealed

History:

(Star Team (fb) - BTS) - In the year 3000, having already gained a foothold in the outer planets, the nefarious Knight of Darkness led an invasion force beyond the Black Nebula and next targeted Earth's solar system, formerly never invaded, as part of his conquest plans. The Knight of Darkness established a secret base where a matter-transmitter was being used to instantly teleport armed Shadow Warriors from the outer planets as part of his plan. Meanwhile, the Star Team (comprising Zem-21, Zeroid Blue and Zeroid Red) from Earth was tasked with scouting the nearby planets in their Star Hawk spacecraft to identify threats.

(Star Team) - While patrolling for active enemy ships, the Star Team came upon a seemingly wrecked enemy spacecraft. Investigating, Zeroid Blue found Shadow Warriors of the Knight of Darkness and was pursued by them. Zem-21 ordered the two Zeroids back to their spacecraft and they fled, blasting away while being chased by several Shadow Warriors mounted on rocket sleds. Zem-21 went into the wreckage but was confronted by the Knight of Darkness, who quickly used his Uni-Blaster to paralyze the inquisitive android. Zem-21 was marched deeper inside and shown the matter-transmitter in use teleporting armed Shadow Warriors.

    The Knight of Darkness revealed his plans of conquest to his opponent before showing Zem-21 that his Shadow Warriors had caused the Star Hawk to apparently crash. Angered, Zem-21 shoved the dark Knight into the control panel, disabling the matter-transmitter before running away. The Knight of Darkness and his Shadow Warriors soon cornered Zem-21, but the android was saved with the sudden appearance of the two Zeroids, who had only staged an explosive crash, with Zeroid Red shooting away at the enemy troops as Zeroid Blue electronically crossed circuits to cause an overload. Zem-21 warned the Knight of Darkness of the impending explosion, and he and his troops transported away as the Star Team escaped and likewise blasted off just as the secret base exploded.

(Star Team - BTS) - The Star Team resolved to remain vigilant to counter any future efforts by the Knight of Darkness.

Comments: Created by Ideal Toy Corporation. Comic created by Archie Goodwin, David Cockrum.

    This Star Team comic was a 16-page giveaway produced by Ideal Toys and Marvel Comics, along with toys (photos at the bottom of this profile of the available toys cited in this profile). The toy line included a human called Kent in a red astronaut suit riding in a little Cosmic Cruiser; he was dubbed the leader of the Star Team in the 1978 advert.

    The Star Team was an extension of the original Zeroids line of toys - nifty stuff! However, it's not hard to see the (heavy) influence of Star Wars with Knight of Darkness (Darth Vader), Zem-21 (C-3PO), the two Zeroids (R2-D2), and the name of their spaceship, Star Hawk (Millennium Falcon).

    The Black Nebula has been used as a location in other Marvel comics, such as Rom, as well as Conan the Barbarian with the time traveler Nostume invoking the name.

    The Knight of Darkness previously had a sub-profile under the Star Team profile, originally posted 09/16/2010.

    This profile was completed 09/25/2026, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25^th anniversary's celebratory event to represent. Other Media, Alternate Reality and Licensed Comics.

Profile by Grendel Prime.

CLARIFICATIONS :
Knight of Darkness has no known connections to:

• KNIGHTS - agents of the Baron, use medieval costume + weapons, ride horses--Luke Cage, Power Man#39
• KNIGHTS of unspecified KRAL world - Skrulls living out existence based on medieval Europe--Fantastic Four I#173
• KNIGHTS of Reality-7614 (Sir Cat, Sir Ram, Sir Warthog, Sir Anteater, Sir Ant) - servants of Kirke--Marvel Preview#7/2
• KNIGHTS in SATAN's SERVICE - Satanists in Waxahachie Maximum Security Prison, allied with pastor to protect him from Zadkiel's assassins, slaughtered by Deacon--Ghost Rider VI#24
• KNIGHTS of CAMELOT - presumably associated with the Knights of the Round Table--Journey into Mystery I#81/2
  
• KNIGHTs of DOOM of Earth-110 - robots, followed Silver Surfer's lead to attack heroes of Manhattan under Doom's commands--Fantastic Four: Big Town#1
  
• KNIGHTS of HADES - demons of Mephisto, summoned by Elspeth Cromwell, who subsequently lost control of them--Fantastic Four I#276
• KNIGHTS of the INFINITE - Kree-Skrull hybrids, dedicated to uniting the two empires--New Avengers IV#3
  
• KNIGHTS of JUSTICE of Earth-93121 - 20^th Century Knights football team transported to the age of Camelot by Merlin--King Arthur and the Knights of Justice#1
  
• KNIGHTS of the MOON (Louis, Hashim, Sharp) - followers of Plasma, then Nepthys--Moon Knight III#25 (35-38
• KNIGHTS of NEEP (Gar'ee) - Microverse, Quarlos IV. Sentient, mobile flora; fire eyeblasts--Microverse I#7
  
• KNIGHTS of the ORDER of SAINT GEORGE of Earth-88194 (George of Cappadonia, Knight of 1908, Jeong Lee, Kara Janisery, Michael Devlin)--Dr.Zero#1
• KNIGHTS of PENDRAGON (Albion (Merlin), Crown (Arthur), Grace (Morgan), Dai Thomas (Gawain), Kate McClellan (Guinevere), Ben Gallagher (Percival), Breeze James (Guinevere 2), Sir Gawain (Gawain 2), Union Jack/Chapman (Lancelot)) - allegedly split off from the Order of Tyrana in the past--Knights of Pendragon I#1
• KNIGHTS of the ROUND TABLE (Galahad, Gareth, Gawain, Kay, Lancelot, Mogard, Percival, Percy, Tristan) - Camelot--Black Knight Comics#1
• KNIGHTS of SAINT VIRGIL - agents of Peacemonger, attacked him to stimulate hatred--Marvel Comics Presents#27
• KNIGHTS of the TEMPERED BROTHERHOOD - see TEMPLOIDS; aka Knights Tempered--Battletide I#2
• KNIGHTS OF WUNDAGORE - servants of High Evolutionary, animals evolved into humanoid form and intellect, trained in war--Thor I#134
• KNIGHTS TEMPERED - see TEMPLOIDS--Battletide I#2
• KNIGHTS TEMPLAR (Jean du Plan Carpin, Chretién, Demolay, Lamberton, Henri Remont, Seth the Immortal, Chloe Tran, William of Rubruques) - an ancient order, they guarded the Bloodline legacy throughout the generations, monitored and guarded the Hellbent, kept records (Arcane Archives) of all significant data through variety of means--Web of Spider-Man Annual#9
• or any other "Knight" or "Darkness" characters (and there's a lot!)

Shadow Warriors

    The Shadow Warriors were the armored soldiers from the Black Nebula commanded by the Knight of Darkness.

    He brought them in via a powerful matter transmitter as part of his invasion plans of Earth's solar system.

    Some rode spaceworthy rocket sleds. Each soldier was armed with a powerful blaster.

    Their exact nature (biological/cyborg/android) is unrevealed.

--Star Team

Space Arena

The Space Arena appeared to be a giant battleground between spaceships in the Knight of Darkness' advance toward Earth. Its exact nature is unrevealed.

   The Space Arena did not appear in the comic story but as an advert for a game called "Battling Spaceships"; it was clearly tied to the storyline with the Star Team logo alongside the toy's name. The toy appeared to be a simple spinning tops battle inside a central circular arena (and there was artistic license on the portrayal of the arena and the actual toy) with a chase track around the square border similar to "Monopoly".

    What's interesting (beyond extending the Star Team/Knight of Darkness storyline) is that the arena in the artwork is reminiscent of the later Beyonder's Construct that gathered and transported Marvel characters to Battleworld in the original Secret Wars (1984)--although I consider it more of a generic ring design with 4 entry points.

--Star Team

images: (with ads)
Star Team, p16 (main image)
   p6, pan2 (headshot)
   cover (on space sled)
   p6, pan1 (Shadow Warriors)
   p9 (Space Arena, "Battling Spaceships" ad)

Appearances:
Star Team (1977) - Archie Goodwin (writer/editor), Dave Cockrum (pencils), Mike Esposito (inks)

First posted: 09/27/2026
Last updated: 09/25/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
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