| Shining Knight | |
|---|---|
 Shining Knight and Winged Victory, from the cover ofAll-Star Squadron #62 (October 1986); art byMike Harris andTony DeZuniga. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Adventure Comics #66 (September 1941) |
| Created by | Creig Flessel (writer/artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Sir Justin |
| Team affiliations | Knights of the Round Table Justice Society of America Seven Soldiers of Victory Justice League |
| Partnerships | Vigilante |
| Notable aliases | Justin Arthur |
| Abilities |
|
Shining Knight (Sir Justin) is a fictionalsuperhero appearing inAmerican comic books published byDC Comics, the first of several to use the nameShining Knight. He was created byCreig Flessel and first appeared inAdventure Comics #66 (September 1941).[1] He appeared regularly until issue #125, and off and on until issue #166.[2]
The character appeared on theJustice League Unlimited animated series and theStargirl live-action series, voiced byChris Cox in the former and portrayed byMark Ashworth in the latter.
Sir Justin, the newest member of theKnights of the Round Table inKing Arthur's court, is one of many knights who witnesses the death ofQueen Guinevere's cousin, Sir Fallon. While searching for Fallon's killer, theogre Blunderbore, Justin frees the wizardMerlin from a tree. In gratitude, Merlin blesses Justin with his magic, turning the impoverished knight's rusty weapons and armor into brilliant enchanted armaments and transforming hishorse Victory into awinged horse.[3]
Sir Justin later battles and kills Blunderbore. Before dying, the ogre triggers an avalanche that buries Justin and Winged Victory. Kept alive for hundreds of years by the magic that empowered them, the two are freed in the Modern age by a museum curator during an archeological dig and join theSeven Soldiers of Victory.[4] Later, Justin returns toBritain and becomes a bodyguard to its Prime Minister. During his career as a superhero, he meets a boy who looks up to him and vows to be his sidekick for a brief time, taking the nameSquire.
Shining Knight also has a relationship with the secondFirebrand, who is apparently killed by theDragon King. In the last battle with his teammates in the Seven Soldiers of Victory, they battle a powerful energy creature calledNebula Man. In the process, he is displaced in time, loses his memories, and becomes ajanitor at Blue Valley High School until his memories returned. With his memories finally returned, Sir Justin comes back as the Shining Knight stronger than before. He fights and defeats Dragon King, avenging Firebrand.[5]
InIdentity Crisis, Shining Knight assistsCaptain Marvel,Vixen andFirestorm during their battle withShadow Thief, during which the villain steals his sword and kills Firestorm with it. Shiny vows revenge on the villain, eventually managing to regain the sword with Merlin's help.[6]
Shining Knight appears inJustice League: Cry For Justice as one of several heroes recruited byJay Garrick to help combatPrometheus.[7]
In 2016, DC Comics implemented another relaunch of its books called "DC Rebirth", which restored its continuity to a form much as it was prior to "The New 52". A statue of Shining Knight was seen.[8]
Shining Knight was glimpsed duringFlash's fight withReverse-Flash across time.[9]
In the pages of "The New Golden Age", Shining Knight (alongside Winged Victory) reunited with his fellow Seven Soldiers of Victory members in Myrtle Beach, where they meet up with the Jill Carlyle version ofCrimson Avenger. He assists his fellow Seven Soldiers of Victory in fightingClock King, who was usingPer Degaton's time machine on the displaced shipwreck that the original Crimson Avenger died on.[10]
Shining Knight is a master of the arts of combat of Arthurian times, skilled in aerial combat, weaponry including art of sword, and hand-to-hand combat. In some comics, it is revealed that Shining Knight has superhuman physical abilities, including: strength, stamina, endurance, speed, reflexes, balance and agility. Due to the suspended resuscitation by an iceberg, Sir Justin's aging has slowed down considerably, remaining forever young. He has an indomitable will; even though there are enemies that are much stronger than him, the Shining Knight refuses to give up and continues to fight.
Shining Knight possesses enchanted armor, which protects him from any harm, and an enchanted sword that can cut through anything except for Shining Knight's enchanted armor, and is capable of repelling, absorbing, and shooting magical attacks.
When Merlin transformed Sir Justin's horse Victory into the winged horse Winged Victory, he became Shining Knight's mode of transportation.
Shining Knight and Winged Victory make cameo appearances inJLA: Another Nail.[11]
Shining Knight and Winged Victory appear as character summons inScribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[15]
