Marvel Knights: 20th

Marvel Knights: 20th #1-6

by Donny Cates (Writer)

In celebration of the legendary imprint founded two decades ago by Marvel's CCO Joe Quesada, a new crop of talented creators stand poised to tell a groundbreaking story in the hard-hitting Marvel Knights style! In the cemetery, the blind man does not know who he is, or why he has come to this particular grave. He doesn't know the burly policeman with the wild story who has approached him. Or the strangely intense man who sits in the rear seat of the patrol car, his eyes flashing green. But all that is about to change. Matt Murdock is beginning to remember. In a colorless world without heroes, the spark of light must come from the dark. Together, these individuals face a mystery that can only be unraveled...a threat that can only be challenged...by Knights.

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Fiction, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics

160 pages, Paperback

First published April 24, 2019

Reviews

[Khurram · Rating 3 out of 5]

An ok story, a bit slow and lacking in the action department, apart from the Punisher getting beaten up a number of times. Even the story have been done before a number of times before, and sadly it was done better previously.

Over night the world changes, but a few "heroes" are starting to remember their former lives in dreams, people have retained their skills and scars but have no memory of who they were.

The question is in some cases some characters life is better or have the potential to be better. Why would the want to go back to a world of pain?

An ok version of the memory reset story, not be best version, but ok. Great cover gallery at the containing A4 versions of all the covers with a couple of variants.

[Niall Philyaw · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this because of nostalgia, and it just wasn't very good. I was reading Daredevil in college when Kevin Smith and Joe Quesada rebooted it. I loved the Marvel Knights imprint at that time. This celebrates that groundbreaking imprint, but unfortunately doesn't deliver a compelling story. By issue 6 you realize this is a very creative idea, but it took 6 issues to reveal what is going on.

What I liked:
I will say that I liked the idea presented in the 6th issue. The heroes had to make a decision about an impending doom in the future. But why did they make this particular decision at this time? I don't really understand. But it was an interesting moral conflict that could have been even more compelling. In a sense, the heroes are fighting themselves which has the potential to be interesting. I also liked the surprise appearance of the "dragon," even though this individual didn't really do that much. Nor do we find out what happens to the "dragon" after the story ends. Maybe there is another story that follows?

What I didn't like:
The issues between 1 and 6 are rather dull. We know the heroes won't be in the dark forever...after all, they have books of their own! Also, I thought Elektra's characterization was off in places, especially the last issue where she says some things about being a hero. It didn't sound at all like Elektra, if that makes sense. I also found the villains role to be really random without much impact on the story. What are they plotting? What does it have to do with the device?

Not a story I would recommend, even if you have fond memories of Marvel Knights like I do.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one, but honestly, it felt like a big chunk of the story was left out. The idea is the Marvel Universe has been "reset", with all of the heroes and villains losing their memories and starting to live different lives. Some of them start to remember and set out to change things back. However, while we do find out how this all happened, we never really got a good answer as to why. I mean it's hinted out, but the actual execution seemed to be random. In any case, it was still an entertaining read featuring some of my favorite characters, even if the series did leave some questions unanswered.

[Travis Duke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I came for the ripped Kingpin handing out a suplex to Doom, wasn't disappointed. It is a fun story with some missing storyline but I enjoyed the plot. The art was really great, I enjoyed the super buff Kingpin and the crazy eyes Hulk for sure.

The idea of the Knights resetting the machine is a good idea but sadly this book has some of the main story missing but overall a good book.

[James DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too many cooks in the kitchen.

While it sounds like the plotline was done by cates too many different writers make characters feel different and act different issue to issue. I also wasn't a huge fan of some of the choices these characters made or rhe silly twist at the end.

However the art was solid, some cool fight scenes, the mystery was intriguing enough, and was cool to see these characters all team up. Didn't blow me away overall but was decent.

[Frédéric · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uhhh... What was the point of this book? Is that supposed to be a celebration? No way you're going to organize my next birthday party, dude!

The plot is confused, whys and wherefores totally eluded me, but then I realized I didn't care. It's never interesting enough to really bother and the art being so-so at best it's not even worth to waste time with.

[Matty Dub · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m giving this a 2 star because the art was alright and while the book took 6 issues to tell us what the hell was going on, once it did it was a clever idea.

It’s not getting more because I was at no point entertained, this is not a fun read. I’d avoid completely as it has no bearing on anything in the MU.

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series just missed the mark for me. I’m not entirely clear on what exactly happened, plot-wise, and nothing about it really made me care. If this was supposed to celebrate these characters, Marvel really didn’t deliver. I guess even somebody as good as Cates can’t deliver every time. Sigh.

[WillBrit · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's giving Pleasant Hill with extra sauce, just wish I'd had more Sentry

[Jonathan Lee B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marvel Knights 20th is a fun house mirror.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 3 out of 5]

This comic has a neat premise, of the Knights awakening in a world they don't remember. But it goes massively decompressed from there and ends on a philosophical point that it can't even agree with itself on.

So, an OK book but likely not a memorable one.

[Vail Chester · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sing it with me now:
WHOOOOOO ARE YOU?
WHO? WHO? WHO? WHO?

A rather eclectic buncha do-gooders have to break out of a world more like the Mundy, and return to their own MARVELous reality.
Why? Cuz Reed Richards is dumb as heck for having a reality-altering machine transported in a freakin' jeep.

[Michael J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this in the original issues.
While this mini-series was intended to pay tribute to the 20th anniversary of Marvel Knights, the imprint that helped bring Marvel out of financial difficulty, it doesn't have the same flavor of the originals. While the series features some (but not all) of the core Marvel Knights characters (Punisher, Daredevil, Black Panther) and includes some I don't associate with MK (big example being The Hulk) it lacks the freshness and story-telling appeal of the originals.
However, it's not a bad story at all - - it just misses the mark. For five issues Marvel Knights 20th is a fun, engaging revisit to earlier times using the device of mass amnesia to get all the characters to recall their past deeds. It's the sixth and final issue that disappoints with a flimsy explanation of why these characters forgot who they were and why it happened, as well as a rushed ending. There are several inside jokes and Easter eggs that will be amusing to readers familiar with the back-stories and events. End result is that the situations that occur in this series are really not part of an "event" and have no lasting meaning in the regular continuity of these titles. There's a particularly dramatic end to a major villain that loses it's impact when you realize that nothing has changed. Also, it's hard to believe that this particular villain could have been eliminated so easily - - especially when the person responsible for the death gets taken out later with one well-placed punch. Hmmn, glass jaw on the big guy? That never happened before either.
Still, this series has its moments and it's remarkably consistent for those five issues in spite of a rotating team of writers and artists all held together by main writer Donny Cates. It should be choppy and confusing because of that, but it's not.

[R. Archer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marvel events have a habit of having lots of really good ideas and then being rushed products. Then again, this is probably an event which had 50 preludes I needed to read.

This felt like a Doctor Who episode, which isn’t even bad! It’s basically Day of the Doctor meets Turn Left meets Human Nature. Our heroes have forgotten who they are because their never ending war will destroy the universe as we know it, leading them all to live lives which they aren’t heroes.
Karen Page, who is basically just like Bad Wolf (slay, though, I think ghost Karen is a W concept) instructs Daredevil and five other amnesiac heroes into how to operate the interface which can erase or restore memories on a mass level. And even though she’s an interface, Karen wants the heroes to do the right thing, and not erase history.
But the problem is just how disjointed the story is. Banner has been getting notes from Wanda’s kids… why? And apparently Hulk isn’t writing them (a random red herring), and I can’t tell what prompted this mess, or what Doom has to do with it, or why Matt even had any say in turning on the machine. Characters like Loki, Wanda, and Elektra are totally wasted as characters who may not want to return to their previous life or have magical connections which remind them of the past.
Ultimately I think this arc could’ve been improved if these relationships were explored more, and we actually understood what motives characters like Doom and Fisk have, all while not handing characters like Frank and Matt their exposition after a few pages of confusion.

[Travis Berketa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Marvel Knights 20th , even if it had no real consequence to the Marvel Universe whatsoever. It was almost like a murder mystery, except without the murder, but with everyone in the world forgetting about superheroes and supervillains - until they start to remember.

Frank Castle (aka The Punisher ) takes centre stage, along with Bruce Banner (aka The Hulk ), as they figure out that their lives are missing something and go out on a quest to find out what. Bruce Banner has notes written to him by "some children", which tell him what to look for. Together, they find Elektra, Black Panther and, as always, Daredevil in order to figure out what has happened to their minds.

Loved the portrayal of Punisher and Black Panther , however, I would have liked more with the other characters too (maybe that's been the hardest thing making when trying to make Marvel Knights an ongoing series - too many characters that hold their own titles, but cannot survive together.

Worth the read and a surprise cameo from a forgotten hero.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm had no idea...

I'm homebound due to some very sore muscles that I overworked, so I decided to take it easy for a few days and keep putting ice packs on my legs. But I get bored very quickly, and I bought a few comics I haven't read yet. I'm SO glad I bought this one! I couldn't believe how long into I was. I like all of the characters, but honestly, I was looking for comics that featured Captain America, The Winter Soldier, and The Falcon, but I seemed to have read most of them already. This one caught my attention, even though I don't ordinarily read the books that feature some of heroes like Electra, Sentry, Punisher, Black Panther, and Daredevil. I'm going to expand my reading list. There's a lot more to Marvel Comics besides The Avengers and The X-Men.

[ASCEND · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, it was bound to happen eventually. No writer could pull out such consistantly good material without a few duds. This is one of them. Yet another story of: Everyone is Brain Washed but the Heroes are finding themselves! That, but much more cheesy and cliche. Hero v hero fight! Lone rebel feels bigger than themselves! Scientist has answers to what happened! A mysterious being to guide our heroes. Yawn. Give me a break. For the record, I don't blame Cates for this disaster. The Marvel Knights imprint, while great for the 90s and 2000s, isn't right for this time. You could never bring it back. So any attempt was bound to fail

[Niko · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great tribute to the imprint that helped save Marvel Comics all these years ago. A story about remembering the good times and the bad times, about trying to decide what's worth remembering, what lessons do we learn from it, and also the need of moving on and not standing still. Says a bit about the current state of event-driven comics and forced mysteries/hero-on-hero fights. Fun cameos and easter eggs and great art by a variety of artists. Slightly rushed ending and a weird lack of certain crucial Marvel Knights characters. Could benefit from an extra issue or two.

[Terry Mcginnis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started off interesting, though as the end neared, it was evident that the creators simply had no idea where to go with the story nor how to wrap it up to a satisfying conclusion that actually had purpose. This title was listed in a Daredevil reading order checklist, with the story having supposedly taken place after Daredevil's "death." I have no idea how this is supposed to fit that. This was a pointless standalone read, and did not further the Daredevil plot either. Decent art and action, and a quick read, but not recommended.

[Don Wentworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marvels constant resets/reboots are getting a little tiresome, to say nothing about confusing. I've been reading Marvel since its inception, late 50s/early 60s, for what it's worth.That being said I enjoyed this collection having two of my favorite characters, Black Panther & Daredevil. Also the Hulk, Electra and Punisher, plus villians Kingpin and Doc Doom,so not to shabby. If any of this sounds interesting, give it a go. I have no clue as to where the arc is heading .... but there you go.

~ Don Wentworth

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Multiple writers an artists were used to create this story; a nod to the people who worked on the original Marvel Knights I think. It does make for some inconsistencies, mostly in the art.
The world has forgotten superheroes and supervillains, and might be a better place because of it, but a few do remember enough to know that something changed, and want to know what and why.
It is a decent story, and it is something a bit different, but there are some plot holes and questions the feel unanswered.

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was confused for quite a while as I read this. That was done on purpose. The world is a very different place. No superheroes. No supervillains. This is driving Matt Murdock insane. He's not the only one. How did this happen? Who did this to them? The concept for this book was compelling. I had to keep reading to find out what happened. It was nothing like what I expected. I am still not sure how I feel about the conclusion.

[Beelzefuzz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Remember that thing where two heroes meet and there is a misunderstanding so they fight and it is kind of tiring? Cates came up with an interesting reason for that to happen, but it takes too long to get to the reason which is more interesting than the set up but only explored for a couple of pages and the story never gets past just mediocre.

[Iranoctis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Viel Nostalgie, wechselhafte Qualität der Zeichner, aber dafür ein paar intensive Höhepunkte. Solider Durchschnitt, den man weniger als Fan der ursprünglichen Serien genießen kann, sondern vielmehr als Fan der Figuren insgesamt. Die besondere Härte und Dunkelheit ging jedenfalls vollständig verloren.

[Chalupa Batman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not like this book. Basically the group of heroes have no memory of who they are & are on a mission to find out. Book is a bit depressing throughout & the end result was a little lame. Expected more from a book that was to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Marvel Knights. But then again, for me, the Marvel Knights run was a bit of hit/miss.

[Nikolai · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts off quite slow with a pretty generic, albeit promising concept. The last three or so issues really got a lot better with some nice action moments, as well as poignant character bits included. It even had a moment that, for the first time as someone who's only ever known The Hulk through the MCU, showed me how legitimately scary The Hulk really is.

3,5/5

[Aman Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

Knowing much less of the Marvel Universe than the DC Universe, this read had me a little confused. While I did enjoy discovering the characters as they discovered themselves, I feel as though a few more issues could have strengthened the storyline and raised an interesting concept to a much greater height.

[RND · Rating 2 out of 5]

This suffered from having such a repetitive structure (every issue, each individual hero goes through the same motions), and basically amounted to one of those books that's actually just a precursor to some other thing. Ultimately kinda forgettable.

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's kind of fun and mysterious but it borrows a framework we've seen 1,000,000,000x before (like in Age of Apocalypse and House of X) where everyone is different and only one madman remembers how it used to be.

[Collier Jennings · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent story. Enjoyed the idea behind the series, though it could have used a bit more fine tuning and in curious as to why other heroes such as the Fantastic Four or Spider-Man didn’t show up as they did have Marvel Knights titles. Worth a read if you’re into Daredevil stories.