Creation

The comic book titled the Southern Knights came out during the 1980's and was created by Henry Vogel and published by Guild Comics up through issue # 8, then published through its final issue # 36 by Comics Interview. It tells the story of the adventures of a superhero team based in Atlanta, Georgia. Named the “The Crusaders” in their first appearance they were soon renamed the Southern Knights due to copyright issues with Archie Comics Red Circle Imprint having a group named the Mighty Crusaders. It was noted in an in-context explanation late in the comic’s issues. The series was drawn by various artists, including Jackson Guice, Chuck Wojtkiewicz, and Mark Propst. Southern Knights also crossed over late in its run with Heroic Publishing’s League of Champions series.

Major Story Arcs

Enter the Crusaders

Once the Southern Knights had completed their first adventure which they had originally called themselves the Crusader. Electrode had christened the team the title in honor after his favorite comic book heroes of the same name. However they quickly decided to drop their original name, especially since the original team . The heroes consisted of Crimson Crusader their leader, Bull the strongman, Tank the armored tech, Psycolps the mentat, the feral Greywolf, and the speedster Quarterflash.

When the Knights get into a fight with the original hero team called the Crusaders, who were attempted to make a come back riding the Southern Knights current fame. under the Crimson Crusaders orders the Crusaders try well rehearsed fighting command. Unfortunately for them, being a fan Electrode had read all the comic books which had been published which reveled all their battle strategies.

The Morrigan Wars

The Morrigan Wars continue with "The Return of the Southern Knights," guest starring the Champions.

Members and Associates

• Electrode (David Shenk) — The leader of the group, a scientist whose love of comics motivated him to give himself super-powers. Can generate electricity, including lightning bolts and can fly. He often pressures the team into adopting superhero conventions such as wearing costumes and patrolling the city, but underneath such superficial pretensions, he is genuinely concerned with saving lives.

• Connie Ronnin — A former Olympic fencing silver-medalist. She can create a 'psychic sword' which causes people struck by it to react as though it were a real sword, but leaves no lasting damage. Being a projection of psychic energy, her sword is not at all inhibited by armor. Though this is never revealed in the comics, creator Henry Vogel has stated that Connie's sword works through latent telepathic and telekinetic powers.

• 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.

Enemies

• 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 publically 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 worshiper of Morrigan who slew Dragon's mate.
• Harry - Assassin hired to kill off the members of the Southern Knights by Viper. He is an expert with the crossbow.
• Cupcake - Partner of Harry and a fellow assassin. She is an exceptional in the use of the shuriken.