Shining Knight #2

Mood 7 Mind Destroyer

Written by Grant Morrison

Summary: Sir Justin fights himself free from a police cruiser and gets away from the LAPD. He finds himself lost in Los Angeles, 2005. Confused at the events that have just transpired and the ending to the war with the Sheeda 10,000 years in the past, Justin roams the streets of Los Angeles in search of answers and nourishment. During his wanderings, he finds himself confronted by Guilt, a Mood 7 Mind Destroyer sent to make Justin kill himself. While this goes on, the Undying Don, Don Vincenzo and his men are given Vanguard by police officers in their service. His time with Vanguard (who he renames Horsefeathers) is short as Neh-Buh-Loh leads his Sheeda army in an attack the Don's home. Meanwhile, Justin overcomes his guilt and defends a homeless man from a couple of punks. The homeless man is revealed to be Ali Ka-Zoom, the Merlin of the Ghetto.

Sir Justin, a young soldier from a primal Camelot, a globe-spanning kingdom before the Flood, 10, 000 years in our past. When the Sheeda plunder Arthur's realm and set up in the great king's place, an Empire of Death and Evil, Justin is spun through time in a Sheeda castle only to find himself in 21st century Los Angeles, centuries after everyone he knew lies dead. And what's worse, the annihilating Sheeda are back, this time to harvest OUR world. Justin's a commando, a guerrilla fighter in strange and savage enemy territory.

Noteworthy Items:

The poster on page 6, panel 3 reads "Cup of Blood: A Spy, A Mermaid, and a Treasure As Old As Time Itself." 'Cup of Blood,' which evokes the Holy Grail, which may connect to the Cauldron from Shining Knight #1. Room for speculation here regarding the nature of the Grail, the Grail Quest, and its Celtic antecedents (i.e. the Daghda's cauldron).

Edmund Spenser's Faerie Queen here and here. The Power of 7:

Worthy Knight, I will now entrust you with our Signs and Token. The first, or Sign of Sorrow is given by placing the right hand on the heart, then pointing with the index finger downwards, saying 'He is not there'. The response of a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre is pointing upwards with the index finger of the right hand, saying 'He is risen.'
These Signs, however, must never be uses except in the Sanctuary, or when you are obliged to claim form a Brother Knight the performance of the seven Corporal Works of Mercy, which I will now recite to you:

In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti: I greet you as a Guardian Knight of the Holy Sepulchre.
1st - Go, feed the hungry;
2nd - Give drink to the thirsty;
3rd - Clothe the naked with a garment;
4th - Visit and ransom the captives;
5th - Harbour the harbourless, give the widows and orphans where to lay their heads;
6th - Visit and relieve the sick;
7th - Go, bury the dead.

Possible referencing of the epic set of poems the Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser based on the comparisons of Guilt to battling Sir Justin to Despayre(Despair) battling the Faeire Queen's main character, the Knight Redcrosse.

In connection to the Castle Revolving which appeared in the first issue and mentioned a few times here.

Spoils of Annwn

Preiddu Annwfn
From the Book of Taliesin
Collated by Charles Squire from translations by Skene, Stephens, Nash and Rhys.

I will praise the Sovereign, supreme Lord of the land,
Who hath extended his dominion over the shore of the world.
Stout was the prison of Gweir1, in Caer Sidi,
Through the Spite of Pwyll and Pryderi:
No one before him went into it.
The heavy blue chain firmly held the youth,
And before the spoils of Annwn woefully he sang,
And thenceforth till doom he shall remain a bard.
Thrice enough to fill Prydwen2 we went into it;
Except seven, none returned from Caer Sidi3.

Am I not a candidate for fame, to be heard in song
In Caer Pedryvan, in the Isle of the Strong Door,
Where twilight and pitchy darkness meet together,
And bright wine is the drink of the host?
Thrice enough to fill Prydwen we went into the sea.
Except seven, none returned from Caer Rigor7.

I will not allow much praise to the leaders of literature.
Beyond Caer Wydyr8 they saw not the prowess of Arthur;
Three-score hundreds stood on the walls;
It was hard to converse with their watchman.
Thrice enough to fill Prydwen we went with Arthur;
Except seven, none returned from Caer Golud9.

I will not allow much praise to the spiritless.
They know not on what day, or who caused it,
Or in what hour of the serene day Cwy was born,
Or who caused that he should not go to the dales of Devwy.
They know not the brindled ox with the broad headband,
Whose yoke is seven-score handbreadths.
When we went with Arthur, of mournful memory,
Except seven, none returned from Caer Vandwy10.

I will not allow much praise to those of drooping courage
They know not on what day the chief arose,
Nor in what hour of the serene day the owner was born,
Nor what animal they keep, with its head of silver.
When we went with Arthur, of anxious striving,
Except seven, none returned from Caer Ochren11.

NOTES:
1: A form of the name Gwydion
2: The name of Arthur's ship
3: Revolving Castle
4: Four-cornered castle
5: The Cold Place
6: Castle of Revelry.
7: Kingly Castle
8: Glass Castle
9: Castle of Riches
10: Meaning is unknown
11: Meaning is unknown

Caer Sidhe translates to Castle of the Sidhe (Sheeda)

The air golem Strato is introduced as one of Kid Scarface/Don Vincenzo's enforcers. This is potentially a member of the Golems Four created by Ed "Baby Brains" Stargard. The clay golem Brutus of the Golems Four made his apperance in Manhattan Guardian #1.

Ali Ka-Zoom shows up to catch the bus, and later appears in Zatanna #3.

Don Vincenzo has the Cauldron of Rebirth.