"Look up his history. Musashi is the hero of Japan, yet he murdered innocent men, women and children for money. He was a 'stone killer' (assassin) They despised him when he was alive and canonised him when he was dead. Mark my words, that's what they'll do to me"

Count Dante speaking to Massad Ayoob in 'Black Belt Magazine' March 1976.

1st World Karate Tournament, July 28, 1963, in Chicago. Left to right: John Keehan, Roy Oshiro, Phil Koeppel, George Mattson, Mas Tsuroka, Robert Trias, Ed Parker, Anthony Mirikian, Harold Long, Jhoon Rhee, Kim and Wendell Reeves. - courtesy R. Trias

Searching for Count Dante
a film by Floyd Webb

This is the ad all of us comic book readers over 30 remember from Marvel. Just like Charles Atlas, Count Dante promised to make us better than we were, with the added embellishment of kicking a whole lot of ass along the way.

The Black Dragon Fighting Society was an odd name for John Keehan to choose. The Black Dragons were the Amur River Society (Kokuryu-kai) in 1930s and 1940s Japan. The Black Dragons were ultranationalists heavily involved in the conquest of China, and as spies and fifth columnists subverting nations targeted for conquest. The Black Dragons were active up and down the Pacific Coast of North and South America. See more background on the Japanese Black Dragons here

Who are we? | See Video Notes | Count Dante Forum | Black Dragons