DC has revealed a new preview of the first follow-up to the critically acclaimed Dark Knights of Steel: a Viking tale about Deathstroke. Breaking new ground in a treacherous frozen kingdom, DC’s deadliest assassin leads the next foray into their medieval Elseworld that brilliantly transforms classic lore. More bold fantasy twists on the DC Universe will be revealed when the icy six-issue spin-off series kicks off in July 2024.
A new Dark Knights of Steel: Allwinter preview gives reader a sneak peek of Deathstroke as a Viking warrior in this alternate take on the DCU set to release on July 17th as part of DC’s revamped Elseworlds line. Still a killer for hire, Deathstroke will also take on a guardian role in sci-fi and fantasy writer Jay Kristoff and artist Tirso’s series, expanding Tom Taylor and Yasmine Putri’s original universe-defining run.
The supervillain and occasional anti-hero enters a tale of blood and glory in the miniseries. More secrets of the fantasy Elseworld will be unveiled as Deathstroke’s adventures reach new corners of the universe that weren’t yet featured in Dark Knights of Steel. The new spin-off will also include a back-up tale — set in the same universe — featuring Aquaman courtesy of Taylor and Riccardo Federici.
The preview for Dark Knights of Steel: Allwinter and its Viking variant of Deathstroke introduces the cold-blooded killer in a brutal frozen land to match. Swapping the deadly contract killer’s mask for a Nordic helmet and giving him some kind of old-fashioned crossbow, Slade Wilson works with what looks to be the King and Queen of this glacial land. Dark Knights of Steel #12 by Taylor and Putri first references both the Ocean Kingdom and the Frozen Lands of Jarnlünd, and it seems that the previously-teased and fantasy-themed locations will both be explored in the new series.
Dark Knights of Steel is known for its inventive twists on lore, and Allwinter looks to be no different. DC’s details about the series indicate that Deathstroke will take on a “reluctant guardian” role. Whether he will be put in this role for one of his canonical children, like Rose Wilson’s Ravager, or another character is still to be revealed. It seems he’ll have to fight the leaders of his land’s icy regime on this journey. The wolf insignia and freezing powers in the preview could hint that these are medieval-fantasy versions of classic DC villains Lobo and Killer Frost.
DC also revealed that Dark Knights of Steel: Allwinter will feature Aquaman backup stories by series originator Taylor with Federici providing art. This version of the Atlantean hero gives him a new origin in line with Clark Kent as an adopted child of Jonathan and Martha Kent. The backup stories will seemingly show the tale of the Kents as soldiers taking in a young Arthur first hinted at in Dark Knights of Steel #7 by Taylor and Nathan Gooden, and his journey to becoming King before squaring off with the universe’s newly formed League of Nations.
Aquaman and Deathstroke are just the first characters officially announced in this expansion of the DC world of swords and sorcery. With the possibility of Killer Frost, Lobo, and more characters that didn’t make it into the first edition of the series, there’s no telling how the twists of the world could impact the Elseworld as a whole. While the original Dark Knights of Steel had a broad scope on many DC characters, Allwinter’s focus on the Viking Deathstroke surely makes him an important figure to watch in this universe.
Dark Knights of Steel: Allwinter #1 is available July 17th, 2024 from DC Comics.
Source: DC Comics