Marvel Comics’ new X-Men series Knights of X is a mutant spin on fantasy that will delight lovers of role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. A follow-up to Marvel’s Excalibur series, Knights of X sees a party of mutant heroes embark on a dangerous quest to find a powerful relic and save the fairy realm of Otherworld from the forces of evil.
Excalibur dealt with the troubled relationship between the newly-established mutant nation of Krakoa and the United Kingdom. Britain is important in Marvel Comics lore as it has a longtime connection with the dimension of Otherworld, a nexus to many realities that is shaped by the collective subconscious of the British Isles. Otherworld is the source of the powers of Captain Britain and the Captain Britain Corps, founded by the powerful Otherworld wizard Merlyn to be the protectors of the Omniverse. Most recently, Merlyn has taken over Otherworld and started a crusade against “wytchbreed,” the mutants of Otherworld, which led to rescue attempts from Krakoa and the current Captain Britain, Betsy Braddock, who is also a mutant. Thanks to their Celtic-inspired origins, Otherworld and its characters are very similar to what can be found in fantasy role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons.
Knights of X #1 by Tini Howard, Bob Quinn, and Erick Arciniega dives even deeper into the fantasy tropes. Betsy is trapped in Otherworld after the portal that connected it with Krakoa was destroyed by the British government. Mutants are hunted by a new kind of Sentinels, the Furies, and Merlyn’s tyrannical rule seems unavoidable. The benevolent fey Roma gives Betsy a quest: her only chance is to find a powerful artifact called the Siege Perilous – which appeared in many classic X-Men stories – but to do that she has to assemble a party of chosen heroes. It sounds like the beginning of a classic Dungeons & Dragons campaign, and the series promises to be just as epic and adventurous. Fans also hope that, much like Excalibur, the series will see the return of more classic Marvel UK characters created by the legendary duo of Alan More and Alan Davis during their Captain Britain run.
Dungeons and Dragons is no stranger to comic books, and the unprecedented popularity experienced by the franchise in recent years means that even Marvel and DC are increasingly looking at the fantasy genre as a source of inspiration. Knights of X can use the Otherworld setting for this purpose, and the variety of abilities that the mutants in Betsy’s team have are perfect to let them cover the roles that each class usually has in a party of adventurers. For example, some of Captain Britain’s powers are sustained by her belief and confidence, much like a D&D Paladin. Gambit is an experienced thief who can cover the role of a Rogue. Rachel Summers can wield the fiery Phoenix Force and her flames make her the perfect Sorcerer. The group even has its own dragon in the form of Shogo, Jubilee’s adoptive son.
Fantasy tales and role-playing games are a classic, condensed form of escapism, even more than superhero comics that instead often strive to find some form of realism in their stories. One of the best D&D-inspired comic books, Die by Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans, showed the dark side of escapism, as the characters find it impossible to run away from their true selves even in a fantasy world. Knights of X has a similar premise as Betsy, her team, and the entire mutant population of Otherworld are trapped inside this now dark and dangerous world and have to struggle for survival. The series will have to find a balance between the popular “dark fantasy” themes and a more classic approach to the genre, personified by the quest for the Siege Perilous. This unique twist on the superhero genre makes Knights of X the perfect X-Men comic book for fans of Dungeons & Dragons.
