Building upon the foundations laid down by Tom Taylor and Yasmine Putri, DC Comics have announced a new spin-off series, Dark Knight of Steel: Allwinter, set in the titular medieval universe.
This comes as part of a wider announcement at New York Comic Con 2023 that DC Comics are relaunching their Elseworlds line of comics. Prior to Black Label, Elseworlds was the home of stories that were prestige in nature but set decidedly outside of regular DC continuity.
Series like Dark Knights of Steel would have, if they were published a couple decades ago, naturally found a home in the Elseworlds line, so seeing its spin-off helm the way for its revival makes complete sense.
Bringing Vikings into Medieval DC
This new 6-issue mini-series focuses on an alternate version of Deathstroke set in the Dark Knights of Steel universe.
Here, morally reprehensible assassin Slade Wilson is reimagined as a mercenary viking, taking a job that thrusts him into a harsh world of ice, magic and violence.
Written by Jay Kristoff (Nevernight, Empire of the Vampire) with art from Tirso Cons, Dark Knights of Steel: Allwinter follows Deathstroke as he is forced into a role more akin to that of saviour than killer. As a magic curse grips the lands, he must decide who he wants to be, and whether or not he’s capable of overcoming his own complicated nature.
Following in the tradition of the original Dark Knights of Steel (and most Tom Taylor Elseworld tales), this series is likely to be just as violent and no-holds-barred as its predecessor. Given the bodycount by the end of the original 12-issue series, it’s not a surprise to see DC finally explore just how dangerous a man like Deathstroke could be in a world with real narrative consequences.
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