by Jane Sandwood
Around 20 million people play Dungeons and Dragons in the US, making it the best-selling role-playing game for many years. When Kieron Gillen“s new RPG DD-inspired comic book came out last year (Die, Vol. 1: Fantasy Heartbreaker TP), it received rave reviews, with critics citing the combination of high fantasy and a group of friends“ compounded midlife crisis, impossible to resist. Die yearns for the magic of youth and laments the quick passage of time, but also celebrates experience and maturity. Gillen called Die “the logical collision between the 1980s Dungeons & Dragons cartoon and Stephen King“s It. Or a goth Jumanji, if I“m being shorter.”“ In February 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic had already commenced its onslaught, Die, Vol 2: Split the Party TP was released.
Inspiring Modern Culture
Killen Gillen has inspired modern D&D gaming and comic cultures in many ways, his urban aesthetics inspiring modern D&D paraphernalia, ranging from comics to accessories and dice. Gillen has struck a core with current readers owing to his impressive work for legends like Marvel and the PlayStation Official Magazine – UK. He recognizes the modern designer“s influence on fellow creators and the wider world of toys, fashion and games. In Die Vol.2, he has teamed up with Stephani Hans, who has paid assiduous detail to atmosphere and fashion – the unspoken elements that turn a comic book into an influential culture source both for creators and consumers.
Picking Up Were Die, Vol. 1 Left Off
In Die Vol. 1, we were introduced to six teens in a small town in England who invent their own RPG and disappear into their imaginary world when they play the game for the first time. Two years later, they return, unable to explain what they have been through. Some 25 years down the track, they reunite when a blood-stained d20 from their game reappears. They are jaded and (some are) bitter, but they realize it“s not too late to return to their youth and change the entire course of their adult lives. Back then, they faced an unearthly horror they just managed to escape from, but today, they have a chance to eliminate this evil for good.
Vol. 2: Full-Speed Fantasy
Vol. 2 doesn“t lose an iota of excitement, yet Gillen fleshes out his characters considerably more, and we discover the traumas and experience that lead them to make specific decisions. The group dynamics are also complex, making the comic a hit among those with an interest in psychology. For instance, the relationship between Ash and Izzy reveals the different nuances in teen and adult friendships and their ability to survive romantic entanglements.
The Characters
The protagonists represent a wide enough array of personalities and experiences to make them relatable to every reader. Ash, the Dictator, is dominant in his real and fantasy life. He was Sol“s best friend. Sol is the Grandmaster; the creator of the game who never managed to escape. He was murdered by Ash and is now a member of ”˜the fallen“. Chuck, the Fool, is the fantasy novelist who has survived a plethora of divorces and who is a bit tactless.
Matt, the Grief Knight, is a responsible parent who teaches statistics at a university. Angela, or Neo, is a coder and parent experiencing a painful divorce. She is also Ash“s sister. Finally there is Isabelle, the Godbinder – a divorced school teacher known for her intelligence. The main characters collide and unite at various stages, and the result is as emotion-packed as it is exciting. They may be 40-something, but their abilities are at their height, and the future of the universe is in their hands.
Vol. 2: Full Speed Fantasy has been acclaimed by critics and fans alike, owing in no small part to its deeper understanding of human nature and interaction. This time, the friends have to return to the fantasy world, Jumanji-style, to solve a complex puzzle. The task seems arduous, but in fact, it allows them to relive their youth with the benefit of hindsight and experience.
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