X of Swords (Summer X-Over)

[Grunty]

Storm has a dagger because she's a knife fighter. It's not like it makes any more sense for people to go around armed with side swords in a World where literally everything - whether spears, polearms, bows, or modern firearms - easily outranges you.

By the look on the picture, it's blade length is far too long for a typical dagger and more closely resembles, what i recall as, a leaf bladed short sword which were common during the european bronze age.

From what i recall there were actualy knives in european and asian history which were the length of short or regular swords, but mostly because of the role as cutting weapon. Daggers being defined as one handed thrusting weapons for brawling distance tended to remain quite short.

In addition to that, it is drawn with a hilt suited to be wielded with both hands, which makes it rather problematic to use in typical knife/dagger fashion since the chance of the hand slipping up and down during thrusts is increased.

Now of course such details are often of no importance for many artist and they just draw what they or the writer thinks looks cool, suitable or menancing. So the design might have been of no importance and the artist really just wanted to give Storm a long dagger with two handed hilt.

BUT, considering that in other pictures Storm was drawn with a lightning bladed long sword, i hazard the guess this weapon is designed with a bronze age short sword blade to make it look ancient and has a two handed hilt because she turns it into a longsword by infusing it with lighting.

Infusing a shorter blade with something to increase it's blade length is not uncommon in fiction after all.

[Ferro]

it also sorta looks like a gladius

[Frobisher]

By the look on the picture, it's blade length is far too long for a typical dagger and more closely resembles, what i recall as, a leaf bladed short sword which were common during the european bronze age.

From what i recall there were actualy knives in european and asian history which were the length of short or regular swords, but mostly because of the role as cutting weapon. Daggers being defined as one handed thrusting weapons for brawling distance tended to remain quite short.

In addition to that, it is drawn with a hilt suited to be wielded with both hands, which makes it rather problematic to use in typical knife/dagger fashion since the chance of the hand slipping up and down during thrusts is increased.

Now of course such details are often of no importance for many artist and they just draw what they or the writer thinks looks cool, suitable or menancing. So the design might have been of no importance and the artist really just wanted to give Storm a long dagger with two handed hilt.

BUT, considering that in other pictures Storm was drawn with a lightning bladed long sword, i hazard the guess this weapon is designed with a bronze age short sword blade to make it look ancient and has a two handed hilt because she turns it into a longsword by infusing it with lighting.

Infusing a shorter blade with something to increase it's blade length is not uncommon in fiction after all.

I noticed the two handed hilt thing. It's all very odd, but I don't suppose the artists think about weapon design beyond whether it looks cool or not. I'm kind of unconvinced at this point that Storm's sword in the original promo picture is ever going to appear again, and wasn't just artistic license for the purpose of that picture.

[Fokken]

I can't get over with Storm holding a mere dagger instead of a sword... or is that short-sword can't really decide, yet but it doesn't look anything special.

The purple tone of it makes me think its vibranium but I could be overthinking it.
Also, the size reminds me of the X-Men Arcade Game, and how Storm carried some kind of dagger or baton with her to beat enemies with. Ha ha ha.
Illyana looks terrific. Dauterman is such a master. I love Brian's hair.

it also sorta looks like a gladius

YES!

[Master of Sound]

EXCLUSIVE

So we have now confirmed that :--A--:, Storm, Cap Britain Betsy, Cap Britain Brian, Wolverine, Kid-Cable and Magik are all sword wielders of Krakoa.

I think we have also confirmed Gorgon, so who are the remaining two, do we know (for sure) yet?

[CGAR]

So we know Brian is gonna get a costume change in the event. I wonder why Betsy didnt. Also they better not kill Brian just because he's human.

[Kingdom X]

So we know Brian is gonna get a costume change in the event. I wonder why Betsy didnt. Also they better not kill Brian just because he's human.

Didn’t he already die once in Excalibur? Doubt they’d do it again

[Glio]

Storm's sword looks somewhat more ceremonial than something you use for kick ass.

[GeneTitan]

lol, everyone else is so into it, but Yana looks bored (and conveying my own feelings about this crossover).

Illyana is thinking about her ab work out later.

[Glio]

I can't help but think that in flashbacks Apocalypse always appears with two swords but in X of Swords he only has one.

[Fokken]

Any She-Ra fans in the mix?

Illyana is giving me heavy Mermista energy in that cover. She looks so perfectly checked out. haha.

Cable: Check out my massive sword guys! Its HUGE! Do you see it? Check it out! Guys? GUYS DO YOU SEE??
Betsy: Illyana!
Illyana: <groan>
Betsy: Illyana, raise your sword up, luv. Raise it into the air like the rest of us. Look, we're all doing it, right? Illyana!!! Like this. See? Illyana!!! Like THIS! UP! See?
Illyana: <groaaaan> [pops hip and raises sword in disgust]

[CGAR]

Any She-Ra fans in the mix?

Illyana is giving me heavy Mermista energy in that cover. She looks so perfectly checked out. haha.

Cable: Check out my massive sword guys! Its HUGE! Do you see it? Check it out! Guys? GUYS DO YOU SEE??
Betsy: Illyana!
Illyana: <groan>
Betsy: Illyana, raise your sword up, luv. Raise it into the air like the rest of us. Look, we're all doing it, right? Illyana!!! Like this. See? Illyana!!! Like THIS! UP! See?
Illyana: <groaaaan> [pops hip and raises sword in disgust]

That 'luv' part made me chuckle so much.

[Frobisher]

That 'luv' part made me chuckle so much.

Betsy is an Essex lass, so she'd probably say "babe" instead.

[Denkota]

Wolverine looks disgusted that he has to do the group sword raising act when he would rather raise his clawed hand.

[sunofdarkchild]

Backstory. The mutants are actually posing for a photo op with their swords, but they keep having to retake the picture because Magik looks so bored.

If it were an actual battle she'd look like this.

magik.jpg