Has the same title as the earlier story from Prog "2000". According to the book's In Detail section, "Morrison has no idea what happened there, and blames it on forgetfulness on the part of writer and editor" Among the artists to have worked on Dante's strip are John M. Burns, D'Israeli, Henry Flint, Paul Marshall and Chris Weston.

Nastasia is a Narcissist who habitually kills anyone less admiring of her own looks than she is. She also kills an ex-boyfriend because he broke up with her before she could finish with him herself. Paper-Thin Disguise: The Lord Protector's identity as Konstantin Romanov is fairly easy to deduce, since the Lord Protector's use of fusion powers and his physical size are dead giveaways. The story doesn't keep up the pretence from the reader for all that long, as he removes his helmet to reveal himself to Jocasta in the same story in which he is introduced. Lampshaded by Dmitri/Arkady when he unmasks himself on the battlefield, who notes that it was hardly difficult to deduce. And more from Prog 756, a perfect Dredd highlighted against his city again, another stunning moment

Context

He Who Fights Monsters: The Tsar reveals himself to have become this, even quoting the Trope Namer word for word. He advises Nikolai to do the same to maintain power.

Nikolai Dante – thief, ladies' man and illegitimate son of Dmitri Romanov. Dante's mother is Katarina Dante, a feared pirate. Abandoned at a young age, Dante was forced to survive by turning to crime. He inadvertently becomes bonded with the weapons crest, intended for Arkady Romanov, which allows Dante to generate bio-blades and provides him with limited regenerative abilities. The crest is also programmed to educate Dante on the correct manners of a nobleman. Cruel Mercy: Vladimir Makarov and Dmitri Romanov duelled for the title of Tsar at the end of their revolution. When Vlad won, he spared Dmitri's life so he would have to live with the shame of defeat. For all Nikolai's womanising ways, he is (mostly) devoted to Jena Makarov when their relationship does eventually come to fruition. He even refuses to sleep with her younger sister when Julianna pretty much throws herself at him. Julianna isn't offended, though, as she thinks it makes Nikolai a better man and makes her wonder if he's too good for her older sister. Dmitri and Jocasta were kidnapped by the previous Tsar at a young age and kept as hostages along with Vlad. When Ivan attempted to take Jocasta by force, the trio escaped and started a revolution when Ivan had their families slaughtered. Dmitri became cold and ruthless, craving power at any cost, while Jocasta became increasingly withdrawn, especially when Dmitri forced her to have his children through a cloning programme. Helmets Are Hardly Heroic: When Nikolai is (briefly) commissioned in the Raven Corps, he disdains wearing their signature helmet. One of the ravens sent with him and Jena to investigate a crashed ship calls him out on this.Nikolai Dante was a comic book series published in the weekly British science fiction anthology 2000 AD from March 1997 through July 2012. The Dragon: Count Pyre starts out as Lord Protector until Dante kills him during the war. Konstantin is appointed Lord Protector in his place. Elizabeth Hawksmoores becomes Arkady /Dmitri's dragon later on. Nikolai himself becomes a Dragon with an Agenda / The Starscream when the Tsar recruits him as "Sword of the Tsar." The Lost Lenore: Nikolai was never the same after the death of his wife, Eloise. Every year, he disappears on the anniversary of her death to mourn her in private. Inter-Class Romance: Galya is a poor peasant girl, while Viktor is a member of the aristocratic Romanov family. Dmitri doesn't take it well. Empowered Badass Normal: The Romanov weapons crests give their users a wide range of abilities beyond the level of normal humans. Nikolai's bio-blades and reduced Healing Factor compared to his siblings are on the lower end of the scale with Konstantine's fusion powers and Dmitri's crest's ability to override all the other crests being the most powerful.

The Huntsman 5000 is an alien firearm, coded to Dante's geneprint. Ammunition is created internally and replenished automatically. When targeted and fired, shells instantaneously adapt into the most effective means of terminating the enemy - whoever or whatever they may be Nikolai's Captain Morgan Pose from the start of the first installment is repeated at the very end, as well as the opening blurb.Darker and Edgier: While "The Great Game" is where the strip starts to get serious, the "Tsar Wars" arc is notable for killing characters off and changing everything forever.

After the Last Revolution, many of the old Soviet states and nations lay in ruins. But from the ashes the Mafiya Clans rose, remaking themselves as aristocratic dynasties. Vladimir the Conqueror emerged as leader of the most powerful house, the Makarovs, and appointed himself Tsar of All the Russias. This brave new world mixes aliens and anachronisms, with bio-weapons and shapeshifters as common as Imperial concubines and noble duels. Nothing is ever as it seems. When I met Walt Simonson for the first time and showed him some of my Dante work , he recognised the character, not because of me, but because John M. Burns drew him. Walt is a big fan. The Burns fanclub is large and its alumni are very impressive themselves.

Brought Down to Normal: In "A Farewell to Arms", Nikolai's crest is destroyed, forcing him to fight as a mundane for the rest of the comic.