Who Are The Main Characters In Gayslayer!?

Gayslayer! is this wild, underground indie comic that blends fantasy tropes with queer rebellion, and its characters are honestly unforgettable. The protagonist, Kai Stormveil, is a brash, pansexual mercenary with a cursed sword that drains life force—but only from bigots. His dry humor and 'fight now, angst later' attitude make him instantly lovable. Then there's Loris, a nonbinary fire mage whose spells literally burn hotter when they're furious (which is often). The villain, Archbishop Valen, is a masterpiece of hypocrisy—a holy man preaching purity while secretly hoarding dark magic. The dynamic between these three is electric: Kai and Loris’s slow-burn romance versus Valen’s obsession with 'cleansing' them. The side characters shine too, like Jeyne the tavernkeeper who smuggles rebellion plans in ale barrels, or the ghostly knight Sir Riven who haunts Kai with dad jokes instead of doom. What I adore is how the story lets them be messy—Kai’s recklessness gets people hurt, Loris’s trauma makes them push others away, and even Valen’s backstory makes you go, 'Oh, you pathetic worm… I get it.' The art style amps this up, with Loris’s spells bursting in rainbow flares and Kai’s sword crackling like broken stained glass. It’s rare to find a story where the characters feel this alive while also stabbing fascists in the face.

Honestly, my only gripe is that the comic’s pacing sometimes rushes their development—I’d kill for a slice-of-life chapter of Kai and Loris arguing over campfire cooking. But when Jeyne casually reveals she’s been spying for the rebellion all along, or when Riven’s ghost finally admits why he chose Kai? Chills. Absolute chills.

Kai’s introduction in 'Gayslayer!' lives rent-free in my head: he’s mid-battle, covered in blood, and stops to adjust his eyeliner in a broken mirror. That’s the vibe—extra, lethal, and deeply queer. Loris is his perfect foil, all sharp wit and sharper cheekbones, with a habit of setting things on fire when annoyed (which is always). Valen’s the villain you love to hate, especially when he monologues about 'purity' while his own magic is literally fueled by repressed desire. The supporting cast shines too—Riven’s ghost is the snarky mentor nobody asked for, and Jeyne’s the mom friend who’ll bandage your wounds while scolding you for being an idiot. Their banter during the siege of the White Bastion is peak comedy, especially when Kai tries to flirt mid-fight and Loris 'accidentally' singes his hair. The character designs also tell stories: Kai’s sword glows brighter when he’s defending others, and Loris’s robes change color with their mood. It’s the little details that make them feel real, like how Kai collects trinkets from every battle or how Loris hums lullabies when nervous. I just wish we got more backstory on Jeyne—how does a former nun end up running a rebel bar? Give me that prequel!

If you’d told me I’d get emotionally invested in a comic where a himbo with a morality sword fights a Karen-dragon, I’d have laughed—but 'Gayslayer!' proved me wrong. Kai’s the kind of guy who’d charge into hell because 'the decor offended me,' and his design screams '90s anime rebel' (scar over one eye, jacket that defies physics). Loris, though? They steal every scene. Imagine if someone combined the elegance of 'Revolutionary Girl Utena' with the rage of a Twitter thread canceling a TERF—their magic flares pink when they’re flustered, which Kai exploits shamelessly. Valen’s voice in the audiobook adaptation is pure velvet condescension, which makes his breakdown in Chapter 12 even sweeter. The real MVP is Jeyne, though; she’s got 'overworked mom friend' energy, handing out healing potions and revolutionary pamphlets like 'take both, you idiot.'

What’s brilliant is how the comic uses tropes ironically—Kai’s 'chosen one' prophecy is literally something Loris made up to motivate him, and Riven’s haunting starts as comic relief until you realize he’s grieving the lover he couldn’t save. The fandom’s divided over whether Valen deserves redemption, but that’s what makes the characters stick with you—they’re complicated, like when Loris freezes during a fight because the enemy’s armor resembles their abusive dad’s. Also, the queer rep isn’t just lip service; Kai’s bisexuality affects his relationships (he flirts with enemies as a distraction), and Loris’s genderfluidity ties into their magic evolving. My only wish? More flashbacks of Kai’s mercenary days with his ex, who now leads the rebellion’s rival faction—give me that drama!