The Main Characters
Kevin Matchstick (The Pendragon)
- The Leader: In The Hero Defined, everybody notices how Kevin assumes command of any group he's part of. Most don't mind - John thinks he's good at it, and Garth is comically subservient - but Kirby doesn't like it, and challenges his authority.
- Legacy Character: Kevin is the latest hero to wield a magical power that was previously held by King Arthur and Gilgamesh. While those two were the most famous, it's implied that there were others too.
- Mundane Made Awesome: Kevin is the latest in a long line of champions, which include's King Arthur and Gilgamesh, and his powerful magical weapon is...a baseball bat. It turns out that his version of Excalibur is a glowing magical baseball bat that channels energy, discharges lightning, heals people, can return to his hand by will and kill pretty much any supernatural creature.
- This trope becomes even more literal when Kevin finds out that Excalibur isn't the source of his powers but a conduit and manifestation of them. He learns that Excalibur isn't a singular weapon but the name of any object (literally any object) he imbues with his power and uses to kill monsters and fight evil. At one point he kills a Bubaboo with a magically enhanced apple. That's right. Kevin charged an apple with his heroic energy, tossed it at monster and made it explode like the rabbit of Caerbannog.
- Past-Life Memories: of a sort. While Kevin is only the latest avatar to hold the power and postion previously held by King Arthur and Gilgamesh, he is not their reincarnation. However, some of the knowledge of each of the previous heroes to hold the power is carried over to each new avatar.
- Reincarnation: Averted. While Kevin holds the power and title of the previous heroes King Arthur and Gilgamesh, he is neither of them reborn, but a man chosen to use the power they once had. This is even commented on by Mirth telling Kevin that he's "Not King, not exactly. And not Arthur, not exactly. Your heart is the heart of The Pendragon returned". Suggesting that it's the immortal spirit of a hero that is transferred to each now avatar, not the life or the soul.
Mirth (The World-Mage)
- Legacy Character: His full name is Myrddin Aurelius Ambrosius. Anyone who knows their Arthurian legend will recognise him as Merlin.
- As Wally Ut, he's also Utnapishtim, the flood hero from The Epic of Gilgamesh.
- Merlin Sickness: In his Hero Defined incarnation as Wally Ut, he's said to live his life backwards.
Edsel (The Weapon Keeper)
- Legacy Character: Kevin receives the magic baseball bat Excalibur from her, so she's the Lady of the Lake.
Sean (The Dead Man)
Joe Phat (Coyote)
- Black and Nerdy
- Legacy Character: Joe is an avatar of the Native American trickster hero Coyote.
- The Squire: First to Kevin, then to Kirby.
- Write Who You Know: Joe is based on Joe Matt, Canadian cartoonist, creator of the self-deprecating autobiographical comic Peep Show, and colorist on Wagner's comic Grendel.
Kirby Hero (the Olympian)
- Legacy Character: Kirby is an avatar of Heracles.
- The Quest: Kirby comes and goes from Kevin's entourage, because he has his own quest to fulfil, involving twelve labours set by his father as penance for a past misdeed.
- Tragic Bromance: He's also Enkidu to Kevin's Gilgamesh (from The Epic of Gilgamesh) - an equal sent to be both a friend and a challenge to him. It doesn't end well.
- Write Who You Know: Kirby is based on Bernie Mireault, Canadian cartoonist, creator of the comic The Jam, and at various times artist and colorist on Wagner's comic Grendel.
The "Nasties"
The Umbra Sprite
The Grackleflints
The Sprigginflints
The Gracklethorns
Redcaps
Other Characters
