Dungeons and Dragons Comic Book: Back on Track?

Just over a year ago— on January 1, 2011— I posted a positive review of the new Dungeons & Dragons comic book by IDW.  It had been years since I purchased a comic, but as I reviewed the first three issues (including Issue #0) of the newest D&D comic book, I tried to convey the excitement I felt looking forward to another issue each month.

The comic book’s five main characters (a human fighter, dwarf paladin, halfling rogue, elf ranger, and tiefling warlock) could have all too easily been portrayed as stale adventuring stereotypes, but with John Rogers capably and creatively guiding the ongoing story, the party instead comes to life in a refreshing, entertaining way.  The clever, witty writing in each issue always brings a smile to my face and at some point I invariably find myself thinking, “That is so exactly what one of the guys at my D&D game would say!”  And, at least for the first five issues, the art of Andrea Di Vito was the perfect complement to Rogers’ story.  Like I said, it had been a long time since I’d purchased a comic book, but I still knew good art when I saw it.

But then, with Issue #6, things started to get a bit screwy with the art.  In that issue, according to the credits, Di Vito only did the art for one page and some other guy did the rest of the comic.  With Issue #7, Di Vito again only did one page, and the rest of the art was split between two other fellows.  And in both of those issues, it must be said, the other guys’ art didn’t compare favorably to Di Vito’s superb work.

Things were happily back to normal in Issue #8, with Di Vito being the sole artist.  The art in the next four issues was confusing and disappointing, though.  In Issue #9, there were three different artists.  Issue #10 was the low point of the whole affair, with four guys doing the art.  Issues #11 and 12 had three guys doing the art in each issue.  It had been years since I faithfully followed a comic book, and the new Dungeons & Dragons comic was the only one I now bought each month, but I couldn’t imagine this use of multiple artists within a single issue had somehow become standard practice in the industry.  The different styles in each issue were an annoying distraction from the story, especially since— as I mentioned earlier— none of the other art was even close to being as good as Di Vito’s.  I kept buying the D&D comic during this time, but I was becoming steadily more disillusioned with handing over $3.99 each month for subpar and confusing work by the IDW art department.

But with Issue #13, things seemed to (thankfully) get back on track!  Starting with that issue, Andrea Di Vito has again been the sole artist.  The art in Issues #13, 14, and 15 has once again been a joy to behold.  And speaking of beholding, the full-page drawing of the fearsome beholder that closes Issue #14 is worth the price of admission all by itself.

dungeons & dragons comic book

“It is a time of magic and monsters, a time when the civilized world has been reduced to a few scattered points of light glowing with stubborn determination amid a rising tide of shadows. It is a time when only the bravest dare tread the wilds of the unknown.

A small town built upon the ruins of a larger city, Fallcrest lies at the crossroads of the Nentir Vale, a great wilderness dotted with a handful of inhabited villages and towns where bandits and monsters roam freely, threatening all who venture far from the settlements.

This is a place in need of a few heroes.”

* * *

So begins Issue #0 of IDW Publishing’s new DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS comic book. That special issue has two stories that introduce the heroes and worlds of both the ongoing D&D series (debuted in November 2010) and the DARK SUN five-issue series (launches in January 2011).

In Issue #0, a 10-page story (“Fell’s Four Five”) establishes the cast for the DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS series. Surprisingly, the comic doesn’t start off in a tavern, but in a good old dungeon with Adric Fell (human knight) and Khal Khalundurrin (dwarf paladin) smashing through a wooden door and immediately battling some filthy gnolls slavers. Making their way down into the Underdark, Adric and Khal collect the other members of their party, Bree Three-Hands (halfling rogue) and Varis (elf ranger). Fell’s Four invade the Underdark searching for a band of brigands, but instead find the aforementioned gnoll slavers… and a young black dragon. Our heroes manage to slay the dragon and gnolls, saving the human slaves, thanks to the help of a hottie with horns and a tail, Tisha Swornheart (tiefling warlock).

As of this posting, two more issues (#1 and #2) of the comic have been released.

In Issue #1 (Shadowplague, Part One: Bad Day), Tisha officially becomes the newest member of Adric’s company and Fell’s Five finds themselves embroiled in a supernatural zombie attack plaguing the town of Fallcrest. Attempting to find the leaky portal to the Shadowfell that’s allowing dark energies to infect everyone’s minds, the adventurers battle an evil changeling and encounter zombie orphans. Good times.

In Issue #2 (Shadowplague, Part Two: Hide in Plain Sight), as the heroes leave Fallcrest and pursue the changeling, they come across a caravan under attack by orcs. Believing their quarry is pinned down by the ambush, Fell’s Five punches through the orc line and joins the besieged caravan. With a doppelganger carrying a nightmare artifact hiding in plain sight among the frightened travelers and a band of bloodthirsty orcs pressing home their attack, the caravan leader tells Adric, “This is a very bad rescue.”

The last time I bought a comic book it cost 75 cents, so I was a bit dismayed to discover that a comic nowadays goes for $3.99, but I have to say that the new DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS series sure looks like each action-packed issue will be worth every penny. The art (Andrea Di Vito) and coloring are fantastic and strike just the right note to believably portray the world of a fantasy roleplaying game. The writing of John Rogers breathes fresh life into stereotypical D&D characters (halfling rogue, dwarf paladin of Moradin, elf ranger, etc.) through witty dialogue and skillful storytelling.


After receiving Issue #0 for free at my first Encounters session at Total Escape Games, I’ve found myself eagerly looking forward to the release date of each new issue. If you play D&D or are simply a fan of sword-and-sorcery fantasy adventures, then I recommend you run out to your local comics store and pick up the DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS comic book.