Dark Horse’s Dungeons and Dragons reads like a series written by fans for fans, and newcomers might not know who everyone is. Readers who want to understand the stakes and why each character matters can check online sources and watch YouTube deep dives into the lore. But is that enough? Most likely not. When their roles in the greater cosmic scheme aren’t widely known, it’s tough to care about these people.
In this tale, the hero is Mordenkainen, a powerful wizard whose history touches not only the world but all the planes of existence! Originally created by Gary Gygax as a Greyhawk native, this archmage has grown into a multiversal planeswalker and a secret agent across Toril. Unlike typical heroes fighting for pure good, he’s all about equilibrium. He practises True Neutrality and believes absolute Good and absolute Evil are equally dangerous. He’ll do what’s right or wrong to keep the cosmic balance.
Even I had to look that up because I’m not going to pretend I know everything about the Forgotten Realms, where this tale takes place. And with Planescape added on top, all this lore can get confusing. Thankfully, a lot of that was defined back in the early days, during D&D 2.5e if I remember right.
Even without knowing it all, I can see that the comic honours what I recall. Although there’s no guide like the one in the cartoon series, the additional material in Dark Horse’s Dungeons and Dragons welcomes readers into this realm and encourages them to get on board. Erika Ishii (Dimension 20) provides an enthusiastic afterword, and there’s even a name generator. That’s common material in a game’s quick-start kit, but I couldn’t be bothered to use it. I’d be more interested in stat blocks. Apparently, they are offered in variant covers (and maybe later issues) rather than the standard release, which is a shame.
For those looking for homebrew material to add to their game, the Paradoxical Cheese Hat of Intelligence might see some use. Or it might not. Of course, that depends on the type of campaign they’re running at home. And let’s hope their first adventure isn’t like what Mordenkainen is facing!
This comic reads like an adventure featuring level 20+ personalities, and that’s a lot to take in. These aren’t your first-level stragglers who’ve decided to take up adventuring. It also isn’t like Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (movie review), which is light-hearted and very easy to digest. Without some prior knowledge, it’s tough to comprehend why the coming apocalypse threatens “the Realm.”
In the first issue, a Herald of Bahamut tells Mordenkainen that no matter what, the world will die. Her master, a platinum dragon, has seen the future. For readers who don’t know this god, he represents the side of good. This “vision” is so unsettling that the old man has to find someone willing to work with him. The harbinger doesn’t say whether they’ll succeed, leaving room for fate to change.
After losing his magic, this wizard recruits the archfey Tasha (Iggwilv), meets the ranger Drizzt Do’Urden and faces another dragon. Unfortunately, this serpent offers little support…
Writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly certainly waste no time showing how dangerous life can be. Not even high-level characters can face world-ending prophecies alone. With this trio facing its own Lord of the Rings-style threat, will I keep reading? I’ll wait for the trades so I’m not stuck in that chapter-by-chapter pulp rut. That way, cliffhangers won’t leave me waiting until next month’s release to see how things resolve. The art is fantastic and leans more towards high fantasy than medieval.
The art is fantastic and leans more towards high fantasy than medieval, but it’s not exactly clean about it. D&D was never about how dirty the world must look, yet what’s presented gets very close to over-the-top grit. The art team of Ibraim Roberson (pencils), Arabson Oliveira (inks) and Dan Brown (colours) know their material, and it works; the characters look very much alive. With the IP’s producers giving the artists free rein to interpret these famous heroes, I’m enjoying the result. The cinematic layouts emphasize the action instead of simply serving as window dressing.
Tossing the heroes straight into the fire is exactly what a first issue needs, too! Without the mighty serpent beasts, Dark Horse’s Dungeons and Dragons wouldn’t be what it’s supposed to represent! And in the meantime, I’m going back to Ravenloft…
3½ Stars out of 5
Dark Horse’s Dungeons and Dragons Teaser
