Tag: Dungeons and Dragons

Holy Hellfire Tiamat! Dark Horse’s Dungeons and Dragons Goes For The Jugular!

Mordenkainen needs allies, and newcomers could use a guide. When Dark Horse’s Dungeons and Dragons series aims to please various crowds, yes, primers are needed.

Dark Horse's Dungeons and Dragons ComicDark 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.

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What’s Worth Hiding Under the Sand? A Top 3 Mid-Summer Comic Book Guide to Horror

Before we resume our Fantasia Film Festival, some frightful reading is in order with this mid-Summer comic book guide on what’s hot under the sun and not.

Mid-Summer Comic Book Guide and the WolfmanAs we are now knee deep into Summer and resting inside tents, just what scares can comic book publishers offer? Between melting in Montreal (okay, technically we’re not as our coverage of Fantasia Film Festival is remote) and wanting some time to relax in between films, thankfully all is cooler in the Pacific Northwest. With this mid-Summer comic book guide, I had to let readers know just what I’m reading.

Just what series can make for a scary summer depends on what’s your jam, and as some publishers are readying for All Hallow’s Eve already, that doesn’t mean what’s out now can do the job. There are enough monster mash-ups, gothic revivals, and tributes to make this bright season look good.

Here’s my top picks on what to read if hiding out from the sun if your thing.

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Beyond the Clickbait: Why the Shocking Dark Theories About the Dungeons and Dragons Cartoon Don’t Hold Water

YouTube fan theories love to claim the kids in the Dungeons and Dragons animated series are dead and trapped in purgatory, but the show’s own episodes tell a completely different story. From Terri’s real-world reunion with Bobby to Josef’s impact on actual history, the evidence for a living, breathing adventure has been hiding in plain sight the whole time.

Dungeons and Dragons Cartoon
You can watch the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon on YouTube, courtesy of Wizards of the Coast! Episodes are being released weekly.

The cottage industry of “ruined childhoods” isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Just look at MediaOCD’s World Classics use of the label for proof that revisiting old favourites with fresh eyes can actually add something. But on YouTube, a certain breed of content creator loves poking holes in beloved franchises, accuracy optional. Whether the target is He-Man or something else entirely, the clickbait title is usually doing most of the heavy lifting. One series that doesn’t deserve the treatment is the Dungeons and Dragons Cartoon. 

On Reddit and elsewhere, the Backstage Tales theory is not alone. Although they are separate ideas, they all share the same DNA: Hank, Sheila, Bobby, Diana, and Eric died. Whether it was because they had no self worth or on that roller coaster ride, the consequences are grim, and are vaguely hinted at in the episode, “Quest of the Skeleton Warrior.”

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With Dark Horse in Charge of D&D Now, It’s Not Just Another Ravenloft Comic

Ravenloft Comic Dark HorseIDW Comics’ run with the Dungeons and Dragons license ended last year, and following the success of Dark Horse Comics’ work with Wizards of the Coast, their releases are doing a touch better and the consensus is that fans like it. Ravenloft is the next release. After the first issue of The Fallbacks and the delayed release of the second, there are a lot of titles being planned getting back on track.

The four-issue miniseries written by Bram Stoker Award-winning author Amy Chu (Red Sonja) examines why this particular world is crumbling. Nobody knows why. Fortunately, monster hunter Ez D’Avenir is on the case. She’s searching the frozen wasteland of Lamordia for an undead creature that may hold the key to this world’s fate. But when Darklord Viktra Mordenheim catches wind of her quest, Ez is suddenly the one being hunted. Just how deep this series will go into the lore depends on Chu’s research. It’s also known as The Mists, a more compelling and scary reference in par with Silent Hill.

The art is provided by Ariela Kristantina (Adora and the Distance), colours by Arif Prianto (Poison Ivy, Green Lantern Corps), and letters by Haley Rose-Lyon (BUMP: A Horror Anthology, Jill and the Killers). Issue #1 will feature cover art by Guillem March, Riley Rossmo, Francesco Francavilla, Todor Hristov, and Angela Wu.

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Stranger Things. The Full Series in Review

After a long rewatch of Stranger Things, I look at what worked and what did not when creating the threat that would manifest in the small town of Hawkins. Thankfully, for those in the know, no foothold was made, but is this truly the end?

Stranger Things LogoWhen Stranger Things first arrived on Netflix, it began with something wonderfully small. It seemed to be simply about a group of kids playing a game of Dungeons and Dragons, and not expecting that world to manifest around them! After the sudden absence of Will (Noah Schnapp), they had to learn how to become heroes for real. Even though the adults didn’t believe what they’ve encountered is real, what they managed to do was the impossible: to show that dangers lurk in every corner. The shadows are alive, and the necrophagous shadows, well….

From that moment, the series evolved naturally from childhood rituals into becoming adults. As for the fantasy characters they wanted to become, all the visual motifs (including a garbage can lid modified to become a shield) came into place. And the monsters they had to face weren’t just creatures. They were metaphors to something greater shaped by the kids’ references to concepts and entities from this role playing world. Some worked, and others did not, but overall, unless the viewer was in the know, the tie-ins were more than surface level references.

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Dungeons and Television’s Hilarious Debut At Fantasia Film Festival 2025 Will Want You Posing Too!

Set to release on YouTube next month, Dungeons and Television is fast-paced, charming series about dungeon livestreaming in a way where why isn’t that reporter running away from that dragon!?!?

Dungeons and Television PosterDungeons and Television is one of the standout new series introduced at Fantasia Film Festival, and what’s presented is merely a teaser. When the festival also becomes a launchpad for fresh shows, there’s more than one title I’m already tuning in to. Another is Night of the Living Cat, which is currently streaming on Crunchyroll and you can catch my review of the first two episodes here; Fantasia hosted a theatrical screening of episodes three and four (highly recommended—the plot finally thickens).

As for this fantasy series, this made-for-the-web anime will arrive next month on YouTube. Although I can’t find an official channel, I’m sure that’ll quickly be live very soon, and as soon as I know, I’ll posted updates! In this world, the discovery of the vacuum tube has reshaped life in the kingdom of The Grand Half-Moon Cauldron, turning once-mythic dungeons into hotspots for exploration and opportunity. The setup feels very Dungeons & Dragons-inspired, and that’s definitely a plus.

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