Neuroglyph
First Post
Last August, when Wizards of the Coast unveiled the new 4E version of the Dark Sun Campaign Setting at GenCon 2010, it was also foretold that IDW would be producing a Limited Issue comic series, set in the infamous world of Athas. And for those gamers fortunate enough to attend GenCon, a first glimpse of this new comic was offered in the IDW Con Exclusive (Issue #0), which featured a seven-page teaser in the introductory story entitled “Freedom”.
But now, IDW Publishing is set to release the first issue of the Dark Sun comic book this month, bringing to life the dangerous and deadly world of Athas in a five-part mini-series, following the trials and adventures of the mul gladiator Grudvik. Unlike the recently released Dungeons & Dragons Comic Book (Issue #1), which is set in the relatively new D&D Core World Setting, the Dark Sun Comic Books will have considerably greater material to draw upon from the long-lived campaign setting, but will also have to follow in the footsteps of famed Prism Pentad novels which first brought the Dark Sun Campaign Setting to life for so many D&D gamers.
So how does the Dark Sun Comic Book fare as the new envoy for the world of Athas?
IDW’s Dark Sun Comic Issue #1
Production Quality
The production quality of the Dark Sun Comic Book Issue #1 is excellent, with a grim and gritty cover image, and some stunning and boldly drawn interior art. The comic is printed on a parchment-like paper, rather than a glossy paper type, which I think does a nice job of evoking that dry and parched feel of the world portrayed between the pages.
I happened to get a copy of Cover A by Andy Brase, but there are three more covers available for collectors to obtain, including a “module style” cover by Wayne Reynolds, and a black-and-white sketch version of Andy Brases’ Cover A – you can check out the ink version of this Dark Sun cover over at Andy’s page on DeviantArt.com.
The Art
Many comic fans will recognize Peter Bergting’s art from the Hellboy comic series, and he was certainly able to capture the essence of Athas in his panels for the Dark Sun Comic Book. In particular, the main protagonist, Grudvik, was lavishly captured in a variety of heroic action poses, with great details given to his signature Mohawk-hairdo, tribal-design body tattoos, and piece-meal gladiatorial armor.
The desert action sequences, which make up a vast portion of this first issue, are spectacularly drawn, and almost overwhelm any plot development between the main characters. In some respects, I expected larger-than-life combats in any story from the world of Athas, and the first issue does not fail to deliver them – although I wonder if some readers will be disappointed that the action seemed to crowd out the shady intrigues for which the Dark Sun setting is also well-known.
For a more detailed art critique of the Dark Sun Comic Issue #1, you can check out the Neuroglyph Games website where artist-in-residence, Tizzbin, has his Review of this new comic release!
[SPOILER WARNING: Reading beyond this point will reveal key story elements! You have been warned!]
The Story
The writer for the Dark Sun Comic mini-series is Alex Irvine, who is no stranger to creating comic book storylines, and his credits include The Ultimates: Against All Enemies, Daredevil Noir: Liar’s Poker, and Batman: Inferno. However, despite his previous works, I must admit that I was less than impressed with the story told in this first issue of the Dark Sun Comic Book Issue #1.
In the initial “teaser” (Issue #0), the hero of our story, the mul gladiator Grudvik, is arrested in the bed chamber of his lover, a noble woman of Tyr named Rubi, is imprisoned on trumped up charges, and sentenced to be sold back into slavery. Refusing to be subjugated again, he makes a daring escape and flees into the desert, tracked by a wily slave hunter named Aki.
And this new first issue of the comic continues that story, when Grudvik is tracked down by Aki and his cohort, deep in the desert wild lands of Athas. Grudvik immediately kills Aki’s hired man, but spares Aki after the slave hunter offers a flimsy excuse of Grudvik needing him to escape the desert. Throughout the rest of the issue, Grudvik continues to contemplate murdering Aki, but the slave hunter continues to offer a stream of fragile excuses not to “off” him, and somehow survives until the end of the book. I can only assume that Aki is using some psionic talent on Grudvik to make him more pliable to the slave hunter’s charm, because I could not fathom why – other than a poorly contrived MacGuffin – Grudvik did not leave two corpses rotting in the relentless sun at the beginning of the issue. But by the end, the lone slave hunter did convince the gladiator to return to Tyr, if for no other reason than to clear the charges and rekindle his love for Rubi.
There are hints of a larger plotline going on, such as why Rubi gave Grudvik a key to the Under-Tyr, which Aki convinces the gladiator could be the key to clearing his name and getting rich, but much of that plot seemed unimportant and lost in the attacks of the giant Cloud Ray Elder and later by a Silt Horror. I can only say that in this first issue, intrigues took a backseat to action sequences, and I personally hope we see a bit more plot revealed in subsequent episodes.
Overall Grade: B
Conclusions
I have to say the first issue of the Dark Sun Comic Book was less impressive than the Issue #0 “teaser” given out free at GenCon 2010. Although the artwork is excellent, the storyline failed to capture my undivided attention, and if anything, made me kick into “Dungeon Master-mode” and start analyzing how the plot could have been made tighter to make more sense. While I acknowledge that while a comic book is not a D&D Dark Sun Adventure module, this comic is, nevertheless, still based upon a major D&D campaign setting, and as such needs to fire the imaginations of D&D gamers who read it. And sadly, that just did not happen for me. But D&D fanboy that I am, I am still hoping the series can make a comeback for me in the next issue!
So until next review… I wish you Happy Gaming!
But now, IDW Publishing is set to release the first issue of the Dark Sun comic book this month, bringing to life the dangerous and deadly world of Athas in a five-part mini-series, following the trials and adventures of the mul gladiator Grudvik. Unlike the recently released Dungeons & Dragons Comic Book (Issue #1), which is set in the relatively new D&D Core World Setting, the Dark Sun Comic Books will have considerably greater material to draw upon from the long-lived campaign setting, but will also have to follow in the footsteps of famed Prism Pentad novels which first brought the Dark Sun Campaign Setting to life for so many D&D gamers.
So how does the Dark Sun Comic Book fare as the new envoy for the world of Athas?
IDW’s Dark Sun Comic Issue #1
- Writer: Alex Irvine
- Artist: Peter Berting
- Cover Illustrator: Andy Brase (Cover A) / Wayne Reynolds (Cover B)
- Publisher: IDW Publishing
- Year: 2011
- Media: Comic Book (28 pages)
- Retail Cost: $3.99
Production Quality
The production quality of the Dark Sun Comic Book Issue #1 is excellent, with a grim and gritty cover image, and some stunning and boldly drawn interior art. The comic is printed on a parchment-like paper, rather than a glossy paper type, which I think does a nice job of evoking that dry and parched feel of the world portrayed between the pages.
I happened to get a copy of Cover A by Andy Brase, but there are three more covers available for collectors to obtain, including a “module style” cover by Wayne Reynolds, and a black-and-white sketch version of Andy Brases’ Cover A – you can check out the ink version of this Dark Sun cover over at Andy’s page on DeviantArt.com.
The Art
Many comic fans will recognize Peter Bergting’s art from the Hellboy comic series, and he was certainly able to capture the essence of Athas in his panels for the Dark Sun Comic Book. In particular, the main protagonist, Grudvik, was lavishly captured in a variety of heroic action poses, with great details given to his signature Mohawk-hairdo, tribal-design body tattoos, and piece-meal gladiatorial armor.
The desert action sequences, which make up a vast portion of this first issue, are spectacularly drawn, and almost overwhelm any plot development between the main characters. In some respects, I expected larger-than-life combats in any story from the world of Athas, and the first issue does not fail to deliver them – although I wonder if some readers will be disappointed that the action seemed to crowd out the shady intrigues for which the Dark Sun setting is also well-known.
For a more detailed art critique of the Dark Sun Comic Issue #1, you can check out the Neuroglyph Games website where artist-in-residence, Tizzbin, has his Review of this new comic release!
[SPOILER WARNING: Reading beyond this point will reveal key story elements! You have been warned!]
The Story
The writer for the Dark Sun Comic mini-series is Alex Irvine, who is no stranger to creating comic book storylines, and his credits include The Ultimates: Against All Enemies, Daredevil Noir: Liar’s Poker, and Batman: Inferno. However, despite his previous works, I must admit that I was less than impressed with the story told in this first issue of the Dark Sun Comic Book Issue #1.
In the initial “teaser” (Issue #0), the hero of our story, the mul gladiator Grudvik, is arrested in the bed chamber of his lover, a noble woman of Tyr named Rubi, is imprisoned on trumped up charges, and sentenced to be sold back into slavery. Refusing to be subjugated again, he makes a daring escape and flees into the desert, tracked by a wily slave hunter named Aki.
And this new first issue of the comic continues that story, when Grudvik is tracked down by Aki and his cohort, deep in the desert wild lands of Athas. Grudvik immediately kills Aki’s hired man, but spares Aki after the slave hunter offers a flimsy excuse of Grudvik needing him to escape the desert. Throughout the rest of the issue, Grudvik continues to contemplate murdering Aki, but the slave hunter continues to offer a stream of fragile excuses not to “off” him, and somehow survives until the end of the book. I can only assume that Aki is using some psionic talent on Grudvik to make him more pliable to the slave hunter’s charm, because I could not fathom why – other than a poorly contrived MacGuffin – Grudvik did not leave two corpses rotting in the relentless sun at the beginning of the issue. But by the end, the lone slave hunter did convince the gladiator to return to Tyr, if for no other reason than to clear the charges and rekindle his love for Rubi.
There are hints of a larger plotline going on, such as why Rubi gave Grudvik a key to the Under-Tyr, which Aki convinces the gladiator could be the key to clearing his name and getting rich, but much of that plot seemed unimportant and lost in the attacks of the giant Cloud Ray Elder and later by a Silt Horror. I can only say that in this first issue, intrigues took a backseat to action sequences, and I personally hope we see a bit more plot revealed in subsequent episodes.
Overall Grade: B
Conclusions
I have to say the first issue of the Dark Sun Comic Book was less impressive than the Issue #0 “teaser” given out free at GenCon 2010. Although the artwork is excellent, the storyline failed to capture my undivided attention, and if anything, made me kick into “Dungeon Master-mode” and start analyzing how the plot could have been made tighter to make more sense. While I acknowledge that while a comic book is not a D&D Dark Sun Adventure module, this comic is, nevertheless, still based upon a major D&D campaign setting, and as such needs to fire the imaginations of D&D gamers who read it. And sadly, that just did not happen for me. But D&D fanboy that I am, I am still hoping the series can make a comeback for me in the next issue!
So until next review… I wish you Happy Gaming!
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