Dark Horse Reveals First Dungeons & Dragons Comic

Dark Horse has revealed its first Dungeons & Dragons comic, the result of a new licensing deal between the comics publisher and Wizards of the Coast. Today, The Gamer posted a preview for Dungeons and Dragons: The Fallbacks, a new comic book focused on an adventuring group of misfits. The team consists of elf ogue Tess, human fighter Anson, the tiefling bard Lark, dwarf cleric Baldric, and otyugh companion Uggie. The Fallbacks previously were featured in two novels published by Random House and also appeared in artwork in the new 2024 Core Rulebooks.

The new comics series will be written by Greg Pak, with pencils by Wilton Santos, inks by Edvan Alves, colors by Raul Angulo, and letters by Nate Piekos. The four issue miniseries will launch starting in October 2025.

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[Parmandur]

Who's the woman with the magic staff in back? I'm not familiar with this group, not having read the novels.

Cazrin, she is a Human Wizard who is obsessed with increasing her magical knowledge.

How so? He just looks like a typical Faerûnian gold dwarf to me.

You, he is a Shield Dwarf Cleric. Narratively, his character is about negotiating deals with various deities when a Spell is needed, sort of a haggling merchant polytheistic Cleric. It was interesting in the novel.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The dwarf cleric is a deliberate provocation of old school D&D folks.

I've been playing since 1979. I don't think this is provocative so much as appealing to modern D&D fans. (More than half of all D&D players have never played an edition other than 5E.)

 

[Junkyard Tornado]

The cover art fails to stir me but I'd prob still check it out to see how the story is. Wondering if it's going to go for more serious or silly vibe. I hope for a good overall story (a few gags are fine if they're well placed). If it goes for more of a humorous or light hearted vibe, I think that may be difficult to land. I often like Dark horse so thinking it's worth at least giving it a chance.

 

[Parmandur]

The cover art fails to stir me but I'd prob still check it out to see how the story is. Wondering if it's going to go for more serious or silly vibe. I hope for a good overall story (a few gags are fine if they're well placed). If it goes for more of a humorous or light hearted vibe, I think that may be difficult to land. I often like Dark horse so thinking it's worth at least giving it a chance.

The Fallbacks novel was similar in tone to the Honor Among Thieves film, or other D&D media in recent years. So, not unserious, but plenty of humor and zaniness.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Silly can still be excellent. The Rat Queens series is pretty funny, but is a great D&D-style adventure book. (Not for kids, on the off chance any are reading this post.)

 

[pukunui]

Cazrin, she is a Human Wizard

Thanks.

You, he is a Shield Dwarf Cleric.

Oh. That’s a lore change. In FR, the shield dwarves are the stereotypical Scottish-looking dwarves, while the gold dwarves are the bling-wearing African-looking dwarves.

 

[Parmandur]

Thanks.


Oh. That’s a lore change. In FR, the shield dwarves are the stereotypical Scottish-looking dwarves, while the gold dwarves are the bling-wearing African-looking dwarves.

I derped while typing. I meant Gold dwarf.

 

[Reynard]

Corpulent. She's corpulent.

That's a weird way to spell "aww yeah."

 

[evilbob]

Seems like a bog-standard party in just about every way, or am I missing something? They look like they'd be sent to kill rats in the basement of an inn as their first assignment. Are the books just a string of clichés or are the characters given any depth?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Corpulent. She's corpulent.

Um…I’m pretty sure thicc is vastly more appropriate here than corpulent.

She cute, and she thicc. It’s a good thing.