D&D comics history part 8 - War of the Gods ! Avatar (DC)

   Between February and May 1991, along with their D&D licensed ongoing series, DC will issue a standalone mini-series set in the Forgotten Realms :

War of the Gods ! Avatar

   This 3 issues series is the comic version of the three 1989 novels composing The Avatar Trilogy written by Scott Ciencin (Shadowdale, Tantras) & Troy Denning (Waterdeep) under the shared pen-name Richard Awlinson. 

The Avatar Trilogy - French novels version (Fleuve Noir, 1994)

   It's been adapted here by Barbara Kessel and a bunch of artists worked on these :

   Pencils : Dameon Willich (all issues)

   Inks : Monika Livingston & Tom Romano (issue #1)

            John Nyberg & Todd Hamilton (issues #2 & 3)

            Jerry Acerno, Jan Harpes, Pamela Eklund & Mickey Ritter (issue #3)

   Colors : Eric & Linda Kachelhofer (all issues)

   Letters : Elliot S. Maggin & Kim Yale (only credited in issue #3).

   The events told here depict what will be called the Time of Troubles. The deities of Faerûn are exiled from the Planes after the theft of the Tablets of Fate until these are recovered. Banished by Ao, Overgod of Abeir-Toril, to the mortal world, the gods are now roaming the Realms as avatars. Mystra, goddess of Magic (known as The Lady of Mysteries) will charge Ariel Manx (human wizardess more known as Midnight) to recover the Tablets and protect them from the other deities. The magic-user, now in possession of a mysterious amulet given by the goddess, will soon team up with Kelemvor Lyonsbane (human fighter), Adon (human cleric of Sune) and Cyric (human thief) to fulfill her mission. (Note that these four fellows are often and wrongly considered as being the Company of the Lynx which is in fact the band Midnight was working with and betrayed -for good reasons- before she met her actual companions)

From left to right : Kelemvor, Adon, Cyric and Midnight

   The story will take our heroes in many known places and they'll encounter an amazing number of characters during their quest, including (aside gods... XD) über-famous ones as Elminster or Khelben Blackstaff... It would be too long to list all the references here, but for those interested in these, each novel (so as a result each comic book) has its dedicated AD&D 2nd edition module (in which you'll find among tons of info, the stats of our protagonists...) :

FRE1 Shadowdale, FRE2 Tantras & FRE3 Waterdeep by Ed Greenwood (TSR, 1989)

   Patently this adaptation tends to respect the unfolding of the story as it is told in the novels, only sacrificing some passages by taking narrative shortcuts. In the whole if we can respect the idea behind its construction, the story-telling in the comics is far from being as fluent and understandable as in the novels. Not sure if a reader who's not aware of the universe or the plot would really get it... 

   More on that, the drawing, instead of helping the narration, is some kind of melting pot of -let's say- audacious but badly-rendered and disharmonious artistic choices, which makes the whole a thick soup you have great trouble swallowing... It also sometimes looks like a (basically) colored sketchbook... and the quality is not often there (and even being particularly awful at some point).

 Pages from book one (left), book two (middle) and book three (right)

   Despite the obvious desire to do well and some hard work we can't deny (282 pages in total !), the final rendering is far -very, very far- from being up to the expectation... It's really a shame as the story adapted here depicts one of the best epic moment that forged the history of the Realms... Now, it remains a viable materials source... but kinda a fail that marks the ending of the DC era within the D&D comics history.

(o_O;)

D&D comics history part 11 - Hellbound : The Bargain (TSR)

   What we have here is some real treasure, and not that much for its rarity, but mainly for the fact that it's pretty well hidden to the D&D comics collectors. And if I didn't received a message a few ago from Purgossu, who spent some time to visit this blog, I tend to think I wouldn't have been aware of its existence for ages ! Great thanks to him for the precious info ! :)

   In 1996, TSR released a Planescape box named Hellbound : The Blood War. Inside, along with manuals & guides you usually find in such box, was released a short comic strip entitled :

Hellbound - The Bargain

 

   In parallel with the release of the box, The Bargain was also published in Dragon Magazine, issues 230 to 233, running from June to September 1996. Though, this release lacks the front & back covers as well as the credits page, which is somehow sad for the comics hunters as actually the box can be found at very expensive rates on the different selling sites when Dragon Magazine issues are still easily buyable at very cheap price. At the time I am writing these lines, I am actually waiting for the four D.M. to reach my letterbox... not really wanting to spend hundred(s) of bucks in an accessory box just to get a 16 pages comic ! o_O But well, knowing me... knowing you... [oops I abbaed XD...] I may acquire the original one someday... 

Time will tell........ :P

Front & back covers of the Hellbound : The Blood War box

   Speaking of the comic itself, story has been written by famous novelist Jeff Grubb, with art by Robh Ruppel & Tony DiTerlizzi when Dawn Murin was in charge of C.G. & design. And the result is pretty nice, totally in adequacy with the Planescape products line visuals. (Though, the front cover seems to have been quicky done by some photoshop trainee... honestly, they could have done something far better, especially considering the nice design of the back cover... or even compared to the front cover of Visions of War, the art & maps booklet found in the box...)

Yeah... size matters... :P

   The plot is very Shakespearian ; a song of love & war. And somehow the moral of the story echoes the one in the other existing Planescape comic, The Unity of Rings. For sure, Planescape is a mischievous and crual universe at all levels...And this short graphic novel just do the job, putting the reader in the middle of the desperation he'll have to face as a player in such a setting. A must-to-have treasure in my opinion !

   Here's some pdf of my own based on the Dragon Magazines' pages with the adding of front & back covers (missing the credits page tho...) for an insight. Enjoy !

O_oV

Dungeons & Dragons vintage treasures - part 6

In 1983, Marvel published 2 little storybooks under the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons trademark.

These are entitled The Forest of Enchantment and The Treasure of Time.

In The Forest of Enchantment, a young elven bard named Caruso survives an encounter with evil lizard men who are invading his forest while he was just having peaceful time...

With the help of his friend, the elven druid Filaree, they get information from Figgen of the Thieves' Guild that the army of lizard men is under the orders of Warduke who is planning to rob the Ruby of the Seven Suns which is carried by a certain Princess Mirra, whose caravan will cross through the forest the next day.

They also learn that the evil wizard Kelek has joined Warduke.

Back in the forest, stupid Caruso is made prisoner by the villains and guarded by evil thief Foxfingers. But with some luck, he manages to free himself in the morning while the Princess' party, composed of an escort of 6 horsemen, Mirra herself and her hand-maiden Bess, arrived in the forest.

At the moment of the assault, the villains got disturbed by the druid (who was hiding under a tree form all night...) and our stupid bard. Swift, the druid cast a Plant Growth spell and the bad guys got entangled.

And everything ends fine... heh.

Click image to download (.pdf)

In The Treasure of Time, Kelek the bad bad wizard is spying the good magic-user Charmay who is helding a scroll leading to "The Treasure of Time"... Kelek manages to fool her and get the scroll.

On his way back, Kelek avoids the attack of the good dwarf fighter Elkhorn with the unexpected help of Charmay who still under his charm.

Elkhorn will then seek the help of the good paladin Strongheart and they will start to investigate at Charmay's. With a magic mirror they discover that Kelek was willing to use the powerful spell. But Kelek was also watching the good party with a crystal ball... and he orders the bad bad orc assassin Zarak to stop them.

On the way to Kelek's, Elkhorn got attacked by poisonous snakes and Zarak engages a fight with Strongheart. After the defeat of the villains, they finally reach a ruined castle in which they manages to find the chest containing the Treasure of Time. But Kelek was waiting for the companions and traps them with some spells. That time, Charmay, free of Kelek's charm, arrives at the castle and order Kelek to not open the chest... but well... villains being villains, Kelek opens it and absorbs the power which makes him become young again.

In a try to attack the party Kelek discovers that if he has lost his old age he also lost his knowledge and powers ! Charmay then takes back the scroll and let the crying wizard alone. End of story.

Click image to download (.pdf)

I scanned and compiled the entire books in 2 pdf documents. Just click on pics to download. Enjoy !!

O_oV

D&D comics history special - D&DC (animated serie) related

Before the first comics related to D&D RPG were issued by american publishers, european ones did published some based on the D&D animated serie.

The first serie ever published (according to my actual knowledge), adapting all the 27 episodes of the cartoon, is spanish, entitled :

"Dungeons & Dragons - Dragones y Mazmorras" 

(DyM means D&D in spanish). It has been issued by Comics Forum, division of Editorial Planeta De Agostini from 1985 to 1986.

 

 The serie is not following the episodes order of the cartoon.

For instance, the first issue "El Ojo del Vigilante" is the adaptation of the second episode "The Eye of the Beholder", as well as the second title, "El Valle de los Unicornios", is the version of the episode 4 of the serie 'Valley of the Unicorns", and so on and so forth. (weird when you know that the spanish dubbed version of the serie - broadcast on tve channel - respected the original episodes order...)

Considering these have been printed in mid-80's, the graphics are pretty good.

Based on a weekly release, when a certain Efepé is in charge of the script, the artist is different from an issue to the next. (and so is the quality)

Here is the list of artists who worked on the serie :

Pascual Ferry (All covers, 1, 6, 10, 14, 16, 20, 27)

Francisco Javier Montes (2, 7, 15, 18, 22)

Juan Bernet Toledano (3, 9, 13, 23, 26)

Eloy Garijo Casajuana (4, 8, 11, 17, 24)

Bernardo Serrat Garcia (5)

Ramon Gonzales (12, 19, 21, 25)

               

      by P.Ferry                      by B.S.Garcia                    by E.G.Casajuana

               

by F.J.Montes                    by R.Gonzales                      by J.B.Toledano

 

In my opinion, the whole serie is a success. First of all, the quality is here, then the complete serie was published, which is not so common considering D&D comics history. Now (as far as I know) it is in spanish only, no adaptation of the whole serie being done in another language. We can still hope for some reissue someday... (IDW is actually republishing the TPB version of DC Forgotten Realms... who knows heh)

Note that the 4 first issues will be translated in dutch and published in 1988 by Junior Press (in an alternate order) :

 

Tho, next year, Marvel published :

Dungeons & Dragons Annual 1987

Here is an interesting use of copyrights. The annual is a hardcover book including a comic divided in 3 parts between which are short novels and puzzle games, all related to D&D cartoon show. (FYI, D&D annual 1986 was a children's book containing 7 short novels and 1 labyrinth game)

 

Now the amazing fact about this 1987 annual, despite the fact there is no mention anywhere in the book, is that the comic is the translated version of "El Ojo del Vigilante", first issue of the spanish serie. 

Strangely, here the story is entitled "The Eye of the Watchman".

I believe this is due to the translation process.

As well, the entire story suffers from a poor english. 

Printed in Italy, I do believe the translators were not native english speakers...

     

You can find the entire scanned version of this book (as well as 1986 one) on Dungeons & Dragons cartoon encyclopedia, the blog by Rogull72.

In the same vein, the same year, Marvel released :

 

Dungeons & Dragons Summer Special

This Marvel Summer Special 1987 is the translated version of "Prisión Sin Paredes", issue 4 of Dragones y Mazmorras (that went out in 1985).

      

Contrary to the Marvel Annual, this issue contains only the comic.

If there is no title on cover, it appears on the first page (which follows 2 pages of introduction, kind of summary of the animation's opening). As expected it takes up the title of the corresponding TV episode "A prison Without Walls".

I have to disagree with Zakiyah on the quality of the art. Especially when she said on her page (which no longer exists actually) that Annual's one was so awful and that this Summer Special's is decent... I tend to think the exact opposite. The adaptation of the spanish comic in this US format is a real shame for a bunch of reasons. The printing is of a very poor quality, the inking badly done. (Have a look at Dungeon Master in both pics and compare...)

The framing is just a joke... I let the margins on both scans for a comparing.

And translation... just as bad as it was in the Annual...

None of the onomatopoeia has been remade... just wondering since when "í" (inversed "!") is used in english XD... And icing on the cake... XD XD XD... they forgot to clean up some bubbles before putting translated text in...

yes si master amo !                             who...what ¿?¿

But well, even considering all these fails... this issue is still a must-to-have for any D&D comics collector.... pretty rare and so... vintage heh XD

A priori, no other translated version of Dragones y Mazmorras were published.

But here, in France, a strange adaptation of the episode "The Valley of the Unicorns" was issued. It is from 1987 (feb/mar release), by Editions de la page blanche and is simply entitled :

Le Sourire du Dragon - Donjons & Dragons

Le Sourire du Dragon being the title of the animated serie in France when broadcast on Antenne 2 channel.

(The license Donjons & Dragons was already existing in France that period... so I am wondering why the serie got entiltled differently... copyrights issue ? Desire to avoid any controversy ?)

Now on first page we have the title of the story : La vallée des Licornes

(No need I translate that heh...) 

 

It is not really a copy of the spanish version. Just something else. 

The artist seems to be a certain Eugster according to the signature on first page and last frame. The graphics are on the whole awful but some pages denote a certain artistic sense (at least a very colorful one heh). Now my interrogation is to know if this comic got inspired by the spanish version or if both their layouts result from the cartoon sketchbook/celluloids.

(I ll watch the episode in near future to get an idea)

As a pic is worth a thousand words, here are the 2 first pages of the comic followed by the 2 first pages of the DyM issue for an insight :

 

As written on the cover, this is issue n°1. I have searched for other ones but found nothing yet. I so can t assure it is the only existing issue in this serie but it is highly probable.

Heh, here ya are, Nostalgia ! :P

Note also that characters from the D&DC appear in The Grand Tour (1996) and in Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons (2018).

PS : If you, oh reader, have any info about a non listed D&D animated serie-related comic, please feel free to contact me !

O_oV

D&D comics history part 19 - The Unity of Rings

On 11/13/2003, WOTC put online, in their D&D archives, the scans of the comic :

The Unity of Rings

This issue is the missing piece in the 1996 Limited Edition serie. For some reason, this had not been released that time despite what could have been expected based on what TSR's advert was saying.

Believing what WOTC was saying on it on their website (page down since), the original pages were lost and suddenly reappeared during some office move... and they decided to put it online as the story is complete. (Without cover tho)

The Unity of Rings - First page

The WOTC archive is still online while I am writing these lines :

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/DnD_PS_Comic.asp

One thing, they inversed the second and the third page there... (-_-;)
Here's a link to a pdf of my own for a smoother reading :
The Unity of Rings.pdf

This comic is totally in the line of the limited editions. Funny (even cynical) with attractive graphics and a nice and well-constructed story.

"The story was conceived by the Planescape group -- Monte Cook (writer of "Hand of the Revenant" module), Michelle Carter, Colin McComb, Ray Vallese, and Andria Hayday -- and scripted by veteran planewalker (and experienced comic author) Jeff Grubb. It includes the art and lettering skills of Mark Heike, Brad Gorby, Chris Allen, and Bill Black (founder of AC comics), and colors by Barbara Brecker."
(dixit WOTC)

As it is online, I won t say more about the plot, you can discover it yourself.

Just it is based on Planescape. (campaign setting created in 1994 based on the concept of multiple planes of existence, in which are included the existing worlds of D&D such as Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, etc)

And well, a (loop-)story about a ring... doesn t that ring a bell ? :P

Double scanned page spread

It is just sad, for us collectors, that WOTC never released printed versions of it, even in very limited editions for some convention or else... :/

It could have been my preciouuuus... :P

D&D comics history part 12 - Baldur's Gate (TSR / Bioware)

In 1998, Bioware & TSR issued a promotional comic : Baldur's Gate, with a story that acts like an introduction to the video game. Art and scenario done by Bioware staff when production and marketing were handled by Interplay.

Writers : James Ohlen / Lucas Kristjanson

Cover illustration : Michael Sass

Pencils/Inks/Letters : John Gallagher

Colorist : Dean White

I still have to dig on how the comic was released. I believe it came out in some convention or maybe was gifted in some video game box... (If you have any info...)

Now on the contents... Well, the graphics are not that bad... it s mostly bloody slaughters after ambushes and betrayals (heads flying, flow of blood splashing everywhere...) but on the other hand, the artist put lots of hidden D&D references... if you observe well, you ll find Elminster lightning his pipe in front of Drizzt and Guenhwyvar...

...as well as some funny beholder (plush ? o_O) on the tavern shelves... or even the famous Marco Volo on the same frame... and could it be Flint Fireforge from the Dragonlance chronicles smoking his pipe next to him ? o_O

In addition, ya can find lots of known coats of arms on shields or banners... No doubt the artist has a solid knowledge of the Forgotten Realms. (Baldur' Gate being one of the most important city in the Realms after Waterdeep)

Despite my first impression that wasn t very enthousiastic about this comic, I have to admit it s far more interesting than it seemed at first sight.
I am sure I am still missing lots of winks hidden in the frames...

D&D comics history part 10 - Limited Editions (TSR)

 I believe that TSR, after the fail of Dragonstrike was no really willing to come back in comic industry for good.

But in 1996, to promote the sales of its AD&D and affiliated products, TSR was offering a free comic for any 15$ or more purchase.

 Believing the ad, 5 comics were meant to be distributed as limited edition :

Forgotten Realms : The Grand Tour

Birthright : The Serpent's Eye

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons : Labyrinth of Madness

Dragonlance : The Fifth Age

Planescape : The Unity of Rings

In the end, only 4 will be released. The Unity of Rings, which was entirely done, will never be published but WOTC will decide to put it freely online in 2003 on their website.

Understanding the advert, the first one released is The Grand Tour

 Story by Jeff Grubb and art by Todd Fox.

If the graphics are not really great (even mediocre on some pages...) the story is pretty funny and quirky as main characters are Elminster, the most famous mage of the Realms and....... Presto(n) from the D&D cartoon (well years after the cartoon's story tho :P)

 

These guys took a shot of old heh...

   It s a nice original and nostalgic way of getting the reader involved in the story using a character he surely saw on TV years ago. 

Plot is very simple : Preston is getting his chance to become Elminster's apprentice and this last one decides to take the guy to a tour of the Realms.

Tour during which they ll meet legendary figures of the Forgotten Realms as Marco Volo, Qilué Veladron (who s telling about Drizzt and Lirel...), or even Alias and Dragonbait in famous place as Cormyr, Skullport (hidden city under Waterdeep), or Shadowdale.

Each meeting being an excuse to have a nice synopsis of some aspect of the Realms, its people and history.

   Also, special wink from Jeff Grubb to authors Ed Greenwood and Julia Martin.

(Who wrote some of the F.R. novels together)

 

Ed (Greenwood), Marco Volo & Julia (Martin)

 Strange thing is that Khelben Blackstaff, high magus and one of the known lords of Waterdeep (left guy on the cover) is not appearing in the story...

...as well as the cover style differ totally from the comic...

All that in order to puzzle the reader imo... no one would expect to see the guys from D&DC here, heh.

 Second Limited Edition issue seems to be The Serpent's Eye. I base this thinking on the shape of the "logo" in the upper left corner, which is (but the character) similar to The Grand Tour one.

 Story by Ed Stark and art by Dave Gross. Both are average imo.

We re put into some mini-quest involving Jahan, emir of Khourane, his uncle Khalil El-Faran and Marlae baroness of Roesone trying to retrieve the Serpent's eye (A powerful artifact belonging to the mentionned Serpent, an awnsheghlien, monstrous semi-deity)

 Birthright is a rpg-system based on the principle of divine bloodline.

Long ago, on the planet Aebrynis, more especially on the Cerilia continent, a war occured between elves and humans. During the battle on Mount Deismaar, the gods themselves took part of the melee and a bunch of good gods sacrified themselves in order to kick the bad bad god Azrai's ass. This ended in a cataclysmic fight in which all the gods (good and evil) were destroyed.

But the divine core having not been totally wiped out, it infiltrated the blood of the present fighters, the nearest and strongest of them receiving more power.

The most powerful of them became almost gods themselves and developped special divine attributes, making them natural leaders.

Some of them turned aberrations, like the Serpent or the Spider.

 I never had the chance to play Birthright and the few I learnt about this world was what I read in novels. (5 of them have been translated into french years ago)

 This comic story is in the line of the novels, not very funny, not very interesting, with not very charismatic characters... we re far from the richness of worlds as Forgotten Realms or Dragonlance.

 Now, I am sure it s a perfect game system to build some über toon... or for those who like the system of bloodline... but well we cut the head of our aristocracy 2 centuries ago here... froggy talking :P

Anyway, the job has been done with this comic. 

You want a glimpse of B.R. ? Read it.

 In comparaison, Labyrinth of Madness is a really nice issue that fits more in the tone of these Limited Editions.

Writer : Mike Barron         Penciller : Arnie Swekel

 The story, based on an adventure module originally written by Monte Cook, is about adventurers on a quest to rescue their buddy, captive in some hellish trapped dungeon.

The adventure module

 It s somehow very alike the first cartoon ads story. Typical D&D party in some dungeon crawl on which you add a serious amount of comedy.

As characters, we have the captive one... Sorril the Paladin trapped in the deepest level of the labyrinth by the very evil Aerthun, a titan who s some mix between a giant and a cobra...

...and the rescue team composed of its leader and wizard Kirtig, Shardeus a female paladin, the 2 dwarves brothers : Dharveth the fighter and Dwelhach the Cleric and the indispensable and so murphy-ish Jedin, the halfling rogue.

 All the elements of a playable adventure are here... the random encounters, the puzzles, the temptating pathes full of traps, the treasures and the mega-boss at the end. Plus, the story is livened up with a very plesant style of drawing that matches the tone of the narrative.

Labyrinth of Madness - Double page

 In the end it s a really nice way to get an overview of what you can expect on a night spent D&D gaming around a table with your weirdo friends. (you ll never play RPG with only "normal guys"... that can t be :P)

 Take adventures, fights againts incredible monsters, achievements (unbelievable fails too heh)... and some ladles of fun and humour with a grain of salt. Put all that together, add the unlimited possibilities of your imagination and that s it.

You get what AD&D was intended to be imo.

   An online version of this comic can be found on WotC website. 

The fourth and last one ever released is Fifth Age.

 

Writers : Tom & Mary Bierbaum        Penciller : Arnie Swekel

 Inspired by the novel Dragons of a Summer Flame by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, the story depicts the moment when Palin, son of Caramon and Tika Majere discovers the "new magic" while elves of Qualinesti are under the domination of Beryllinthranox, the great green dragon.

After the War of the Lance followed by the Chaos War, ancient gods are gone as well as the three moons. There is no more magic of good, neutral and evil. The reign of great wirms has come and the people of Krynn are in desperate needs of power to fight them.

 Palin, sorcerer apprentice and nephew of the legendary doomed Archmage Raistlin Majere, was told by ancient god of good, Paladine, that he was the one who will find the new source of magic.

 The story is pretty serious in comparaison of other limited edition issues. I do believe Dragonlance is more a world of legends than one of adventures. The War of the Lance is somehow very similar to Tolkien's Lord of the Ring. If the 2 stories have different plots, their tones is pretty serious in the end.

 That explains, imo, that this limited issue was not written to be lighthearted.

It is a nice introduction to the new campaign setting of Dragonlance.

The quality of the graphics as well as the narration are pretty correct. (even if find that Beryl's design is a bit childish, reminding me of the 1982 animated movie "The Flight of Dragons"...ok, I admit I am maybe going too far here... :P)

 It also seems that artist Arnie Swekel has some speciality in the use of double page spreads... requiring the reader to turn the comic to continue his reading...

Fifth Age - Double page

 If I ve read the Dragonlance Chronicles novels with delight years ago, I am not an expert concerning the Fifth Age. So I can t say if this little story and the novels are well matched or not and at which degree of accuracy. But at first sight, it seems pretty correct to me.

 As well as all the other limited editions issues, besides the story itself, the comic is full of chosen ads about Dragonlance materials as upcoming novels or modules. Which is pretty coherent considering they were AD&D's campaign settings dedicated promotional goodies... (QED... or not XD)

   An online version of this comic can be found on WotC website. 

  This Limited Edition line is a must-to-have for any D&D comics collector in the meaning it gives,  in  only 4 issues (5 if you count the lost planescape comic...), a very large panel of what was AD&D in late 90's.

O_oV