D&D comics history part 9 - DragonStrike (Marvel)

In D&D comics history, Dragon Strike "Before the Strike !" is an interesting piece.

First, it s been released in february 1994 by Marvel, when the previous D&D licensed comics series ended in 1991 and when the next ones will only be published in 1996.
So, this was the only D&D related comic during a 5 years period.

Now, Dragon Strike (the board game) being a simplified version of Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, it is still not officially licensed under D&D...
(I long hesitated to include this title within the collection for this reason...)

Second interesting point is the return (very short in the end...) of Marvel in D&D comics.
(reminder : D&D cartoon ads were published in Marvel comics and magazines...)

Now, concerning the comic itself, this is far from being a masterpiece.

It contains 32 pages (including 8 ad pages).

Story by Jeff Grubb, art by Mike Harris and Frank Percy (inker).

This is just an introduction to something, characters meeting along the story to form some party to fight against some bad guy.

We have the blond barbarian-typed warrior with his long sword (bastard one ?) and his friend the ranger (?) elf with his Green Lantern-like costum and his bow... who will meet later the female thief with her whip and her short (on front cover) or long...(p.29) sword and finally the blue-dressed wizard who wears some weird wolf-headed helmet..

Most amazing thing, imo, is that only the villains and the good king have names in this story... the good guys being called, even when shouting at eachothers, by their class and not their names (which are still unknown at the end of this issue...)...well except the elf...who is designated by his race...

If the scenario is just about the grouping of a party to start some quest (really like if some D&D's DM wanted to make it really really short...), the lack of depth in story and the proficience of mistakes concerning D&D rules are just huge...

Try to beat up some skeleton warriors with a bow... o_O

Oooh ! He-Man & Green Lantern !   :P

Art itself is just acceptable for the time it was issued.

Some nice things here and there...

We can believe the plot would have lead somewhere as Jeff Grubb is well known within the D&D novels readers.
(reminder : he was also in charge of scenari on the Forgotten Realms serie)

But this first issue will also be the last : Fail ! o_O