Dungeons & Dragons is often called the world’s first roleplaying game and has gone from a niche hobby to a global phenomenon with its own lore, iconography and terminology. Ask anybody today what they think roleplaying games are like and they are liable to talk about rolling dice and throwing fireballs at monsters, showing how entrenched Dungeons & Dragons is in global culture at this point. While it was certainly mostly influenced by science fiction and fantasy literature, there was always a current of inspiration taken from comic books. It’s not strange then that there have been Dungeons & Dragons themed comic strips and comic books almost since the very beginning.
So where do you begin? If you just started with Dungeons & Dragons and you’re interested in reading more about the worlds, monsters, and characters of the game in comics form, the sheer amount of published comics bearing the Dungeons & Dragons branding or inspired by it may seem daunting. This guide hopes to give you a good base to start from and show you what comics are out there, which are great jumping-on points depending on your interests, and where to find them! While this guide does not have the space to elaborate on every Dungeons & Dragons term, character, or world, we will attempt to give some brief introductions to each series which will allow you to better decide whether it’s for you.
Table of contents
- Who publishes Dungeons & Dragons comics?
- How do the Dungeons & Dragons comics tie into existing media?
- Where can I find Dungeons & Dragons comics?
- A note on the print status of the Dungeons & Dragons comics
- What Dungeons & Dragons comics are available?
- Will there be more Dungeons & Dragons comics?
- Is there a particular reading order?
- Which Dungeons & Dragons comics should I read?
Updating…
Dungeons and Dragons comics are being published all the time. As a result, this guide will be updated when that happens to include new comic series, collections, and other relevant information.
Additionally, if you think something is missing, kindly let us know in the comments below.
Who publishes Dungeons & Dragons comics?
There have been a number of publishers who have released comics throughout Dungeons & Dragons history. The current is IDW Publishing, who have held the license since 2010 and published a plethora of titles taking place in many different Dungeons & Dragons settings. In addition to IDW there are also other publishers who have produced material for Dungeons & Dragons. These include:
- DC Comics
- Devil’s Due Publishing
- TSR
- And more
These different eras will be elaborated upon in this guide.
How do the Dungeons & Dragons comics tie into existing media?
There are basically two fundamental categories of Dungeons & Dragons comics:
1. Comics which adapt a Dungeons & Dragons novel directly, following the plot closely if not exactly
And
2. Comics which tell their own story entirely.
In the case of the first category, the comic is obviously as much a part of the lore as the original novels. For example the Dragonlance Chronicles novels and comics adaptations chronicle the same world-shaking events with little variation.
With the second category, you can get everything from very self-contained stories which stand on their own to stories which directly tie into roleplaying adventures, novels or even computer games! However, as a rule of thumb, while some familiarity with the lore of the relevant Dungeons & Dragons world will certainly make you enjoy the comics more, most of them stand perfectly fine as independent reads without having to enmesh yourself in a web of crossovers, team-ups, retcons, and other things that often plague superhero comics!
Where can I find Dungeons & Dragons comics?
Dungeons & Dragons comics and graphic novels can be found at all good comic book shops, some gaming stores, online retailers, Amazon/Kindle, and on eBay.
If you’re brand new to comics, you can find out more about where you can find them in this extensive guide.
A note on the print status of the Dungeons & Dragons comics
Many comics on this list are easily available in print or digitally. However, there are some which are either long out of print or that have never had any official re-releases, thus being only available in their original printings. Such comics may be very pricey on the secondary market (eBay and similar) and whether you consider them worth tracking down is up to you.
To make your hunt a little easier, we have included ecommerce links. These should come in handy for the harder to find comics.
What Dungeons & Dragons comics are available?
Take a look below at our extensive guide on the Dungeons & Dragons comics that have been published, grouped by different publishing eras. Through doing this, you’ll get a more comprehensive look at the evolution of the comics throughout the decades but also a better overview of the kinds of comics available.
Dragon Magazine
The first Dungeons & Dragons comics ran in Dragon magazine, which started publishing in 1976 to support the quickly growing game system. The main content of Dragon magazine was previews of new products, new rules, creatures, and alternative ways of playing. The magazine also presented plenty of fiction both in the forms of prose and comic strips. Comics would be an important aspect of Dragon from its inception to its end as a printed magazine in 2007 and had a huge variety of styles and themes.
During the early years of the magazine, most comics in Dragon were more “loosely inspired by” than actually based on Dungeons & Dragons. They were fantasy strips with wizards, magic and monsters, but only rarely did they actually delve into game lore.
Popular early strips included Snarfquest by Larry Elmore and Wormy by David A. Trampier, both of whom worked as illustrators for TSR at the time. In the 90s the magazine started running ongoing strips which spoofed Dungeons & Dragons directly including Yamara by Barbara Manui and Chris Adams and later this led to very popular comics like Dork Tower by John Kovalic and Nodwick by Aaron Williams, both of which spun off into their own publications. Other notable strips included What’s New with Phil and Dixie by Phil Foglio and Knights of the Dinner Table by Jolly R. Blackburn, both of which are also comedy strips poking fun at the roleplaying hobby in general and often Dungeons & Dragons in particular.
Unfortunately many of the Dragon comics do not have any kind of collected release and are thus very hard to find short of purchasing a full run of the magazines where they appeared. Hopefully this can change in the future.
You can find more about where each strip appeared here.
DC Comics era
The first licensed Dungeons & Dragons comics were published in 1987 during the tail end of the game’s original edition (AD&D 1st edition). DC Comics took on the license and focused much of their publishing on the then very popular Dragonlance campaign setting.This began with a series of graphic novels adapting the first Dragonlance novel in early 1987 and branching out into regular ongoing comics in the following years. DC continued with the license through the first revision of the game into AD&D 2nd edition and also published comics set in the Forgotten Realms and Spelljammer. One of the prominent writers for the line was Jeff Grubb, who was also a popular game designer for Dungeons & Dragons and a novelist. His contributions brought a sense of consistency to the comics line.
The Dragonlance Saga
Written by Roy Thomas. Art by Thomas Yeates, Tony DeZuniga, Ron Randall, and others.
Publication year: 1987-1991
Number of issues: 5
Setting: Dragonlance
The first DC release was a series of graphic novels adapting the Dragonlance Chronicles trilogy of books, starting with Dragons of Autumn Twilight. The comic volumes follow the plots of the novels very closely. However, due to the DC Dungeons & Dragons line closing in 1991, the adaptation was never completed and the third book Dragons of Spring Dawning never even got started in comics form.
Dragonlance
Written by Dan Mishkin and Paul Kupperberg. Art by Ron Randall, Randy Elliot, and others.
Publication year: 1988-1991
Number of issues: 34
Setting: Dragonlance
In contrast to the graphic novels, this ongoing comic tells wholly new stories set during the same time frame as the original six novels of the Dragonlance saga (the Chronicles and Legends trilogies). The comic is built around arcs which are mostly 2-4 issues in length and often switch out the cast and location. For instance, the opening four issues follows the young squire Riva Silvercrown at the opening of the War of the Lance as she struggles to both prove her worth as a knight and to defend her homeland of Solamnia against the hordes of the dragonarmies. Subsequent arcs feature characters from the novels such as Raistlin and Tanis, while also introducing new characters and often mixing them up in surprising ways.
IDW Publishing has reprinted this series as part of the Dragonlance Classics trade paperback collections. The first 25 issues have been collected over three books. Unfortunately, these are out of print (and sometimes stupidly expensive in the secondary market) but there are affordable copies out there and can be found digitally too. See the details for these collections below:
Dragonlance Classics Volume 1
Collects: Dragonlance #1-8
Dragonlance Classics Volume 2
Collects: Dragonlance #9-16
Dragonlance Classics Volume 3
Collects: Dragonlance #17-25
Buy: eBay | Amazon/Kindle
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
Written by Dan Mishkin and Michael Fleisher. Art by Jan Duursema, Tom Mandrake, Rick Magyar, and others.
Publication year: 1988-1991
Number of issues: 36 and 1 annual
Setting: Forgotten Realms
This comic is set in Faerun, the world of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, and is centered around Waterdeep, the greatest city on the western coastline of the continent. A mismatched adventuring company including the mysterious elf Cybriana, the jovial centaur Timoth Eyesbright, the snarky dwarf Onyx the Invincible and the former gladiator Vajra Valmeyjar defend the city against threats from within and without, deal with their own troubled pasts and even get involved in the war of the gods themselves! This series is explicitly set in the same time frame as Forgotten Realms (below) and shares some characters and plots.
IDW Publishing has reprinted this series as part of the Dungeons & Dragons Classics trade paperback collections. These collect the full run over four books. Unfortunately, these are out of print (and sometimes stupidly expensive in the secondary market) but there are affordable copies out there and can be found digitally too. See the details for these collections below:
Dungeons & Dragons Classics Volume 1
Collects: Advanced Dungeons & Dragons #1-8
Dungeons & Dragons Classics Volume 2
Collects: Advanced Dungeons & Dragons #9-18
Dungeons & Dragons Classics Volume 3
Collects: Advanced Dungeons & Dragons #19-26 and Annual #1
Dungeons & Dragons Classics Volume 4
Collects: Advanced Dungeons & Dragons #27-36
Buy: eBay | Amazon/Kindle
Forgotten Realms
Written by Jeff Grubb and others. Art by Rags Morales, Dave Simons, and others.
Publication year: 1989-1991
Number of issues: 25 and 1 annual
Setting: Forgotten Realms
This series follows the flying magical ship called the Realms Master and its eccentric mage captain Dwalimar Omen on journeys across the lands of Faerun and through encounters with dragons, wizards and villains. His crew is a mismatched and often dysfunctional one, with characters such as the dwarf-turned-golem Minder, the flamboyant rogue Foxilon Cardluck and the terse swordswoman Ishi Barasume. This series is explicitly set in the same time period as Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (above) and the two series sometimes cross over or share plots.
IDW Publishing has reprinted these comics in two different formats. First is in four trade paperback collections known as Dungeons & Dragons Classics: Forgotten Realms. See the details for each release below:
Dungeons & Dragons: Forgotten Realms Classics Volume 1
Collects: Forgotten Realms #1-8
Dungeons & Dragons: Forgotten Realms Classics Volume 2
Collects: Forgotten Realms #9-14 and TSR World Annual
Dungeons & Dragons: Forgotten Realms Classics Volume 3
Collects: Forgotten Realms #15-18 and Forgotten Realms Annual #1
Dungeons & Dragons: Forgotten Realms Classics Volume 4
Collects: Forgotten Realms #19-25
These collections are out of print. However, they can be found affordably enough (alongside some copies with ridiculous asking prices) in the secondary market.
The second format is IDW’s budget omnibus editions. These collect the whole series in two thick editions.
Dungeons & Dragons: Forgotten Realms Classics Omnibus Volume 1
Collects: Forgotten Realms #1-14 and TSR Worlds Annual #1
Dungeons & Dragons: Forgotten Realms Classics Omnibus Volume 2
Collects: Forgotten Realms #15-25 and Forgotten Realms Annual #1
Buy: eBay | Amazon/Kindle
TSR Worlds Annual
Written by Barbara Kesel, Jim Lowder, Kate Novak-Grubb, and Dan Mishkin. Art by Mike Collins, Rags Morales, Dave Hoover, Dan Reed, Randy Elliot, Paul Abrams, and Alan Kupperberg.
Publication year: 1990
Number of issues: 1
Setting: Spelljammer, Forgotten Realms, and Dragonlance
This 1990 issue served as an introduction to the new Spelljammer setting by introducing not only the concept of magical space travel but also the main characters of the Spelljammer ongoing series. The amoral Spelljammer captain Meredith embarks on a desperate rescue mission to liberate the respected cleric Pax Ahlmuhn from the deadly neogi. It’s a mission which soon leads her and her crew on a wild trip from one world to the next, including stops at both Krynn and Faerun. The Annual thus sees small cameos from some characters from the other comics running at the time as well as ending on a cliffhanger that sets up the Spelljammer title.
Buy: eBay
Spelljammer
Written by Barbara Kesel. Art by Mike Collins, Joe Quesada, Dan Panosian, and others.
Publication year: 1990-1991
Number of issues: 15
Setting: Spelljammer
As promised in the TSR Worlds Annual (above), the ongoing Spelljammer series continued following captain Meredith and her motley crew on space-faring adventures. The series fully exploits the concept of spelljamming by frequently featuring guest appearances by the cast from other titles, such as Riva Silvercrown from DC’s Dragonlance comic, while the main drive of the series centers around Meredith’s mysterious background and her often adversarial relationship with her crew such as the winged Jasmine, the wise Pax, and Pax’s young nephew Tember.
Unlike other DC Comics series, Spelljammer has not been reprinted.
Buy: eBay
Kenzer and Company era
After financial trouble in the late 90s, TSR was bought out by Wizards of the Coast who set about revitalizing the game with a new edition. The arrival of the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons in 2000 proved a massive boost in merchandising and pop culture recognition for the game, which led to things such as a theatrical movie, collectables, and a new comic book line. This line was published by Kenzer and Company, who were a relative newcomer in the comics world and also produced products for the roleplaying game. The Kenzer and Company comics are considerably more graphic in terms of violence and themes than any of the previous releases and so don’t really count as “all-ages” comics.
None of the Kenzer and Company series have ever been collected or reprinted.
In The Shadows of Dragons
Written by Jay Donovan. Art by Tyler Walpole, Andy Brase, and others.
Publication year: 2001-2002
Number of issues: 8
Setting: Greyhawk
The first Kenzer & Company limited series takes place in the original Dungeons & Dragons setting of Greyhawk and follows a band of desperate heroes trying to destroy a marauding blue dragon.
Buy: eBay
Tempest’s Gate
Written by Sean Smith. Art by Mike Lilly, Rodrigo Pereira, Travis Walton, Nelson Mendonca, and others.
Publication year: 2001-2002
Number of issues: 4
Setting: Greyhawk
Running concurrently with In the Shadow of Dragons, this second miniseries tells the tale of a sorceress who has succumbed to evil and allied herself with an army of evil beings to conquer the land. The only hope of stopping her plan are her former comrades-in-arms and some younger adventurers.
Buy: eBay
Black & White
Written by Jeff Limke. Art by Gregg Paulsen, Nicholas Nixx, Wilson Roberto Oliveira Jr, Rod Pereira, Nicholas Nix, Jorge Correa Jr.
Publication year: 2002-2003
Number of issues: 6
Setting: Greyhawk
The third series is presented entirely in black and white and stars a rogue half-elf named Tinelith who gets embroiled in misadventures after stealing a set of mysterious scrolls.
Buy: eBay
Where Shadows Fall
Written by Matt Haley. Art by Carlos Alberto, Anderson Ricardo, and S. Paul.
Publication year: 2003-2004
Number of issues: 5
Setting: Greyhawk
The fourth and final Kenzer and Company miniseries reunites the surviving heroes from the first series In the Shadow of Dragons and sets them off on a new adventure sparked by the forbidden love between a drow elf and a wood elf.
Buy: eBay
Devil’s Due Publishing
Beginning in 2003, Devil’s Due Publishing obtained the Dungeons & Dragons license and began releasing comics set primarily in the Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance settings, much like the DC Comics had decades earlier. The bulk of the releases consisted of adaptations of popular novels, including an all-new adaptation of the Dragonlance Chronicles trilogy as well as the first ever adaptations of R.A. Salvatore’s bestselling Drizzt novels. Devil’s Due lost the license in 2008, leaving many projects unfinished.
The Legend of Drizzt: Homeland
Written by Andrew Dabb. Art by Tim Seeley, Andrew Pepoy, and others.
Publication year: 2005
Number of issues: 3
Setting: Forgotten Realms
Adapted from the first book of the Dark Elf trilogy of novels chronicling Drizzt’s origin.
Devil’s Due and IDW have both reprinted this miniseries in trade paperback:
The Legend of Drizzt: Homeland
Collects: The Legend of Drizzt: Homeland #1-3
Additionally, IDW reprinted it later on as part of an omnibus collections:
Forgotten Realms – The Legend of Drizzt Omnibus Volume 1
Collects: The Legend of Drizzt: Homeland #1-3, The Legend of Drizzt: Exile #1-3, and The Legend of Drizzt: Sojourn #1-3
Buy: eBay | Amazon/Kindle
The Legend of Drizzt: Exile
Written by Andrew Dabb. Art by Tim Seeley, John Lowe, Marco Galli, and others.
Publication year: 2005-2006
Number of issues: 3
Setting: Forgotten Realms
Adapting the second novel of the Dark Elf trilogy.
Devil’s Due and IDW have both reprinted this miniseries in trade paperback:
The Legend of Drizzt: Exile
Collects: The Legend of Drizzt: Exile #1-3
IDW has also included this miniseries in the Forgotten Realms – The Legend of Drizzt Omnibus Volume 1. See The Legend of Drizzt: Homeland for more details.
Buy: eBay | Amazon/Kindle
The Legend of Drizzt: Sojourn
Written by Andrew Dabb. Art by Tim Seeley, John Lowe, and Robert Q. Atkins.
Publication year: 2006
Number of issues: 3
Setting: Forgotten Realms
Adapting the third and final book in the Dark Elf trilogy.
Devil’s Due and IDW have both reprinted this miniseries in trade paperback:
The Legend of Drizzt: Sojourn
Collects: The Legend of Drizzt: Sojourn #1-3
IDW has also included this miniseries in the Forgotten Realms – The Legend of Drizzt Omnibus Volume 1. See The Legend of Drizzt: Homeland for more details.
Buy: eBay | Amazon/Kindle
The Legend of Drizzt: The Crystal Shard
Written by Andrew Dabb. Art by Val Semeiks, John Stanisci, John Lowe, and others.
Publication year: 2006
Number of issues: 3
Setting: Forgotten Realms
Adapting the first novel of the Icewind Dale trilogy and features Drizzt adventuring with his band of friends including Wulfgar and Catti-Brie.
Devil’s Due and IDW have both reprinted this miniseries in trade paperback:
The Legend of Drizzt: The Crystal Shard
Collects: The Legend of Drizzt: The Crystal Shard #1-3
IDW have also reprinted this miniseries in the omnibus format. See the details below:
Forgotten Realms – The Legend of Drizzt Omnibus Volume 2
Collects: The Legend of Drizzt: The Crystal Shard #1-3, The Legend of Drizzt: Streams of Silver #1-2, and The Legend of Drizzt: The Halfling’s Gem #1-3
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The Legend of Drizzt: Streams of Silver
Written by Andrew Dabb. Art by Val Semeiks, Jon Lowe, and others.
Publication year: 2007
Number of issues: 2
Setting: Forgotten Realms
Adaptation of the second novel of the Icewind Dale trilogy.
Devil’s Due and IDW have both reprinted this miniseries in trade paperback:
The Legend of Drizzt: Streams of Silver
Collects: The Legend of Drizzt: Streams of Silver #1-2
IDW has also included this miniseries in the Forgotten Realms – The Legend of Drizzt Omnibus Volume 2. See The Legend of Drizzt: The Crystal Shard for more details.
Buy: eBay | Amazon/Kindle
The Legend of Drizzt: The Halfling’s Gem
Written by Andrew Dabb. Art by Tim Seeley, Clint Hilinski, John Lowe, and others.
Publication year: 2007
Number of issues: 3
Setting: Forgotten Realms
Adaptation of the third and final novel in the Icewind Dale trilogy.
Devil’s Due and IDW have both reprinted this miniseries in trade paperback:
The Legend of Drizzt: The Halfling’s Gem
Collects: The Legend of Drizzt: The Halfling’s Gem #1-3
IDW has also included this miniseries in the Forgotten Realms – The Legend of Drizzt Omnibus Volume 2. See The Legend of Drizzt: The Crystal Shard for more details.
Buy: eBay | Amazon/Kindle
The Legend of Drizzt: The Legacy
Written by Andrew Dabb. Art by Rob Atkins.
Publication year: 2008
Number of issues: 3
Setting: Forgotten Realms
The adaptation of the first novel of the Legacy of the Drow series where Drizzt returns to his homeland.
It hasn’t been reprinted in trade paperback or available digitally.
Buy: eBay
The Legend of Drizzt: Starless Night
Written by Andrew Dabb. Art by Juan Francisco Moyano.
Publication year: 2008
Number of issues: 1
Setting: Forgotten Realms
This is the last adaptation by Devil’s Due due to their loss of the Dungeons & Dragons license. Despite being planned for 3 issues, it was canceled after the first. The Legacy of the Drow series is thus left unfinished.
It hasn’t been reprinted in trade paperback or available digitally.
Dragonlance: The Legend of Huma
Written by Brian Augustyn, Sean J. Jordan, and Tramps Whiteman. Art by Mike S. Miller, Rael Lyra, Mike Cromwell, Joe Prado, Abdul Rashid, Carlos Paul, Andrea di Vito, and Steve Kurth.
Publication year: 2003-2005
Number of issues: 6
Setting: Dragonlance
Adaptation of the novel Legend of Huma by Richard. A Knaak.
Devil’s Due and IDW both released this series in trade paperback:.
Dragonlance: The Legend of Huma
Collects: Dragonlance: The Legend of Huma #1-6
Buy: eBay | Amazon/Kindle
Dragonlance Chronicles: Dragons of Autumn Twilight
Written by Andrew Dabb. Art by Steve Kurth, Stefano Raffaele.
Publication year: 2005-2006
Number of issues: 8
Setting: Dragonlance
A new adaptation of the first Dragonlance Chronicles novel.
Devil’s Due and IDW both released this series in trade paperback:
Dragonlance Chronicles: Dragons of Autumn Twilight
Collects: Dragonlance Chronicles: Dragons of Autumn Twilight #1-8
Buy: eBay | Amazon/Kindle
Dragonlance Chronicles: Dragons of Winter Night
Written by Andrew Dabb. Art by Steve Kurth.
Publication year: 2006-2007
Number of issues: 4
Setting: Dragonlance
A new adaptation of the second Dragonlance Chronicles novel.
Devil’s Due and IDW both released this series in trade paperback:
Dragonlance Chronicles: Dragons of Winter Night
Collects: Dragonlance Chronicles: Dragons of Winter Night #1-4
Buy: eBay | Amazon/Kindle
Dragonlance Chronicles: Dragons of Spring Dawning
Written by Andrew Dabb. Art by Julius M. Gopez, Mariano de la Torre, Pere Perez, Oscar Jimenez.
Publication year: 2007-2008
Number of issues: 12
Setting: Dragonlance
The adaptation of the final novel in the Dragonlance Chronicles trilogy, which was never adapted by DC Comics.
Devil’s Due and IDW both released this series in trade paperback:
Dragonlance Chronicles: Dragons of Spring Dawning
Collects: Dragonlance Chronicles: Dragons of Spring Dawning #1-12
Buy: eBay | Amazon/Kindle
Dragonlance Legends
Written by Andrew Dabb. Art by David Cole.
Publication year: 2008
Number of issues: 3
Setting: Various
This series begins the adaptation of the first book of the Dragonlance Legends trilogy: Time of the Twins. Unfortunately, due to Devil’s Due losing the license in 2008, the adaptation was never finished.
This series has never been collected or reprinted.
Eberron: Eye of the Wolf
Written by Keith Baker. Art by Chris Lie.
Publication year: 2006
Number of issues: 1
Setting: Eberron
A special over-sized issue taking place in the then-new world of Eberron, a setting filled with steampunk adventure. The story was written by the creator of Eberron Keith Baker and is wholly original for this comic.
IDW has reprinted this one-shot along with other Dungeons & Dragons material.
Dungeons & Dragons: Abraxis Wren of Eberron
Collects: Eberron: Eye of the Wolf, Dungeons & Dragons Annual 2012, and Infestation 2: Dungeons & Dragons #1-2
Buy: eBay | Amazon/Kindle
The Worlds of Dungeons & Dragons
Written by Various. Art by Various.
Publication year: 2008
Number of issues: 7
Setting: Various
This is an anthology comic featuring adaptations of short stories set in different Dungeons & Dragons settings, with most being Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance. The anthology contains the only comics set in Ravenloft and Dark Sun published by Devil’s Due.
The Worlds of Dungeons & Dragons Volume 1
Collects: The Worlds of Dungeons & Dragons #1-2
The Worlds of Dungeons & Dragons Volume 2
Collects: The Worlds of Dungeons & Dragons #3-5
The Worlds of Dungeons & Dragons Volume 3
Collects: The Worlds of Dungeons & Dragons #6-7
Buy: eBay
IDW Publishing era (current)
IDW is the current publisher of Dungeons & Dragons comics and has been publishing them since 2010. They quickly made a name for themselves as the go-to publisher for popular licensed comics and thus Dungeons & Dragons fit right into their lineup of titles. These comics are all original, but sometimes feature established characters or spin off from previous Dungeons & Dragons products. However, they are very good about getting the reader up to speed. The backbone of their line is a number of limited series which tell ongoing chapters in a running saga of adventurers in the Forgotten Realms loosely spinning off from the Baldur’s Gate series of computer games.
Dungeons & Dragons
Written by John Rogers. Art by Andrea di Vito
Publication year: 2010-2012
Number of issues: 16 (#0 and #1-15)
Setting: Greyhawk
Often referred to as “Fell’s Five”, after the name of the adventuring party who are the stars of the series, this very fun and engaging comic follows their misadventures through the lands of Greyhawk as they fight against threats both mundane and magical. With sharp writing, great art and humor which lands this is a perfect introduction to Dungeons & Dragons comics.
The series has been reprinted in the following collections:
Dungeons & Dragons: Shadowplague
Collects: Dungeons & Dragons #0-5 with bonus material
Dungeons & Dragons: First Encounters
Collects: Dungeons & Dragons #6-11 with bonus material
Dungeons & Dragons: Down
Collects: Dungeons & Dragons #12-15 with bonus material
The whole series can also be read in one collection:
Dungeons & Dragons: Fell’s Five
Collects: Dungeons & Dragons #0-15 with bonus material
Buy: eBay | Amazon/Kindle
Dark Sun
Written by Alex Irvine. Art by Peter Bergting.
Publication year: 2011
Number of issues: 5
Setting: Dark Sun
On the post-apocalyptic fantasy world of Athas, runaway gladiator Grudvik and mercenary slave-hunter Aki must team up to survive both the unforgiving wilderness of the lifeless wasteland and the scheming intrigue of the city-state of Tyr.
The series was collected in trade paperback as:
Dungeons & Dragons Dark Sun: Ianto’s Tomb
Collects: Dark Sun #1-5
Buy: eBay | Amazon/Kindle
The Legend of Drizzt: Neverwinter Tales
Written by R. A. Salvatore and Geno Salvatore. Art by Agustin Padilla
Publication year: 2011
Number of issues: 5
Setting: Forgotten Realms
The first all-original Drizzt comic, this series is co-written by the characters creator, novelist R.A. Salvatore. Drizzt finds himself teaming up with a reluctant ally in the form of the elf Dahlia and together they find themselves embroiled in a web of intrigue involving one of Drizzt’s old allies.
This series has been collected in the following trade paperback:
Dungeons & Dragons The Legend of Drizzt: Neverwinter Tales
Collects: The Legend of Drizzt: Neverwinter Tales #1-5
Additionally, IDW has collected this as part of the following omnibus:
Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms Omnibus
Collects: The Legend of Drizzt: Neverwinter Tales #1-5, Forgotten Realms #1-5, and Dungeons & Dragons: Cutter #1-5
Buy: eBay | Amazon/Kindle
Forgotten Realms
Written by Ed Greenwood. Art by Len Ferguson and Sal Buscema
Publication year: 2012
Number of issues: 5
Setting: Forgotten Realms
An original comic written by Forgotten Realms creator Ed Greenwood, this comic features the misadventures of the decidedly unheroic Randral Daunt and Torn Telmant as they are forcibly dragged into an adventure involving a kidnapped noblewoman and the ancient, cursed Ghost Holds.
This series has been reprinted in trade paperback as:
Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms
Collects: Forgotten Realms #1-5
It’s also available in the Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms Omnibus (see The Legend of Drizzt: Neverwinter Tales for more details).
Buy: eBay | Amazon/Kindle
Dungeons & Dragons: Cutter
Written by R.A. Salvatore and Geno Salvatore. Art by David Baldeon
Number of issues: 5
Setting: Forgotten Realms
A second original series from R.A Salvatore and his son, Cutter is named after a legendary cursed sword which drives its wielders into a state of murderous bloodthirst and which drives the family feud between two half-drow siblings into a battle of life and death.
This series has been collected all together as:
Dungeons & Dragons: Cutter
Collects: Dungeons & Dragons: Cutter #1-5
IDW has also reprinted Dungeons & Dragons: Cutter in the Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms Omnibus (see The Legend of Drizzt: Neverwinter Tales for more details).
Buy: eBay | Amazon/Kindle
Infestation 2: Dungeons & Dragons
Written by Paul Crilley. Art by Valerio Schiti
Publication year: 2012
Number of issues: 2
Setting: Eberron
In the steampunk setting of Eberron the crime-solver Abraxis Wren finds himself engulfed in the cross-dimensional machinations of the Great Old Ones which threaten to consume his world. This is just one part of IDW’s cross-franchise Infestation 2 crossover.
This has been collected in Dungeons & Dragons: Abraxis Wren of Eberron (see Eberron: Eye of the Wolf for more details).
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Legends of Baldur’s Gate
Written by Jim Zub. Art by Max Dunbar and Sarah Stone.
Publication year: 2014-2015
Number of issues: 5
Setting: Forgotten Realms
Set decades after the Baldur’s Gate video game, a group of misfits must band together to save Baldur’s Gate from the resurrected Rashemi berserker and the Cult of the Dragon. This series introduces the party of Krydle, Shandie, Delina, Nerys, Minsc, and Boo, who are recurring characters through a lot of Jim Zub’s Dungeons & Dragons comics.
This is the first of many stories that Jim Zub has written of this party.
The first issue has been reprinted a few times, including:
- Dungeons & Dragons Legends of Baldur’s Gate Greatest Hits Edition #1
- Dungeons & Dragons: 100 Page Giant #1
- Dungeons & Dragons: The Best of Minsc & Boo
The entire mini series has been collected in trade paperback:
Dungeons & Dragons: Legends of Baldur’s Gate
Collects: Legends of Baldur’s Gate #1-5
And in hardcover as:
Dungeons & Dragons: Days of Endless Adventure
Collects: Legends of Baldur’s Gate #1-5, Shadows of the Vampire #1-5, and Frost Giant’s Fury #1-5
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Shadows of the Vampire
Written by Jim Zub. Art by Nelson Dániel.
Publication year: 2016
Number of issues: 5
Setting: Forgotten Realms and Ravenloft
Shadows of the Vampire is the second miniseries of the Baldur’s Gate saga, which began in Legends of Baldur’s Gate. The party from the previous miniseries return and find themselves in the Demiplane of Dread of the Ravenloft setting.
For those who want to tie their reading into their TTRPG experience, this comic ties into the Curse of Strahd mini campaign.
Shadows of the Vampire #1 contains a reprint of the previously online-only Tyranny of Dragons.
It has been collected in trade paperback as:
Dungeons & Dragons: Shadows of the Vampire
Collects: Shadows of the Vampire #1-5
It’s also available in hardcover as part of Dungeons & Dragons: Days of Endless Adventure. See Legends of Baldur’s Gate for more details.
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Frost Giant’s Fury
Written by Jim Zub. Art by Netho Diaz and Glauber Matos.
Publication year: 2016-2017
Number of issues: 5
Setting: Forgotten Realms
Frost Giant’s Fury is the third miniseries of the Baldur’s Gate saga, which began in Legends of Baldur’s Gate. In this one, the party finds themselves lost in The Spine of the World.
It has been collected in trade paperback as:
Dungeons & Dragons: Frost Giant’s Fury
Collects: Frost Giant’s Fury #1-5
It’s also available in hardcover as part of Dungeons & Dragons: Days of Endless Adventure. See Legends of Baldur’s Gate for more details.
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Evil at Baldur’s Gate
Written by Jim Zub. Art by Dean Kotz, Steven Cummings, Harvey Tolibao, Ramon Bachs, and Francesco Mortarino.
Publication year: 2018
Number of issues: 5
Setting: Forgotten Realms
Evil at Baldur’s Gate is the fourth miniseries of the Baldur’s Gate saga, which began in Legends of Baldur’s Gate. Here, the party has finally returned to Baldur’s Gate to find that things have changed, some of it not to their liking.
It has been collected in trade paperback as:
Dungeons & Dragons: Evil at Baldur’s Gate
Collects: Evil at Baldur’s Gate #1-5
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Infernal Tides
Written by Jim Zub. Art by Max Dunbar.
Publication year: 2019-2020
Number of issues: 4
Setting: Forgotten Realms
This is the fifth miniseries of the Baldur’s Gate saga, which began in Legends of Baldur’s Gate. In this adventure, the party find themselves in Candlekeep.
It has been collected in trade paperback as:
Dungeons & Dragons: Infernal Tides
Collects: Infernal Tides #1-5
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Mindbreaker
Written by Jim Zub. Art by Eduardo Mello.
Publication year: 2021-2022
Number of issues: 5
Setting: Forgotten Realms
This is the sixth miniseries of the Baldur’s Gate saga, which began in Legends of Baldur’s Gate. It takes place before the events of the Baldur’s Gate III video game, foreshadowing the game’s big threat.
It has been collected in trade paperback as:
Dungeons & Dragons: Mindbreaker
Collects: Mindbreaker #1-5
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A Darkened Wish
Written by B. Dave Walters. Art by Tess Fowler.
Publication year: 2019
Number of issues: 5
Setting: Forgotten Realms
A young wizard and her friends must quickly become warriors to help fend off an impending war.
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At the Spine of the World
Written by AJ Mendez and Aimee Garcia. Art by Martin Coccolo.
Publication year: 2020
Number of issues: 4
Setting: Forgotten Realms
A town in Icewind Dale is slowly being driven to insanity by the weather. In order to save everyone, a group of heroes go on a quest to stop an ancient primordial evil.
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Ravenloft: Orphan of Agony Isle
Written by Zoë Quinn, Ro Mediavilla, Casey Gilly, and Ryan Cady. Art by Corin Howell, Kayla Felty, Bayleigh Underwood, Lisa Sterle, and Vincenzo Riccardi.
Publication year: 2022
Number of issues: 4
Setting: Ravenloft
A selection of spooky tales set in Ravenloft.
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Dungeons & Dragons Annuals
Written by Various. Art by Various.
Number of issues: 2
Setting: Eberron, Forgotten Realms
IDW has published two Dungeons & Dragons comics annuals. These tell self-contained stories.
Dungeons & Dragons Annual 2012
Written by Paul Crilley. Art by Paco Diaz.
Another Eberron adventure in this double-sized issue. This has been collected in Dungeons & Dragons: Abraxis Wren of Eberron (see Eberron: Eye of the Wolf for more details).
Dungeons & Dragons Annual 2022
Written by Jim Zub. Art by Eduardo Mello.
Inspired by The Wild Beyond the Witchlight sourcebook, this self-contained story features The Witchlight Carnival.
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Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons
Written by Patrick Rothfuss and Jim Zub. Art by Troy Little.
Publication year: 2018
Number of issues: 4
Co-written by Dungeons & Dragons regular Jim Zub and The Kingkiller Chronicle author Patrick Rothfuss, this series mashes-up Dungeons & Dragons and Rick and Morty. This series sees characters from the latter stuck in virtual campaign simulations that are governed by the rules of the TTRPG.
As you can expect from Rick and Morty, this series is irreverent and has many Dungeons & Dragons easter eggs.
This series was published in conjunction with Oni Press, who have the Rick and Morty license for comics.
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Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons II: Painscape
Written by Jim Zub. Art by Troy Little.
Publication year: 2020
Number of issues: 4
Setting: Earth
Rick and Morty and Dungeons & Dragons collide again. This time, the fantasy campaigns run amok on Earth.
This series was published in conjunction with Oni Press, who have the Rick and Morty license for comics.
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Rick and Morty vs Dungeons & Dragons: The Meeseeks Adventure
Written by Jim Zub. Art by Troy Little.
Publication year: 2022
Number of issues: 1
Another Rock and Morty/Dungeons & Dragons crossover.
This series was published in conjunction with Oni Press, who have the Rick and Morty license for comics.
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Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons
Written by Jim Zub and Joy Houser. Art by Diego Galindo.
Publication year: 2021
Number of issues: 4
Dungeons & Dragons is part of Netflix’s Stranger Things’ DNA. In this comic miniseries, we see the show’s characters play Dungeons & Dragons during a period before the first season.
This was published in conjunction with Dark Horse Comics, who has the Stranger Things comics license.
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Saturday Morning Adventures
Written by David M. Booher and Sam Maggs. Art by George Kambadais.
Publication year: 2023
Number of issues: 4
This miniseries revisits the characters from the 1983-1985 animated series. While it isn’t a conclusion to the uncompleted series, Saturday Morning Adventures is a chance to revisit the characters as a kind of “lost episode”.
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Honor Among Thieves: The Feast of the Moon
Written by Jeremy Lambert and Ellen Boener. Art by Eduardo Ferigato and Guillermo Sanna.
Publication year: 2023
Number of issues: 1
Setting: Forgotten Realms
Honor Among Thieves: The Feast of the Moon is a prequel graphic novel to the Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves movie. It is set before the events of the film and introduces readers to the characters.
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Harper Alley era (Current)
IDW is not the only publisher who has the rights to Dungeons & Dragons. As of late 2022, Harper Alley has begun to publish original graphic novels for younger audiences.
Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Club
Written by Molly Knox Ostertag. Art by Xanthe Bouma.
Publication year: 2022
Number of issues: 1 (with more likely to come.)
Dungeon Club focuses on a group of middle schoolers who start up a Dungeons & Dragons club. It’s a mix of school drama and fantasy adventure via the campaigns they play. This is perfect for younger readers who want the fantasy element of Dungeons & Dragons, but also relatable scenarios.
There is currently one graphic novel in this series, with more likely to be released.
Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Club: Roll Call
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Other Publishers
Over the years from the 90s until today many one-time Dungeons & Dragons comics have been published by different companies beginning with the original publishers of the Dungeons & Dragons game TSR. Several other companies have also published their own one-shot official Dungeons & Dragons comics over the subsequent decades.
None of these comics have ever been collected or reprinted and none are available through official digital channels. Most are at best curiosities and only of interest to hardcore Dungeons & Dragons collectors while others are of such low quality that they are barely worth reading. Generally unless you are a huge Dungeons & Dragons fan you can safely skip these comics.
Forgotten Realms: The Grand Tour
Written by Jeff Grubb. Art by Todd Fox, Steve Kurth, and Steve Mitchell. Published by TSR.
Publication year: 1996
Number of issues: 1
Setting: Forgotten Realms
This one-shot explored different corners of Forgotten Realms, with cameos from characters of novels of the time. It also suggests that the 1983-1985 animated series was set in Forgotten Realms, with an appearance of older versions of the cast.
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Birthright: The Serpent’s Eye
Written by TBC. Art by TBC. Published by TSR.
Publication year: 1996
Number of issues: 1
Setting: Birthright
The only comic set in the short-lived Birthright setting.
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Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Labyrinth of Madness
Written by Mike Baron. Art by Arnie Swekel. Published by TSR.
Publication year: 1996
Number of issues:1
Setting: Forgotten Realms
This comic ties into the Labyrinth of Madness campaign.
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Dragonlance: Fifth Age
Written by TBC. Art by TBC. Published by TSR.
Publication year: 1996
Number of issues: 1
Setting: Dragonlance
This issue tied into the diceless role-playing game of the same name.
Buy: eBay
Planescape: The Unity of Rings
Written by TBC. Art by TBC. Published by TSR.
Publication year: Unreleased
Number of issues: 1
Setting: Planescape
This was announced with the other TSR comics but was never released in print. It eventually published on the Wizards of the Coast website, which now requires the Wayback Machine to read.
Dragon Strike
Written by Jeff Grubb. Art by Mike Harris. Published by Marvel Comics.
Publication year: 1994
Number of issues: 1
The only Dungeons & Dragons comic that Marvel published. This is based on the Dungeons & Dragons: Dragon Strike board game from 1993.
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The Forgotten Realms: Forbidden Sands of Anauroch
Written by Alessandro Zeminian, Andrea Verardi, and Lucy Lenzi. Art by Isabella Dalla Vecchia and Michele Rizzardi. Published by Twenty First Century Comics.
Publication year: 2000
Number of issues: 2
Setting: Forgotten Realms
A two-part comic that was made specifically for the French-language market.
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Baldur’s Gate Tie-In Comic
Written by Lukas Kristjanson and James Ohlen. Art by John Gallagher and Dean White.
Publication year: 1998
Number of issues: 1
Setting: Forgotten Realms
A short tie-in comic as part of the release of the Baldur’s Gate video game.
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Vecna: Hand of the Revenant
Written by Modi Thorsson. Art by Kevin McCann. Published by Iron Hammer Graphics.
Publication year: 2002
Number of issues: 1
Setting: Greyhawk
This is a 2002 graphic novel that focuses on the Arch-Lich, Vecna. Hand of the Revenant ended on a cliffhanger, with the intention of a follow-up. However, that was never produced.
Stranger Things fans may be familiar with the name. It’s the same character that inspired the season 4 villain.
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Free Comic Book Day: Dungeons & Dragons – Crisis in Raimiton
Written by Matt Clarke. Art by Scott Roller. Published by Wizards of the Coast.
Publication year: 2004
Number of issues: 1
A comic that was released as part of Free Comic Book Day 2004. It has a reputation for being bad.
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Tyranny of Dragons
Written by Bart Carroll. Art by David Baldeon. Published by Wizards of the Coast.
Number of issues: 1
Setting: Forgotten Realms
This was an online comic that Wizards of the Coast published on their website in conjunction with the Tyranny of Dragons event.
While it doesn’t appear to be online in any official capacity anymore, IDW has reprinted it in Shadows of the Vampire #1.
Will there be more Dungeons & Dragons comics?
Yes. Both IDW Publishing and Harper Alley will continue to publish Dungeons & Dragons comics and graphic novels.
IDW publishes approximately two miniseries a year and the occasional annual. It’s not clear what the publishing cadence for the Dungeon Club graphic novels is yet, but there should be more in the future.
Future releases will be added to this guide as they’re announced.
Is there a particular reading order?
While How To Love Comics publishes a lot of reading orders, there’s no reason to publish one for the Dungeons & Dragons comics. Each series is a self-contained story, even if there are recurring characters or act as follow-ups to previous tales. This means you can jump on almost anywhere and have an enjoyable read.
There are a few exceptions to this rule. The first is the IDW Baldur’s Gate saga by writer Jim Zub. This miniseries forms an ongoing narrative about the same band of heroes and is probably best enjoyed by starting at the beginning.
The other exception are the comics based on the novels. Many were built as a series of trilogies. As a result, there may be some events from previous stories mentioned and some character progression that you might get a bit more out of if you’ve read previous stories. However, they also have a self-contained element to them which means you won’t be completely lost if you haven’t read them.
Which Dungeons & Dragons comics should I read?
There’s no right or wrong answer. It all comes down to what kind of Dungeons & Dragons fan you are and what appeals to you.
Old school fans may want to check out the DC Comics material for the nostalgia that it offers. Alternatively, if you’re a fan of the modern interpretation of the TTRPG, then the current IDW comics, such as the Fell’s Five series and Baldur’s Gate saga, may be the way to go. That being said, some of the lesser-known material is best skipped unless you’re a hardcore fan.
You can also look at it from the perspective of how they tie-in to existing Dungeons & Dragons media. This could be along the lines of a particular setting or a novel series you’ve read, such as The Legend of Drizzt or Dragonlance.
Still undecided? Read the descriptions for each series and pick one that sounds like one that you might want to read.
Have your say!
Have you found this guide helpful? Which Dungeons & Dragons comics have you read? Share your thoughts in the comments below or via Facebook, Twitter, or Mastodon.
hi, I’d just like to say that this guide is absolutely awesome, I’ve been looking into buying this type of comics again, I’ve just recently picked up some forgotten realms comics 😊, this will be so helpful thank you for all your efforts with this and everything else done on this site,keep up the good work 👏 🙌 👍