There are a lot of comics out there, but some stand out head and shoulders above the pack. With “Don’t Miss This,” we want to spotlight those series we think need to be on your pull list. This week, we’re entering the Demiplane of Dread as we visit Lamordia in “Ravenloft – Orphan of Agony Isle.”
Who’s this by?
The first issue of “Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft” was written by Zoë Quinn, but issue 2 and this week’s #3 are by Casey Gilly, who also wrote the backup story for issue #1. Casey is no stranger to writing comic adaptations. She’s written for BOOM! Studios’ “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” comics, IDW’s “My Little Pony” and even the “Star Wars Adventures” line. She’s also known for her work on comics like “Femme Magnifique” and “You Died,” so she’s got a nicely varied line of experience she draws upon for what may be her darkest work yet.
Beyleigh Underwood handles the art, bringing in their experience from comics like “reflection” and “The Last Champion.” Their art is nicely suited for the comic, bringing a gothic style to the setting while keeping the character designs simple but recognizable.
Accompanying Underwood’s art is the color work by Patricio Delpeche and Agustina Vallejo. The two have worked together before on comics like BOOM! Studios’ “Angel,” bringing an appropriately dark and otherworldly look to the colors.
Each issue also has a backup story, featuring a different writer and artist. While Casey wrote the backup on issue 1, issue 2’s backup was written by Ryan Cady, with art by Vincenzo Riccardi. This week’s issue #3 includes a backup story written by Ro Mediavilla, with art by Kayla Felty.
What’s it all about?
“Orphan of Agony Isle” takes the “Dungeons & Dragons” comics outside of the Forgotten Realms and into Ravenloft, the Demiplane of Dread. More specifically, it takes us to the dread domain Lamordia, where we meet Dr. Viktra Mordenheim – and as you’ve probably assumed, it’s no coincidence that her name sounds just a tad similar to “Victor Frankenstein.”
Yet she’s not the viewpoint character. Instead, we follow the titular orphan, who awoke in Viktra’s lab with no memories of her past. It’s through her eyes that we’re introduced to the mystery surrounding Lamordia, its darklord, and her supposed enemy.
Considering Ravenloft’s domains are designed to keep their darklords trapped in a hell of their own making, this is a great choice for a character to follow. There’s a sense of mystery about it, and we can feel a tangible sense of dread and anticipation as Viktra can snap at a moment’s notice. But we know there’s more to the point of view character, so the mystery keeps readers engaged.
At the end of each issue, the backup stories explore different domains in Ravenloft. D&D lore, as well as the moderately recent “Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft,” have revealed that there are multiple domains of dread, each with its own genre of horror, so these backups give us opportunities to explore each of them and experience their own flavors of dread.
What makes it so great?
“Ravenloft – Orphan of Agony Isle” is a unique kind of “Dungeons & Dragons” comic. It takes the story out of the Forgotten Realms and explores another area of the D&D multiverse. This gives us a dark, gothic horror story set within a less-explored (but still popular) setting, fleshing out this corner of its world and building characters in it.
All the while, it builds mystery and tension as the story moves forward. Viktra is a (potentially antagonistic) character with a kind of horror about her that feels all-too real – the kind of person who claims to protect and help someone while flying into fits of rage without warning. It’s one thing to go out and slay monsters, but it’s another when the monster claims to have saved your life and says she want to help you, when you have nowhere else to go. (In fact, that kind of horror could also make this comic hit too close to home for some, so consider this a content warning.)
The backup stories also help expand on the setting by giving us snippets from other domains within Ravenloft, each with their own brand of horror. They’re short but tragic and are filled with inspiration for any Dungeon Masters thinking of building their own Ravenloft campaigns. (Barovia may be the most famous, although readers may have already visited there in Jim Zub’s “Shadows of the Vampire” comic, which was also excellent.)
Continued belowPlus, each backup story also brings in its own artists, creating visually unique stories each time. This adds more to differentiating between the different domains, and gives each one its own distinct style.
Of course, the art and color work go a long way in setting the atmosphere and carrying the story along. Bayleigh Underwood’s illustrations capture the gothic style of Ravenloft, while sprinkling in some nicely spooky details where appropriate. The characters have a level of expressiveness that helps guide how readers feel about them, from the protagonist’s wide-eyed innocence (even when half her face is covered in bandages) to Viktra’s unsettling neutral expression and its sudden switch to burning rage.
The color work from Patricio Delpeche and Agustina Vallejo do a great job at adding to the overall tone as well. Pages often have a tint of a certain color across all images, or rely on shades of a single color, to set each scene. They typically use haunting, unnatural shades to build the atmosphere, which also seem to reflect the characters’ moods and general tension.
So if you (like me) can’t get enough “Dungeons & Dragons” content, or want a sufficiently creepy fantasy-horror comic, it’s hard to go wrong with “Orphan of Agony Isle.”
Where can I read it?
You can find the first two issues of “Ravenloft – Orphan of Agony Isle” at your local comic shop, online at the IDW website, or on Comixology. Issue 3 comes out this week.
Once all four issues come out, you can look forward to a paperback collecting them. In the meantime, you might enjoy the trade paperbacks of Jim Zub’s “Baldur’s Gate” comics (I certainly do), also available wherever comics are sold.
