Dungeons & Dragons (IDW Publishing)
IDW Publishing began releasing Dungeons & Dragons comic books in August 2010. The company secured the license from Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast to produce these stories. This partnership lasted until July 2024 when Wizards of the Coast announced that Dark Horse Comics would take over the rights starting in 2025. During this fifteen-year run, IDW released two ongoing series and fifteen limited series. They also produced three crossover events, two annuals, and a graphic novel. The initial series started with an issue zero in August 2010 before launching issue one in November of that same year. The first ongoing title concluded its sixteen-issue run in February 2012. Later projects tied into the fifth edition core setting beginning with Legends of Baldur's Gate in 2014.
Dark Sun became a five-issue limited series released between January and May 2011 based on the Dark Sun campaign setting. Alex Irvine wrote the script while Peter Bergting provided the artwork. Another project called The Legend of Drizzt: Neverwinter Tales launched in August 2011 as a five-issue mini-series. R.A. Salvatore wrote this story featuring his famous character Drizzt Do'Urden from the Forgotten Realms setting. A two-issue mini-series titled Infestation 2: Dungeons & Dragons appeared in February 2012 within the Eberron campaign setting. Paul Crilley wrote this piece with art by Valerio Schiti and Livio Ramondelli. An Eberron themed trade paperback named Abraxis Wren of Eberron arrived in June 2015 to collect these stories plus the Eye of the Wolf comic originally published by Devil's Due Publishing in 2006. Keith Baker wrote that earlier work with Chris Lie and Rob Ruffolo handling the art.
John Rogers wrote the first ongoing series alongside illustrators Andrea Di Vito, Denis Medri, Horacio Domingues, and Juanan. Jim Zub has had a hand in nearly every D&D comic since Legends of Baldur's Gate started publishing in October 2014. He wrote the sequel Shadows of the Vampire which began in May 2016 with Nelson Daniel and Max Dunbar providing art. The third Baldur's Gate series Frost Giant's Fury started in January 2017 written by Zub with Netho Diaz on art duties. Evil at Baldur's Gate followed in April 2018 co-written by Steven Cummings and drawn by Dean Kotz, John Wycough, Harvey Tolibao, Jim Zub, and Francesco Mortarino. Infernal Tides appeared in November 2019 written by Zub with Max Dunbar illustrating. Mindbreaker served as a prelude to the video game Baldur's Gate III starting in October 2021 with Eduardo Mello drawing. Casey Gilly wrote Ravenloft: Orphan of Agony Isle released between June and October 2022 featuring artist Bayleigh Underwood.
Dungeons & Dragons ranked number seven on CBR's list of ten best comic books for players to read. Chris Sims reviewed the ongoing series for ComicsAlliance praising John Rogers for strong character work. He noted that Adric Fell and his crew were believable inhabitants of a world built on rigid arcane rules. Reviews of Days of Endless Adventure collected from Legends of Baldur's Gate, Shadows of the Vampire, and Frost Giant's Fury trades were generally positive. SJ Twining for Screen Rant called it a perfect illustrated introduction to the roleplaying game. Gavin Sheehan for Bleeding Cool highlighted how each set served a specific purpose in the canon of characters. The Rick and Morty vs Dungeons and Dragons Deluxe Edition received an Eisner Award nomination for Best Graphic Album, Reprint in 2022.
IDW began printing trade paperback collections of earlier Dungeons & Dragons series by other publishers starting in March 2011. They released volumes collecting DC Comics
Forgotten Realms series with Volume One arriving in March 2011 containing eighty pages. A second volume followed in October 2011 with two hundred twenty-four pages covering issues nine through fourteen. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Classics also saw reprints beginning in May 2011 with Volume One collecting eight issues. The Legend of Drizzt Omnibus Volume One arrived in September 2011 collecting three story arcs totaling four hundred twenty-four pages. A second omnibus volume came out in September 2012 with four hundred sixty pages. IDW published a collection named Fell's Five on the 29th of June 2021 containing forty-three-two pages. The company continued releasing collected editions like Mindbreaker in July 2022 and Ravenloft: Orphan of Agony Isle in March 2023 to preserve the library of stories created during their tenure.
Common questions
When did IDW Publishing begin releasing Dungeons & Dragons comic books?
IDW Publishing began releasing Dungeons & Dragons comic books in August 2010. The company secured the license from Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast to produce these stories.
Who took over the rights to publish Dungeons & Dragons comics starting in 2025?
Dark Horse Comics will take over the rights to publish Dungeons & Dragons comics starting in 2025. This transition occurred after IDW's fifteen-year run ended in July 2024 when Wizards of the Coast announced the change.
Which writer created the Dark Sun limited series released between January and May 2011?
Alex Irvine wrote the script for the Dark Sun five-issue limited series that ran between January and May 2011. Peter Bergting provided the artwork for this project based on the Dark Sun campaign setting.
What Eisner Award nomination did Rick and Morty vs Dungeons and Dragons receive in 2022?
The Rick and Morty vs Dungeons and Dragons Deluxe Edition received an Eisner Award nomination for Best Graphic Album, Reprint in 2022. This collection stands out among other titles reviewed by critics like Chris Sims and Gavin Sheehan.
When was the trade paperback collection named Fell's Five published by IDW Publishing?
IDW Publishing published a collection named Fell's Five on the 29th of June 2021 containing four hundred thirty-two pages. This volume collected stories from earlier ongoing series including those written by John Rogers.