SMA: Dungeons & Dragons #1

by David M. Booher, Sam Maggs

SMA: Dungeons & Dragons #1

Illustrated by: George Kambadais

Written by: Sam Maggs, and David M. Booher

Release date: March 29th, 2023

IDW Publishing

2023

*Miner Spoilers Ahead

Long before the world turned upside down and new generations discovered D&D, six kids boarded a magical roller coaster and were transported to the Forgotten Realms! Noble ranger Hank, intrepid acrobat Diana, quiet thief Sheila, impulsive barbarian Bobby, fearful cavalier Eric, and uncertain magician Presto only want to get back to their own world. But escaping the Realms has turned out to be much harder than getting there! Danger lurks at every turn, the enigmatic Dungeon Master is less than helpful, and Venger, the force of evil, will stop at nothing to get his hands on the magical weapons the kids have come to rely on. To top it off, Hank has made a startling discovery: Despite the dangers, Sheila, Bobby, Diana, and the others aren’t so sure they want to go home after all!

I have been a Dungeons & Dragons player since 1983. I began playing on Advanced D&D and quickly moved through Basic Sets 2 and 3 as they came out, at the time I could only buy my D&D stuff from a mall book store known as Walden Books, I  was a part of the Walden Books “Other Worlds Club” (I still have the card in a drawer somewhere).

I grew up on the little bit of lore their was for the game back then and had a small group of friends who I looked forward to playing the game with almost every weekend. When the Dungeons & Dragons Saturday morning cartoon series aired around the same time I was playing or maybe around a year later (I was probably 12 years old) as hokey as the cartoon was it soon became one of my favorite Saturday morning cartoons.

One of the coolest things about the show was that every so often I would get to see at least one creature from the Monster Manual come to life, even if it wasn’t always exactly as portrayed in the art of the Monster Manual and before Wizards of the Coast gave us D&D Miniatures, TSR gave us these bad boys and it was really all you had to portray yourself in the game unless you were good a kit bashing and customizing your own figures.

I am such a fan of this series that I own the DVD box set. Lastly I always thought that Gary Gygax (one half of the duo who created D&D) along with Dave Arneson had the coolest name in pop culture.

You can pick up dice and other Dungeons & Dragons merchandise at West Orange Comics & Video Games. If we don’t have what you are looking for in stock we can most likely order it for you. With that being said I give you my review of Saturday Morning Adventures: Dungeons & Dragons #1.

In the world of tabletop gaming, Dungeons & Dragons has become a beloved staple for generations of players. But before it became a cultural phenomenon, there was a TV show that introduced the world of D&D to a whole new audience. That show was Dungeons & Dragons, and it followed the journey of six kids who found themselves transported to the magical world of the Forgotten Realms.

The show featured a diverse cast of characters, each with their own unique skills and personalities. There was the noble ranger Hank, the acrobatic Diana, the quiet thief Sheila, the impulsive barbarian Bobby, the fearful cavalier Eric, and the uncertain magician Presto. Together, they embarked on a quest to find a way back home, but quickly found that escaping the Realms was easier said than done.

Throughout their journey, the kids faced danger at every turn, with the enigmatic Dungeon Master providing cryptic guidance along the way (I always felt that Dungeon Master was the D&D equivelent to Star Wars Yoda). Meanwhile, the malevolent Venger was always lurking in the shadows, determined to get his hands on the magical weapons the kids had come to rely on.

Despite the constant peril, Hank made a startling discovery: his companions weren’t so sure they wanted to go home after all. The Realms had become their home, and they had formed a bond that transcended their previous lives.

The show’s legacy lives on to this day, with fans still discovering and rediscovering the adventures of Hank, Sheila, and the rest of the gang. And now, a new comic book series from IDW Publishing is bringing those adventures to life once again.

Written by Sam Maggs and David M. Booher, with art by George Kambadais, the new Dungeons & Dragons comic book series offers a fresh take on the classic tale. The first issue sees the kids once again transported to the Realms, but this time they’re not alone. Joined by a new group of adventurers, they must face off against Venger and his minions in a battle that will determine the fate of the Realms and their own lives.

For fans of the original show, the new comic book series offers a chance to revisit the characters and world they fell in love with. And for newcomers, it’s a chance to discover the joy and wonder of Dungeons & Dragons in a new, exciting format.

Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a curious newcomer, the Dungeons & Dragons comic book series is a must-read. So grab your dice, sharpen your swords, and join Hank, Sheila, and the rest of the gang on their newest adventure. The Realms await!

Saturday Morning Adventures: Dungeons & Dragons #1 is available on our weekly new comic book wall and can also be placed on your pull list.