Dungeons Dragons Classics, Volume 4 by Dan Mishkin

Dungeons Dragons Classics, Volume 4 Reviews

• 
  Quentin Wallace

  The final volume ended the series on a strong note. Overall I really enjoyed the series. It was sword and sorcery somewhere between Lord of the Rings and Conan. I don't know if the main characters were pulled directly from Dungeons and Dragons, other than perhaps their race and class, but it was set in the D&D Universe and some familiar monsters and spells do pop up. As I said in the other reviews, I'm only marginally familiar with the D&D specifics, but I knew enough to appreciate the series.
  
  I'm curious to see how this compares to the more recent D&D comics, so I'll be trying some of those eventually.
• 
  David

  The series closed on a high note, relatively-speaking, and only just slightly. The stories in this volume go from okay to ridiculous and back to okay again, but each still having the typical eye-rolling moments I've come to expect.
  
  The first in the volume is a 4-issue story focused on Kyriani (and her promiscuity). As usual with stories where Kyriani is involved, Khelben is also somehow involved - and supposedly helping, but not really helping. It's meant to have an investigative or mystery theme, but it falls short of it as the plot jumps from location to location and partner to partner and ends up being unnecessarily dragged out.
  
  The second 2-issue story turns up the dial on the dwarves-as-comic-relief theme, as they somehow managed to come up with a plot that involves Onyx's family members. The characterisation here makes no sense at all, with almost-full party deaths, family betrayals, a monster and a god appearing out of nowhere, getting completely ignored or just glossed over. Easily the 2nd-worst story of the series (the lawyer story in an earlier volume takes the cake).
  
  The third story (single-issue) is actually not too bad... except it's built on an eye-rolling premise (an arm-wrestling competition at the wrong time opened up a rift to an dimensional prison...). Onyx and Kyriani gets most of action, and Khelben again makes an appearance of helping, but not really helping.
  
  And the final 3-issue story puts a closure on things, with our cast of characters going their separate ways, on very sudden and very flimsy excuses (but, it's the last issue, doesn't really matter anymore). This story is somewhat decent, and a bit above the rest (and thus somewhat enjoyable), and it starts off with a usual con request from Conner (and I'm really glad how he ended up). On another note... using Vajra (a feared gladiator, who has prominent muscles and scars) as bride bait in a skimpy outfit is... a pretty stupid idea. Silliest moment in this story: I never knew that the spell Ice Storm was meant to shoot snowballs.
  
  Anyway, I'm done with this series. There are a few moments of fun to be had reading them, but they're spread out thinly. Maybe the series just didn't age well, or maybe I'm just not the type to enjoy the gags.
• 
  Oron

  Liked it nuch less than the previous volume, some nicr moments and cool, clean art but most of the stories were kinda forgettable. It's a nice distraction between more "serious" reads.
• 
  Quinton Baran

  The series ends on a high note, both with story and artwork, which I found to be the best that the books had. Some interesting caper type stories and a satisfying conclusion to the series.
• 
  Daniel

  End rather abruptly. Light fantasy reading with comic book tropes. Enjoyed it.
• 
  Philip

  Solidly entertaining comics. These stories aren’t high art or breaking new ground for the medium, but they are fun to read. I really enjoyed this series.
• 
  Jason Adams

  The art isn’t great. There’s enthusiasm and interesting storytelling. Also all of the blinders associated with the 80s. At least one moment per story that will make you wince a bit.
• 
  Lee

  The big finale... Or is it?
  
  This is the last trade. It has an ending with the possibility of spin offs that never happened. Very enjoyable. Wraps up most of the storylines.
• 
  Benjamin

  OK, I said I wouldn't be writing any papers on these comics, but there's one thing I want to point out from this series, and that's sex.
  
  Or rather, the fact that one hero likes sex and has several different partners; and there's no penalty to be paid or aspersions cast on this hero. I don't mean to hide the hero's gender, but you can probably already guess that it's a woman.
  
  This probably seems notable to me because I was just listening to a discussion about The X-Files and how Dana Scully is presented as a strong woman--as long as she's not interested in a guy. The X-Files is not alone (or even the worst) in presenting strong woman as somehow asexual. But it's interesting to compare that to the characterization of Kyriani, who likes men, likes sex with them, never apologizes for that fact, and is never penalized for it.
  
  Also, I'm going to give this volume bonus points for showing that the lovable rogue Connor might actually just be self-centered and dangerous--less lovable and more roguish. It's an interesting moral balancing act, understanding his choices, but not forgiving him for them.
• 
  Shannon Appelcline

  Nice of IDW to give us such a hefty volume to finish off the AD&D series, and nice to see Mishkin walking through arcs for a few different characters.
  
  Dragon’s Eye (27-30). Unfortunately, Kyriani isn’t the most interesting of Mishkin’s cast, and that drags down this first story, as does the amount of running around throughout it. It nonetheless picks up in the last issues, and has a totally great ending [6.5/10].
  
  Pillars of Gold (31-32). A bit silly at times, but some nice focus on Onyx and perhaps more notably some nice focus on the dwarves as a race [6.5/10].
  
  The Wager that Saved Waterdeep (33). A silly bit of fluff whose only saving grace is Luna’s intervention [5/10].
  
  Rites & Wrongs (34-36). Good to see these characters one last time, and also good to see the inevitable results of allowing a thief in your party! [7/10].
• 
  Rena Sherwood

  Sword and sorcery fun -- although I have no idea how those skimpy costumes stay on the women during vigorous battles.
  
  
  
  You don't need to read the previous volumes in order to enjoy Volume 4 (although it would give the final revelation of one of the main characters more of a punch). You do need to have a good understanding of AD & D. (or at least D & D.) I especially like that a sexy centaur is one of the main characters.
  
  
• 
  Frans Kempe

  The last book in the series and the heroes are fighting together for the last time. The first story is about Kyriani who get caught up in a murder and a dragons eye. The second is about Onyx family and the last story is about Connor returning. A decent finish to the series.
• 
  O'Rety

  More of the same.