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Summary
Summary
Welcome to The Adventure Zone! If your heart sings for Critical Role and Dimension 20, you'll want to dive right into this gorgeous graphic novel adaptation of the trailblazing D&D podcast, which illustrates exploits of three lovable dummies on their journey from small-time bodyguards to world-class artifact hunters!
Join Taako the elf wizard, Merle the dwarf cleric, and Magnus the human warrior for an adventure they are poorly equipped to handle AT BEST, guided ("guided") by their snarky DM, in a graphic novel that will tickle your funny bone, tug your heartstrings, and probably pants you if you give it half a chance.
With endearingly off-kilter storytelling from master goofballs Clint McElroy and the McElroy brothers, and vivid, adorable art by Carey Pietsch, The Adventure Zone: Here There be Gerblins is the comics equivalent of role-playing in your friend's basement at 2am, eating Cheetos and laughing your ass off as she rolls critical failures and dies to a slime
Praise for The Adventure Zone series:
"Topping the New York Times bestseller list and building out its stories in fascinating new ways . . . it's become a cultural phenomenon." --Entertainment Weekly
"Full of charm and snark and wit. Join the party!" --Felicia Day, author of Embrace Your Inner Weird
"The Adventure Zone is fun, hilarious, and also smart. Hey, guys, can I have a cameo next time?" --Adam Savage, MythBusters
"My excitement about this existing cannot be dwarfed by anything. You see what I did there." --Jean Grae, hip-hop artist, actor, and comedian
"Gorgeous art--the characters come to life! I am so happy that this graphic novel is a thing that exists in the world." --Hank Green, author of Crash Course and The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
Books in The Adventure Zone series:
The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins (Book 1)
The Adventure Zone: Murder on the Rockport Limited (Book 2)
The Adventure Zone: Petals to the Metal (Book 3)
The Adventure Zone: The Crystal Kingdom (Book 4)
The Adventure Zone: The Eleventh Hour (Book 5)
The Adventure Zone: The Suffering Game (Book 6)
Author Notes
Clint McElroy is a radio personality, writer, actor, director, and podcaster, born in 1955. He is a graduate of Marshall University. He spent over 40 years in radio, beginning at WKEE doing news and church shows and ending at WTCR-FM 103.3 with the morning show and co-host Judy Eaton. His podcasts include sawbones, shmanners, rosebuddies, and The Adventure Zone with his sons Justin, Travis, and Griffin. His writing includes over a dozen comic books, the original musical Collis P: The Musical, and the graphic novel The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins, published in July 2018 . He is also a longtime actor and director of community theater.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 10 Up-Based on the McElroy family's hilarious Dungeons and Dragons podcast, this story follows intrepid adventurers Taako the elven mage, Merle the dwarven cleric, and human warrior Magnus Burnsides along with their DM (dungeon master) Griffin as they become entangled in a quest for riches on the "last job" they'll ever need. However, for these weak level 1 adventurers, survival isn't so easy when enemies are around every bend. Readers familiar with tabletop gaming or the McElroys' podcast will appreciate the snarky dialogue, the rampant geekiness, and the critical fail rolls that result in comic injury and mayhem. Likewise, "Lumberjanes" artist Pietsch's vibrant, expressive illustrations capture the characters perfectly. However, frequent profanity, mild sexual jokes, and casual violence make this a book geared to more sophisticated readers. VERDICT With its pop culture appeal and absurd humor, this will be perfect for reluctant teen readers, but librarians should be mindful that the colorful art may draw younger patrons unprepared for the mature content.-Lara Goldstein, Orange County Public -Libraries, NC © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
The McElroy family ups their metafictional wackiness in this comic adaptation of their podcast of same name, which revolves around live performance of role-playing game The Adventure Zone. The comic follows Magnus (human), Taako (elf), and Merle (dwarf) as they fight their way deep into dungeons filled with monsters, mayhem, and whatever else the dungeon master throws at them. In between exploring and fighting, the heroes amuse themselves by antagonizing one another, pontificating on dwarves' musical preferences, and cussing out the dungeon master, who occasionally pops into the story to give direction, insult the players, or congratulate himself on his own crafty storyline. In the tradition of RPGs, illustrator Carey Pietsch (Mages of Mystralia) introduces each new character with a trait sheet, helping the reader to quickly get up to speed on their quirks. Pietsch delivers the essence of role-playing, enhancing many scenes' ambience and transforming the book into a delightful visual experience that balances exposition and action. (July) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Based on the hit podcast Adventure Zone, this chronicles the travails of its three clueless characters as they quest in a Dungeons & Dragons game format. Prior knowledge of the podcast or D&D in general is definitely helpful, but readers should be able to pick up what's happening as the gamemaster guides the group and the reader through the overall journey. Though it has the hallmarks of all fantasy epics, like battles against dark forces as well as magic, the focus is clearly on humor. The larger sardonic commentary on taking fantasy too seriously, matched with the characters' unwillingness to follow a game's unrealistic rules, will be clever and hilarious to those in the know. For example, Taako the Wizard's affinity for stealing anything that isn't nailed down in a level will likely resonate with nerds and gamers alike. The artwork definitely adds to the piece, mirroring a manga style that's heavy on action and outrageous facial expressions. Gamers with a sense of humor about themselves and their pastimes will likely appreciate this the most.--Peter Blenski Copyright 2018 Booklist
