comicon2010

Each issue has an alnernate cover, one done with a gorgeous painted art by Gonzalo Flores, while the other traditional comic style by famed comic artist Tim Seeley, colors by Leonard O'Grady. First page opens as a novel, where you read a bit of dialog from Drizzt and his current thoughts. You are then taken into a cave where a throne sits surrounded by stacks of stones resting on a pentagram of some kind. voices speak and you realize it is Valindra talking to Dor'Crae. Looking into a magical reflective pool, they realize one of the Dwarves survived, one that Dor'Crae swore he killed, but through the rubble Pwent emerged, spikes and all.

Pwent digs his way out, finding the one horned helmet remembering his King. He continues on, wandering and confused; not sure of his wereabouts or what happened. Large prints the size of graves tracked it's way down a stoned court yard, leading Pwent to the Forge of Gauntlgrym, triggering his memory, and his battle fought along with Drizzt and against Valindra. He proceeded through the tunnels remembering more as he went. He sees a bloody lever, pulled; remebering it was his King that brought a stop to the volcanos destruction, and his own death. Then Pwent began to ponder his role, why was he still there? He realized he was bit, and knew for certain he should be dead. But Pwent felt the point of his daggered tooth and realized he was now with the undead.

Pwent's fear turns to anger and he sets out for vengence against Dor'Crae. Pwent is stronger and faster, but to rageful to realize it. When he makes it topside, he realizes the sun is harmful to him, but since he never cared for it before, he stays inside until dark, but yet suddenly has a taste for blood.

Pwent goes on a killing spree killing an entire goblin party with his bloodlust. The next morning that camp is found by Drizzt and Dahlia, they carefully examine the scene. Dahlia points out bite marks on a goblin's neck claming a vampire had to have killed them. But Drizzt stops her claim after seeing a goblin torn to shreds in a tent, saying that he had seen those wounds before and he was sure it was a Battleranger.

That is the end of issue one, if this review feels short, that is because the comic is short, with very little dialog in this book. The art is well done, I would have preferred more, and felt it went by far too quickly. As you can see you need to have read the Novels to get a better understanding of what happened, but it does a decent job of catching you up, or at the least making you want to go back and read the books. I was disappointed as I was told by IDW during Comic Con 2011 that there were to be character sheets at the back of every book being able to run mini-D&D games, but sadly found nothing but advertisements in this issue. If your a fan, it is still worth picking up the set, if you can find it. Look for my next review on issue 2 coming soon.