Comic Review: Rick and Morty vs Dungeons and Dragons #2

Marvel: “Avengers: Infinity War is the most ambitious crossover ever.”

Rick and Morty: “Hold my beer!”

Overview:

After Morty went to his grandfather for help learning the ways of Dungeons and Dragons, things got a little too crazy in a virtual reality version of the game.  Ready to give up entirely, Morty is roped back in as his mother and sister agree to try a round of the game.

Rick manages to create an entire universe out of nanotechnology to help the new players become accustomed to the ways of the game.  While, things do move along nicely, the others get frustrated that Rick is too powerful, and accuse him of cheating.  Beth, Summer and Morty find their own way of playing the game, while Rick becomes an overpowered dungeon master.

Our Take:

This is easily one of the most exciting books on the comic book racks right now.  It is a book full of familiarity while also being something entirely new and fresh.  The first issue was met with critical praise from all directions from comic fans to D&D fan-sites.  Even I gave it a perfect score here on Bubbleblabber for its well-rounded connection to all its pop culture materials, and a story that is easy to read and resonate with.  Plus, the addition of celebrated fantasy author, Patrick Rothfuss, writing his first comic book was a notion that is exciting unto itself.

The second issue did not go in the direction that I was expecting.  With the last issue leaving Rick and Morty trapped inside of a virtual reality console, they decided to wrap that up and have the second issue stand on its own.  It makes sense for things to progress in a new direction as it gave the writers the opportunity to include the rest of the main characters of the show.  It also opened the doors for Morty and the readers to learn about further versions of the game, and additional class and monster types.  Which goes to show that this series is more than entertainment, it is a peek into the history of Dungeons and Dragons itself.

While I did love this book, and it did do a great job of keeping the pace of the first issue, I can’t see myself offering the same 10/10 that I did before.  It is not for any failure or disappointment, more than it did not hold the same punch as the introduction.  Book one offered us a ride on Morty’s back as he was introduced to a world that many of us know well or a little.  It was easy to resonate with Morty as he was diving into a new hobby.  This issue left Morty’s story behind a bit as we followed two other methods of joining the game.  In Beth, she is in it for something to do, mostly while she gets drunk, and she represents the players that are not at all invested.  Summer, on the other hand, surprisingly takes to the game with an energetic spirit, representing many new players who are ready to learn through trial and error.  Both are written well, but I found myself missing more of Morty’s naivety.

Still, this book is as fun of a comic as you can find.  It is the perfect book for all the kids at the con.  It has so many geek-bases covered from Rick and Morty fans, D&D fanatics, comic book nerds, or even just those that love a good fantasy – I did mention this is written by Patrick Rothfuss, right?  This is almost as good as when the Muppets did a pirate movie, and Tim Curry showed up, it’s a bonanza of nerding out.  So, while I have a slew of comic books that I could recommend, I think Rick and Morty vs Dungeons and Dragons is a must-read for anyone that wishes to identify themselves as a geek.