D’ORC #7 (IMAGE COMICS)

It’s time to check in on everyone’s favorite orphan born of the dark and the light, D’Orc! Last we saw D’Orc he had just found out his father is none other than Gloinspear, who is the Dwarf that’s been trying to kill him. And you thought you had daddy issues. Know on the run from his father and searching for the Bone Witch, D’Orc finds himself in a bog. However, things in the bog are not what they seem. But by now D’Orc should be used to crazy things happening in his life.

D’ORC #7 – Written & Art By Brett Bean – Colors By Jean-François Beaulieu - Letters By Nate Piekos - Published By Image Comics

Credit: Image Comics

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

STORY OVERVIEW:

D’Orc is on a free fall after his father threw a giant hammer at the bone beast that was flying him to safety. Fortunately for D’Orc, Shield, and Chicken they all land in a bog which breaks their fall. They then come across a tree house in the bog and the owner Mylinda. As she extends hospitality to D’Orc a group of Bog-Men attack the house. After our heroes stop the attack, Mylinda offers them a place to stay in return to help her clean up in the morning. As the group stays and rests Mylinda and D’Orc draw closer. Finally, thinking he can let his guard down for a second, he starts to feel better and even appreciates the bog. However, this is D’Orc we’re talking about, so you know things aren’t what they seem and the other shoe is definitely about to drop.

WRITING:

Month after month, this story keeps finding new ways to entertain while staying one step ahead of the reader. Brett Bean has built D’Orc around a very specific kind of chaos, but what makes the book work so well is that the chaos never feels random. Every outrageous turn still pushes D’Orc forward emotionally, even when the situation itself is completely absurd. After the previous issue dropped the major reveal that Gloinspear is not only D’Orc’s father but also the person trying to kill him, it would have been easy for this issue to slow down and let the character process everything in a more traditional way. Instead, Bean throws him out of the sky, strands him in a bog, and somehow turns that disaster into another ridiculous, unpredictable chapter in D’Orc’s very strange life.

What stands out most is how well Bean balances the emotional weight of D’Orc’s situation with the book’s nonstop comedic energy. D’Orc has every reason to be angry, confused, exhausted, and suspicious after everything that has happened to him, yet the issue never gets bogged down in misery. The humor constantly undercuts the darkness in the best possible way, making the story feel fast, weird, and genuinely fun without ignoring the fact that D’Orc is carrying a lot. The introduction of Mylinda and the bog setting gives the issue a different rhythm, allowing D’Orc to briefly believe he might have found a safe place to breathe. Bean uses that temporary comfort extremely well because the reader wants D’Orc to catch a break, even while knowing this series is absolutely not the kind of story where peace lasts for long.

That is where the writing really shines. Bean makes the reader buy into the possibility that this could be a calmer, more romantic, almost relaxing detour for D’Orc before yanking that idea away in the most D’Orc way possible. The bog Succubus twist works because it plays directly into the series’ greatest strength: it knows how to take a familiar fantasy setup and turn it into something crude, funny, and surprisingly effective. The issue builds toward the reveal with just enough sincerity that the punchline lands harder. D’Orc’s hopefulness becomes the setup, and his inevitable suffering becomes the pay-off, which sounds cruel but is exactly the rhythm that makes this book so entertaining.

Bean also deserves credit for keeping the issue moving at such a sharp pace. There is action, comedy, character development, and another bizarre fantasy complication, yet the story never feels overcrowded. The writing understands exactly what this series is supposed to be: a loud, strange, wildly entertaining adventure that still gives its lead character enough heart to make the reader care about him. D’Orc remains a fantastic lead because he is constantly being punished by the world around him, but he never stops being funny, expressive, and easy to root for. This issue continues to prove that the series is not running out of ideas. If anything, it feels like Bean is finding new ways to make D’Orc’s life worse while making the comic even more enjoyable for the reader. This series continues to be an absolute blast and may end up being one of the most purely fun adventure books of all time when all is said and done.

ARTWORK:

The fun story is highlighted by artwork that captures the exact same wild, playful energy. Brett Bean continues to give D’Orc a lighthearted, cartoony style that fits this world perfectly, but there is also a deceptively strong amount of craft behind how loose and energetic everything feels. The characters are exaggerated without ever becoming hard to read, and the expressions do a ton of the comedic heavy lifting. D’Orc’s frustration, panic, confusion, and brief moments of hope all come through immediately on the page, which is a big reason the humor lands as well as it does. The art understands that this book works best when D’Orc’s pain is funny, but still recognizable enough that the reader stays connected to him.

The action throughout the issue is visually exciting because Bean keeps the movement big and readable. From the opening free fall into the bog to the chaos of the Bog-Men attack, the pages have a strong sense of motion without becoming cluttered. The fights feel frantic in the right way, but the panel work still allows the reader to follow the beats of the scene. That balance matters in a series this ridiculous because the comedy depends on timing. A reaction shot, a creature design, or a sudden visual reveal can become the punchline, and Bean knows exactly how to stage those moments so they hit with the right amount of absurdity.

The bog setting also gives the issue a great visual identity. It could have easily looked like a generic swamp, but the environment feels strange, damp, dangerous, and still oddly inviting once Mylinda enters the story. The tree house, the murky surroundings, and the Bog-Men all add to the feeling that D’Orc has stumbled into another corner of this fantasy world that has its own personality. That is one of the strengths of the series visually: every new location feels like it belongs in the same bizarre universe, but each one still has enough unique flavor to stand apart. The Succubus reveal works especially well because the design leans into the book’s over-the-top fantasy absurdity while still feeling like a natural extension of the issue’s setting and mood.

Jean-François Beaulieu’s colors continue to be a major part of why the book feels so alive. The color palette keeps everything bright, eye-catching, and full of personality, even when the issue moves into the gloomier bog environment. Instead of letting the setting become dull or muddy, the colors help separate the characters from the background and keep the tone energetic. The result is a book that looks vibrant without losing the atmosphere of the scene. Beaulieu’s work also helps sell the emotional shifts, from the danger of the attacks to the brief warmth of D’Orc’s time with Mylinda, and then back into the weirdness of the reveal.

What makes the artwork so effective is that it never feels separate from the storytelling. The visuals are not just illustrating the jokes; they are part of the joke, part of the pace, and part of the character work. Bean’s expressive linework, oversized reactions, strange creature designs, and lively layouts all give the issue a sense of personality that matches the writing beat for beat. Combined with Beaulieu’s energetic colors and Nate Piekos’ clean, readable lettering, the issue becomes a complete visual package. It looks silly, strange, colorful, and chaotic in all the right ways, which is exactly what a book like D’Orc needs to look like.

CHECK OUT MY REVIEW OF D’ORC #6

Final Thoughts:

D’ORC #7 is another wildly entertaining issue that keeps the series’ momentum going strong. Brett Bean delivers a funny, chaotic, and surprisingly heartfelt chapter that gives D’Orc a brief moment of hope before pulling the rug out from under him in perfect fashion. With expressive artwork, vibrant colors, and sharp comedic timing, this issue captures everything that makes D’Orc such a blast to read. If you want a fantasy adventure that is weird, energetic, and consistently fun, this series remains an easy recommendation.

FINAL GRADE: 9.6/10

Let me know your thoughts on D’ORC #7 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!