D’ORC #8 (IMAGE COMICS)

The journey of our loveable would-be hero continues, and the fun continues to roll. D’Orc finds himself in the company of a fierce yet rather unscrupulous beast named Schweinehund. This beast tempts are good natured friend with giving into his darker side like the devil on his shoulder. Will this influence be enough to finally make D’Orc join the dark side?

D’ORC #8 – 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 and company come across some Knobgoblin’s who are dining on a unicorn. Wanting the sweet meat of the mythic beast, D’Orc and company are sneaking up on them to steal some. It’s then that a hog beast known as Schweinehund emerges and rushes the Knobgoblins, killing them and taking what he wants. He tells D’Orc that he should be more aggressive and tells him he should come with him to take what is there’s from the King of Sunderaine who is a Tyrant. Fed up with how evil the power structure is, D’Orc agrees to join. However, after breaking into the castle D’Orc realizes that Schweinehund may have lied to him about his true motives and this doesn’t sit well with his good-hearted nature.

WRITING:

This story just keeps getting more and more fun with every issue we get. Brett Bean once again makes the adventure D’Orc finds himself on fun and entertaining. The introduction of Schweinehund as a sort of evil Jiminy Cricket who is also intimidating, adds a darker layer to this story. But even with a little darkness the story doesn’t lose its charm and fun nature. There are still plenty of hijinks and jokes that lighten the tone of the issue as well. The true heart of this issue is the way D’Orc realizes he’s being manipulated and how he never truly gives in to evil even though he flirts with it. This steadfast truth of who he is, even in the face of temptation, is what makes the character so loveable. We root for D’Orc because he represents an innocence and belief in being a good individual, even if he’s gullible enough to be tempted. Bean’s insistence on always finding the good in D’Orc is a breath of fresh air in a world full of gray area heroes and villains.

ARTWORK:

The playful and fun artwork matches the exact nature of this story and helps keep it on track. Brett Bean brings a very cool and fun cartoon style to this world. Even when things get a little darker in the story, the playfulness of the artwork keeps this story grounded in its fun nature. The character design of Schweinehund is both menacing and fun at the same time. You can believe he is a badass, but there is also a cartoon quality to him that makes him fit into the story. The color choices by Jean-François Beaulieu really make the artwork pop in the panels, well also giving a bright cartoonish tone to all the artwork. This art team knows exactly how to capture this story and never lets me down with their delivery.

CHECK OUT MY REVIEW OF D’ORC #7

Final Thoughts:

D’ORC #8 delivers another funny, energetic adventure while testing D’Orc’s good-hearted nature against a darker influence. With charming writing, expressive artwork, and vibrant colors, the issue keeps the series fresh, heartfelt, and consistently entertaining. This is the most fun series on the shelves every month and this issue is no different. At this point if you aren’t reading D’Orc, you just don’t like having fun.

FINAL GRADE: 9.4/10

Let me know your thoughts on D’ORC #8 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!