D’ORC #9 (IMAGE COMICS)

D’Orc finds himself lost in a frozen snowy tundra being hunted by a Necromancer named Count Daverus and his army of Necroids. After sending Chicken off to find a passage through this ice-covered part of the land. D’Orc and Shield get captured by the Necroids and taken back to Count Daverus’ castle. There he finds an unlikely ally in Olivine, Obsidian Golem of the Dark Realm. But how much can he trust this new ally? And furthermore, can they escape the grasp of Count Daverus?

D’ORC #9 – Written & Art By Brett Bean – Colors By Jean-François Beaulieu - Letters By Nate Piekos - Published By Image Comics

Credit: Image Comics

*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***

WRITING:

There may be no title on the shelves of the LCS that is more fun than D’Orc! Brett Bean continues to craft this fun adventure story that never takes itself too seriously. This issue slaps us in the middle of a wild journey in an arctic region with one of the zaniest antagonists with met so far. Count Daverus steals the show in this issue. He is hilarious in all the right ways. His constant need to feel included and accepted, well being crazy and weirdly obsessed with eyeballs is a great mix. His interactions with D’Orc are some of the most fun moments in a series full of fun moments. Daverus does steal a little bit of thunder from Olivine, but it doesn’t hurt the story at all. Bean keeps this world loose and the story fun, but he also delivers some great action beats as well. The energy of this issue and series is hard to match and that’s why D’Orc continues to thrive.

ARTWORK:

The artwork continues its playful and cartoonish nature in this issue. Brett Bean really captures the fun of this world in every issue. But the real all-star of this issue is the character designs. As Count Daverus and the Necroids are some of the best designs in the series and that’s saying something. The uniqueness of the Necroids and how all of them look distinct and different is amazing. Not to mention how Bean shows off Daverus’ obsession with eyeballs in said designs. The artwork matches the fun energy of the story and that doesn’t go unnoticed.

Jean-François Beaulieu further captures the fun with the color selections. The vibrant and cartoony color pallet matches the energy of the linework and overall feel and tone of the story. It also makes for some of the bloody or disturbing scenes to come across as more playful instead of disturbing. The lettering by Nate Piekos also comes across as fun and playful, well still being clear and easy to follow. The sound effects alone are super fun and engaging.

CHECK OUT MY REVIEW OF D’ORC #8

Final Thoughts:

D’ORC #9 is another wildly entertaining issue that captures everything that makes this series such a joy. Count Daverus brings an unforgettable mix of menace and absurdity, while Olivine adds an intriguing new dynamic to D’Orc’s adventure. Brett Bean’s energetic storytelling and expressive artwork pair perfectly with Jean-François Beaulieu’s vibrant colors and Nate Piekos’ playful lettering. Funny, fast-paced, and packed with personality, this issue proves once again that D’Orc is one of the most consistently fun comics on the shelves at the comic shop.

FINAL GRADE: 9.4/10

Let me know your thoughts on D’ORC #9 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!