Review: Dragon Age: The Silent Grove #1

I love video games and I love comics, among other things. That’s just the way I am. With that, “Whitey” likes to exploit that love and attempts to merge these two mediums for maximum dollar acquirement. Sometimes this is a good thing, most of the time it is a bad thing.

For starters, I have a lot of history with the Dragon Age IP. I for one love the games but that’s it. I don’t really mess with the novels or flash based Facebook games. Hell I didn’t even read Dragon Age’s first comic attempt by IDW (despite all the drama around it). But there’s something that just got my attention with this second attempt. Perhaps the reason is because lead DA writer, David Gaider is involved? Let’s see if that really matters.

Antiva city is a tough ass place. It’s the home of the hustlers, assassins and poets. Stomping on these mean streets is the king of Ferelden, Alistair Theirin. To aid him throughout the city, Alistair seeks the services of two snarky thieves in, Varric and Isablea. Together they follow tips that Alistair has received by dealing with The Crows, a guild of dangerous assassins. Once the first contact, Claudio, is encountered the three attempted to relax and plan their next move with the newly acquired information. 

Well thank The Maker, this Dragon Age experience was actual pretty entertaining. It does the most important thing and respects the source material and builds on it. Like most good (really good) RPGs, the world that is created is so vast that a talented writer can build stories of ever. If the reader has never experienced the DA world you will enjoy a decent medieval- ish adventure. If you are a DA fan there are familiar nods that will make you smile. I guess that’s what happens when the game’s head writer oversees the script. As for Chad Harder’s art, it’s pretty respectable towards the original character designs and overall adds to the story quite nicely.

I know some DA players won’t have the mental fortitude to separate their DA game experience from the story that the comic is building on. “What the hell’s going on, Alistair was never king in my game? I made sure he died.” Sigh, not only that, I can already hear the complaints because it’s digital only. “I sure would love to pick it up at my LCS.” Get over it.

The best part about this whole DA: The Silent Grove is that Dark Horse Comics will release the six-part comic series exclusively at www.digital.darkhorse.com for $0.99 each starting February 22, 2012.

Are you kidding me? $.99!! That rips! Check out my interview with David on the site as well.

Score: 3/5

Written by: David Gaider

Script: Alexander Freed

Illustrators: Chad Hardin

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: 2/22/2012