STRANGER THINGS AND DUNGEON & DRAGONS #4, available February 17th from Dark Horse Comics, concludes this crossover event, as one young crew of players bring their latest campaign to an end.
Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons #4 may wrap up this miniseries, but we all know that the story of Stranger Things isn’t quite over yet. Who knows, they might even make time for another game or two, in between saving the world.
This series started out telling us the story of three friends who found a world to escape into. Through it, they gained a fourth friend, as well as a way to cope with everything the world threw at them. Even literal monsters.
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Now, the group has grown, as this issue is so happy to point out. They still have a passion for D&D, though it has changed over the past few months. Really, that feels like the true focus for this final issue.
The Writing
Written by Jody Houser, Jim Zub, Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons #4 perfectly wraps up this plot arc. It’s surprising to see how much time has passed over the course of these four issues. It all started before the Netflix show kicked off, and quickly gets up to date with the main storyline.
Yet it never felt rushed. Each issue was a short story, a vignette, providing a new perspective in everything they’ve gone through in recent times. What makes this issue so compelling is how much subtext got written into Will’s campaign.
It feels like the elephant in the room is finally being addressed, and that it bittersweet. Yeah, we know that the series isn’t over, and obviously we have to assume that the gang will all get back together somehow. But that doesn’t dampen the impact of this story.
There are a few surprises as well, which help to keep this issue from getting too dark at times, and the ending itself does carry with it a sweet note. If anything, this whole series might help those fans that can’t wait for season four to drop.
The Art
Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons #4 is full of bold artwork, most of which should feel familiar to the fans. Told in two forms, there’s the world set in Hawkins, and then there’s a fantasy world: the world of D&D.
Both work together pretty nicely, all things considered. Diego Galindo is the artist who merged the two together, portraying familiar faces on the pages, while also dreaming up what sort of characters the newcomers would enjoy playing.
Meanwhile, Msassyk’s colors provide a sense of time and grounding. There’s no doubting what time period this series is set in – even if the details are on the subtle side of things. The colors also help to make the transition between the two worlds easy to spot.
Nate Piekos did a fantastic job of balancing the narrative. This issue has a lot going on in it, in terms of communication. There’s narration, Will’s campaign, and even just the conversations had between each character. Yet Piekos’ work help to keep it all clear.
Conclusion
Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons #4 is the conclusion that this series deserved. It wrapped up everything neatly, but more importantly, it held true to the tone of the main series. It brought all of that full circle while providing just a touch of insight to everything that had gone on.
