First, the art style. It's a mix between absurd -- with elongated bodies, hooked noses, bulging bellies, and all the cartoon shorthand of good vs. evil -- and nuanced. The backgrounds are lovely and full of small moments, the main character's facial expressions and body language are almost as much, if not in some scenes more evocative, than the dialogue. I don't often comment on art in graphic novels, because it is subjective, and what I find visually appealing might not work for everyone ... but here the art is just so strong I felt like it needed to be mentioned.

It's clear the author has a very clear path in mind for D'Orc, and it's one I'm wholeheartedly on board for. Born the son of a "good" dwarf and "evil" orc, he's destined to change the world, and the people in power don't want it changed. They're happy with the constant violence and power grabs, with killing anyone they want in the name of fighting off the other side, and getting away with it. So of course they have to kill D'Orc to stop him from changing everything ... which creates a self-fulfilling prophesy as he, hunted by everyone with no friends save his shield and a bodiless ghost chicken/headless chicken body, is determined to change the world for the better.

Propaganda, the stupidity of blind hatred, how following the status quo prevents you from growing, fearing an outsider for no reason other than because you're told to ... it's all here in its absurd and gloriously stupid fantasy armor. This is brilliant fun, and I cannot wait for the next volume to come out.

Please read this book!

"This author is a genius! DWARF-ORC = D'ORC!"

I turned this new title over to my mature 9-year old and he LOVED it.

D'Orc is definitely a Teen level read, with plenty of cartoony violence & some mild profanity.

I loved the characters, art style & pacing. I would definitely purchase a Hardcover omnibus of these comics.

Publication Date: August 25 2026
#D'ORCVolume1TheBookofCertainDoom by #Brett Bean is a winning combination of non stop sword & sorcery mixed with dark humor, great art & writing. Thank you #ImageComics & #NetGalley for the opportunity to review the ARC. #BookSky

Really enjoyed this one! Brett Bean kills it on the art (feels a lot like I Hate Fairyland) which I’m a fan of, and you can tell this is HIS story, not Scottie Young’s. Now being caught up, I might start picking up the single issues as they release! Thank you so much Image for the early copy!

Hi, Cousin Barry!
D’ORC is an absolute powerhouse! Brett Bean, of I Hate Fairyland and Dungeon Crawler Carl fame, spins a tale about a prophecy foretold that will bring about the destruction of this fantastical world. Rapid world-building (including a full map), intriguing plot (see aforementioned prophecy), and action-packed hilarious adventures. Bean’s art is just as fun to look at as it is detailed. There’s always something happening and not a single inch of his panels feels wasted. The story progresses incredibly and keeps itself from feeling stagnant. Brett Bean’s art and Jean-Francois Beaulieu’s coloring work together like a pair of hobbits, that is to say, perfectly. Nate Piekos’s lettering is also of worthy note. The entire piece comes together wonderfully and leaves one wanting more. If Saga, DCC, LotR, and Bone fell into a blender, the result would be named D’ORC.

Thank you to NetGalley & Image Comics for the free, pre-publication copy (ARC or Digital Review Copy) of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Welcome to the land of The Scar, home to our beloved main character D’orc! A cross between a Dwarf & an Orc! I knew I was in for a good time when on the first page a group of goblins are sitting around a campfire cooking a meal singing “Our farts smell sweet, eating unicorn meat”. I mean, the audacity, I would NEVER! What a hilarious setting to start out the fun story of D’orc! I’ve been following the artist/author Brett Bean on Instagram for some time, so I was THRILLED to be able to read an advance copy of this comic...and I have now pre-ordered a copy because I MUST have a permanent copy in my collection!
While this comic appears to be a cute kind of comic, make no mistake D’orc unleashes his fury in many ways, and it does get bloody while he is running around on adventures like a chicken with his head cut off (IYKYK)! While medieval mayhem abounds, D’orc does manage to do a lot of good while trying to find his way to a peaceful life! There is a lot of comic relief with his sidekicks, I don’t want to give too much away, but they are great!
The detailed artwork, witty writing and excellent banter between characters make this a VERY enjoyable read, I highly recommend taking a journey with D’orc!

I received an ARC from NetGalley and this review is voluntary

Fantasy tale with copious amounts of humor, violence and some self awareness to boot. Thoroughly enjoyed the story and artwork. Reminded me of the old days playing Fable or Skyrim. All around a great read.

Thank you to the publisher for this opportunity, and as always to the author for creating this material.

Thanks to NetGalley and Image Comics for providing an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a blast.

D’Orc takes a familiar fantasy setup—a prophesied hero caught between warring forces of Light and Dark—and gleefully turns it into a chaotic, funny, surprisingly heartfelt adventure. The title character, a half-dwarf, half-orc orphan burdened with a world-ending prophecy, is instantly likable, while his sentient shield steals more than a few scenes with its violent enthusiasm and constant wisecracks.

Brett Bean’s cartoon-infused artwork is packed with energy, expressive characters, visual gags, and over-the-top action. The world feels like a fantasy playground where anything can happen, and the humor lands far more often than it misses. Beneath the jokes, there’s also a clever satire of endless war and rigid good-versus-evil storytelling that gives the book more substance than its goofy premise initially suggests.

What impressed me most is how well this reads as a collected edition. The pacing feels tailor-made for the trade format. Story threads flow naturally from chapter to chapter, the world-building never bogs things down, and the cliffhangers keep the pages turning. Reading the entire first arc in one sitting made the humor, character development, and escalating stakes land even better than they did for me in the month-to-month.

If you’re a fan of fantasy comedy, I Hate Fairyland, Dungeon Crawler Carl, Babs, or stories that lovingly poke fun at genre tropes while still delivering adventure and heart, D’Orc is an easy recommendation.

A really fun read that knows exactly what it wants to be and reads exceptionally well as a trade. Looking forward to Volume 2.

Excellent art and story. A classic outsider destined for something larger than expected, who then tries to buck fate and do their own thing. Lots of fun!

This was recommended by Matt Dinniman, so obviously, I had to read it.

D'Orc really said "what if Lord of the Rings had a stroke and it was funny." And listen, I'm into it.

The premise: half dwarf, half orc, all bad decisions. Man is literally cursed with a doomsday prophecy through no fault of his own (relatable, my student loans said the same thing to me) and now every faction in Sunderaine wants him dead — elves, wizards, dragons, and presumably HR. Meanwhile his shield is basically that one friend who's always DTF (down to fight) and has zero chill about it.

The MVP of this book is 100% the shield. D'Orc is out here trying to have a peaceful little orphan era and his own weapon is like "actually let's just kill everyone, I have notes." Iconic dynamic. I would die for this shield's chaotic little arc.

Also there's a chicken. I don't know what the chicken's deal is yet. I don't need to know. The chicken is just fueling the vibes at this point and I respect that for it.

The art is doing SO much heavy lifting — very "I Hate Fairyland raised on Animaniacs and let it go feral," which tracks since it's the same artist. The Light vs Dark war stuff could've been paint-by-numbers fantasy, but they're clearly setting up "both sides are unhinged," which, yes, thank you, give me moral nuance in my orc chicken comic.

My only gripe: it's a first issue, so it's doing a LOT of table-setting. World, prophecy, factions, chicken lore (TBD) — it's a lot to cram in before we even get to the good violence.

TLDR: half-orc, evil shield, mystery chicken, war between good and evil that's actually just "everyone sucks equally." Fun, fast, violent-but-cute. Some amazing one-liners sprinkled throughout. Give me issue 2 immediately.

Such a fun comic!!

A classic concept of light v.s dark with fun humor, and a bit gorey situations. I had fun reading this, and especially enjoyed the sentient shield lol.

I can’t wait to pick up the next volume!!

Quick Blurb: What if the prophesied "destroyer of worlds" was in fact a half dwarf, half orc (D'orc!) wielding an enchanted, sentient, murderous shield who sets off with his headless ghost chicken bestie?

This was a delightfully campy, vibrantly gory, tongue-in-cheek absurd comedic adventure. I loved it. There were a couple scenes I cackled at and then had to immediately read out loud to my husband just to share in the humor. This was fast paced, almost break-neck speed, with not a single panel used superfluously. It's a true gem by not only being full color (gasp!) but also in a vivid color palette that gives me early 90's video games and comic book vibrancy nostalgia. If you're not a fan of gore or violence, this isn't going to be for you. When I say everything in here is over the top, I also mean the blood & guts.

I ended up reading this in a single sitting, and will absolutely be keeping my eye out for volume 2.

Some notes: I know this is 5 separate volumes that have been put together for this anthology, but I don't think we needed the map at the beginning of each of the five stories. The individual covers being included work well as chapter covers but if we wanted to save space (and money) when it comes to printing, I'm sure a singular map at the beginning of the book would work just fine and the duplicates could be removed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Image Comics for the eArc in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.

D'ORC hooked me from the title and art style, as a certified goblinoid myself. I really enjoyed the story, and It had this 80s vibe I can't really explain, other than it was colorful, fun, and bloody. I felt it was very tongue-in-cheek in many areas, which is wonderful. Fantasy needs more camp!