If anytime between the years 1983 through 1985 you woke up on Saturday morning and flipped on your local CBS affiliate to catch the animated Dungeons & Dragons, posted on the legendary TST roleplaying game, IDW has your back.
The publisher is returning to the world of the Saturday morning cartoon series for the appropriately-titled Dungeons & Dragons: Saturday Morning Adventures, a four-issue limited series launching in March to celebrate the 40th (geez ... 40??) anniversary of the cult-favorite show.
The series ran for 27 episodes over three seasons and fans might not immediately recall it was a co-production of TSR, Japanese Toei Animation, and Marvel Productions.
The series tells the story of a "lost episode charting new territory" in the world of D&D, by writers David M. Booher, Sam Maggs, and artist George Kambadais.
"As a lifelong D&D fan, it is an absolute dream to get to work reviving a childhood classic," says Maggs. "It's been such a blast working with IDW and the fine folks at Wizards of the Coast to hone in on what made the Dungeons & Dragons Saturday morning cartoon such a cult favorite. Setting these characters up for a whole new run of stories has truly been a career highlight, and I hope fans will love seeing Uni (well…all our cool kids, but especially Uni) back in action as much as I do!"
The series 'reunites' the cast of "Noble ranger Hank, intrepid acrobat Diana, quiet thief Sheila, impulsive barbarian Bobby, fearful cavalier Eric, and uncertain magician Presto."
As always, the gang only wants to return to their own world, but it's much harder escaping the Forgotten Realm of D&D than it was being stranded there.
"Danger lurks at every turn, the enigmatic Dungeon Master is less than helpful, and Venger - the force of evil - will stop at nothing to get his hands on the magical weapons that the kids have come to rely on," reads IDW's description of the series.
And if that wasn't enough, Hank discovers that despite the dangers they face, the rest of the gang aren't so sure they even want to go home.
"As a kid, I would wake up on Saturday morning, pour a bowl of cartoon-themed cereal, and plop myself in front of the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon. When IDW approached me about writing Saturday Morning Adventures, there was no chance I was passing up the opportunity to help this D&D party face Venger once more," says Booher. "I can’t wait for readers to pour themselves a bowl of cereal and join us on a thrilling new adventure with Presto, Diana, Bobby, and the whole crew!"
Each issue of the series will feature a main cover by Kambadais, a variant by My Little Pony artist Brenda Hickey, and a retailer incentive cover by Tim Levins.
"Just imagine being me - a 12-year-old boy in the body of a 38-year-old man - getting to play with some of the coolest yet cutest characters in one of the most immersive universes ever made," says Kambadais. "I am so lucky, yet so freaking scared as to whether one can ever be enough of an artist to take on this huge of a job. Here's hoping that I'll do right by Presto and Sheila (low-key my favorites)!"
Dungeons & Dragons: Saturday Morning Adventures #1 goes on sale in March, the same month the big-screen, live-action, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves hits theaters, which will be proceeded by an IDW prequel graphic novel Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves - The Feast of the Moon in February.
"With Dungeons & Dragons: Saturday Morning Adventures, we celebrate the cult classic animated series that introduced so many fans to the Forgotten Realms. George Kambadais' stunning art reminds us of that beloved old-school animated style while giving it his signature modern flair for the contemporary fan. This new series demonstrates the continued collaboration between IDW and Wizards of the Coast to create never-before-seen D&D comics," says editor Jonathan Manning.
While you wait for all three of these projects, check out the best Dungeons and Dragons books that need to be on your shelf.
