Review: STRANGER THINGS D&D CROSSOVER #4

The nostalgia of a television franchise can last a lifetime. Some people grow up having lightsaber battles at their birthday parties, others formed musical bands that sing about elves and wizards. But for studios, the best franchises can make a great return on investment. The franchise that I am rooting for right now is Stranger Things.

In the previous issue of Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons #3, the gang got together for El’s first Dungeons & Dragons game, right before Dustin shipped off to science camp. Things got interesting as Will lead as Dungeon Master for the first time. El got a little too into things and cast a spell…literally.

In the current issue Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons #4, the story continues after the death of Hopper and right before Joyce and Will Move away with El. The gang want to meet up for one more trip to the Hawking Book Store. One last gaming adventure.

This issue was quite the tearjerker. Will has set up a particularly challenging adventure, and it brings out the emotions from the gang. Especially, after the real-life adventure that they just went through. Captures the changing economic landscape of the 80’s and ironically current real-life events as well. The biggest breakthrough was regarding Will Beyers, who has Will struggled to accept he and his friends were growing up, just as he was trying to recapture the childhood that was taken from him in the past two years. But now through the game he can communicate his understanding that things change.

The end of Stranger Things Season 3 was heartbreaking for several reasons, but nothing was harder to watch than seeing El, Will, Joyce, and Jonathan saying goodbye to Hawkins and their lives as they knew it. Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons #4 feels like a much more satisfying ending.

Art:

The art was done by Diego Galindo coloring by MSASSYK. Spot on art. Beautifully capture the fell of the late 80’s while integrating the Stranger Things Gang as well. I am not a fan of D&D comics, but the panels here were better than 99% of the other stuff that is out there.

SCORE: 5/5

Variant Covers:

STRANGER THINGS D&D CROSSOVER #4, will have 4 covers: Cover A, E.M. Gist; Cover B, Anna Dittman; Cover C, Jess Taylor; and Cover D, David Michael Beck.

Writer: Jody Houser & Jim Zub
Artist: Diego Galindo
Colorist: MSASSYK
Letterer: Nate Piekos
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics