The fantasy genre is not one I tend to steer towards when reading new stories, but with the hype around D’Orc and Brett Bean at the helm, I had to give it a shot. Bean crafts a fast-paced, campy romp in the fantasy world that can be over-the-top in moments but was a lot of fun.
D’Orc, the half dwarf/ half orc is fated to end the world because of some inconvenient doomsday prophecy from the Book of Certain Doom.
Armed with nothing but a magical yet ambitiously violent shield and a chicken with its head cut off, D’orc is caught dead center into Sunderaine’s never-ending war between the Light and Dark. Elves vs. Orcs. Wizards vs. Common Sense. Dragons vs. Literally Everyone.
Can he survive being hunted, blamed, and beaten by every human, elf, goblin, dwarf, Witch, Timelord, Ice Giant, three headed Dog, and at least three other unpronounceable magical creatures?
As a fan of I Hate Fairyland, D’Orc was an easy read as it has the feeling of the book created by Skottie Young and later illustrated by Bean, but in a world filled with orcs, goblins, elves, wizards, and more. As someone who isn’t a huge fantasy reader, this campy and over-the-top style story made it easier to follow along and care for the story at hand. Not to mention it’s more humorous than most fantasy stories I have read.
This style of artwork, which again reminds me of I Hate Fairyland, is something I enjoy in a story such as this. Something that adds a bit of animation and exaggeration to the story, giving the comic a lighter feeling when dealing with a battle of light and dark. The artwork is playful and over-the-top which made each and every page something of a spectacle. Not to mention the wonderful colors by Jean-François Beaulieu and letters by Nate Piekos.
What made D’Orc even more special than a simple funny fantasy story with excellent artwork was how Bean actually weaves in themes of identity and finding one’s self in a world where you don’t belong to any specific group. Half dwarf, half orc, D’Orc doesn’t fully belong to the dark or light, the orcs or the dwarves, but finds themself in limbo. This thought-provoking element added to the silly romp, giving the story a bit more meaning along the way.
Not only is D’Orc a campy, humorous, and fun fantasy story, but also takes the genre and almost makes fun of itself in a lighthearted way. Those who are regular readers of the genre will see obvious tropes and storylines that make the genre what it is, but Bean has fun while doing it and gives us something fresh and exciting.
Although I am a fan of Brett Bean, D’Orc honestly surprised me in the right ways with a chaotic, funny, fantasy adventure with heart, even tackling a sense of identity. D’Orc is an entertaining fantasy romp that embraces the genre while gleefully poking a bit of fun at them. Bean delivers on a wonderfully told, amazing illustrated, and thoughtful adventure.
D’Orc Vol. 1: The Book of Certain Doom hits local comic shops on July 29, 2026 (FOC: June 29) and bookstores everywhere on August 18 from Image Comics.
D’Orc Vol. 1: The Book of Certain Doom Preview
