As the final season of the hit Netflix series looms, take a look at this new collection that goes into the history of Eddie Munson between series 3 and 4 in Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons: The Rise of Hellfire. At first, the Mirkwood gang is hesitant to join a new campaign without Will and El, but Eddie conjures up his charm and does his best to inspire them to answer his call to adventure. Reflecting on the legendary campaign that got him hooked, Eddie remembers how the original Hellfire crew navigated the weird social dynamics of Hawkins High, seeking new party members to help take on a vicious manticore that nearly wiped out their party, proving time and time again that the party is always stronger than the individual adventurer.
Season 4 of Stranger Things was one of the 80s themed sci-fi series’ most acclaimed seasons yet with much of that acclaim traced back to the introduction of Eddie Munson – the fan-favourite DnD playing metalhead played by Joseph Quinn. His wild and eccentric nature combined with his good heart have made him one of the most enduring characters of the series, with his tragic but heroic ending leaving fans devasted. But thanks to this latest comic spinoff, fans can now learn the history of Eddie and how he befriended Mike, Lucas and Dustin.
Jody Houser has been the writer on the majority of Dark Horse’s Stranger Things titles and is well experienced when it comes to licenced properties with work on Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who and Critical Role to her name. She has proven to be a deft hand when it comes to depicting the Hawkins gang and The Rise of Hellfire is no exception. Houser (along with Eric Campbell) delve into Eddie’s past school life in a deep way as we are shown he did not always have the confidence and exuberance he was known for. Additionally, Houser introduces the friends who would influence his outlook on life and also contribute to his rather long stint at high school.
Houser continues to have a great handle on the main Hawkins’ boys as they assess this rather eccentric older classman. Mike and Dustin are not sure about the idea of going into a whole new DnD campaign without Will and El whilst Lucas worries that Eddie’s rather negative reputation might impact his chances of competing in the school basketball team. No one appears out of character and there is a natural flow from the events of the comic into season 4 of the show.
On the art side of things, Diego Galindo does a terrific job of depicting the passage of time through Eddie’s high school journey – particularly when it comes to fashion. But it the Dungeons and Dragons sessions where he truly shines, with the characters becoming fully absorbed in the world they are coming up with and demonstrating why it is such an enticing game.
It goes without saying that this comic is a must-read for Stranger Things fans. It succeeds as both an exploration of one of the series’ most popular characters and a tribute to all the great things about Dungeons and Dragons.
Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons: The Rise of Hellfire is out 30 September from Dark Horse (9781506737126, p/b, £17.99)
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