Rick and roll

Rick And Morty meets Dungeons & Dragons in new IDW comic

Those 70 planned new episodes of Rick And Morty are still a way off, but no matter, because the portal-hopping duo are embarking on a comic crossover in August. Rick And Morty Vs Dungeons & Dragons sees Morty introduce his grandpa to the classic RPG – with disastrous results...

The four-issue miniseries is written by Patrick Rothfuss and Jim Zub, both veteran adventurers. “Dungeons & Dragons gave me the confidence to create stories of my own,” reveals Zub.

Rothfuss agrees. “Roleplaying is just an advanced version of the greatest human pastime: storytelling. As soon as you create a character, you’ve taken a step towards a story. If you create an adventure for other players, you’ve taken about seven or eight really big steps…”

Will the book feature the iconic D&D monsters? “Of course! The truth is, I have to resist the urge to make the comic an endless stream of references to things I love about the game,” says Rothfuss. “But that’s a dark path that leads to bad storytelling. That said, if I don’t manage to bring in an Owlbear at some point, I’ll feel like I’ve failed on a deep, deep level.” Zub says the comic blends biting parody with sincere homage. “It’s one of the strangest projects I’ve ever worked on... We get to make fun of the thing with the thing while also celebrating the thing, sanctioned by the shepherds of the thing. How often does that happen?” WS

Rick And Morty Vs Dungeons & Dragons #1 is out 29 August.