D&D Cartoon Returns in New Graphic Novel Collection
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The popular 1980s Dungeons & Dragons cartoon show is back in the form of a new graphic novel coming from Penguin Random House. The D&D Animated Adventures Library Edition is a limited-edition hardcover that collects nine issues from the popular D&D: Saturday Morning Adventures comic book series first published by IDW from 2023 to 2024. Those particular comics are a continuation of the original CBS Dungeons & Dragons cartoon which ran from 1983 to 1985 and which featured the characters of Hank the Ranger, Eric the Cavalier, Diana the Acrobat, Presto the Magician, Sheila the Thief, Bobby the Barbarian and Uni the Unicorn.
The new graphic novel is slated for release later this summer, but is available for pre-order now from your local book store, game store and on Amazon. Below, we grab a bowl of cereal and tune into all the details.
What is the new D&D Animated Adventures graphic novel?
The new graphic novel is 212 pages in length and collects all of the issues published by IDW as part of its Dungeons & Dragons: Saturday Morning Adventures series. This includes Dungeons & Dragons Saturday Morning Adventures #1–#4, Dungeons & Dragons: Saturday Morning Adventures: Endless Summer, and Dungeons & Dragons: Saturday Morning Adventures II #1–#4.
The comics are a continuation of the original CBS animated series from the 1980s which follows a group of six kids who are transported into the world of Dungeons & Dragons by a magic roller coaster. Once they arrive the end up meeting the enigmatic “Dungeon Master” who helps guide them on their quest to return to their own world. Along the way, they face down familiar D&D monsters and villains, including the dragon goddess Tiamat and the evil sorcerer Venger.
The new IDW comics were published in 2023 and 2024 and picked up where the show left off, with each issue designed to be a lost “episode.” Notably, while the original cartoon was set in a generic D&D fantasy world simply known as “the Realm”, the new comic book take place in the Forgotten Realms and features a number of modern characters, including the legendary drow ranger Drizzt, the dark elf mercenary Jarlaxle and warrior Minsc.
Notably, the D&D Saturday Morning Adventures series were written by Eisner-nominated author David M. Booher (who is best known for the series Alien Bounty Hunter and Canto) as well as and New York Times bestselling author Sam Maggs (who is perhaps best known for her work on theMighty Nein comic book series). It’s also illustrated by Ringo-nominated artist George Kambadais (who has illustrated Spider-Man for Marvel Comics) and award-winning artist Jack Lawrence (whose illustrated Transformers and Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles comics).
How much is the new D&D Animated Adventures graphic novel?
The new library edition collection will retail for $49.99 USD (not including shipping and handling). That may seem a little on the pricey side, but it’s not bad considering this is a hard cover that collects multiple comics (notably, a standalone version of the first series retails for about $12.99 USD).
When is the new D&D Animated Adventures graphic novel coming out?
The book is slated for release on August 4th, 2026, at which time it will be available for purchase at your local book store, game store and online retailers.
Final Thoughts
While it’s been over 40 years since the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon ended, the show’s impact on the game continues, with the characters appearing in a numbe of D&D products, including an illustration from the 2024 Player’s Handbook, playable characters in modules such as Uni and the Hunt for the Lost Horn and as high-end action figures. So it’s not surprising that we’re also seeing them continue to pick up traction in their own comic book series.
We’ll be doing a full review closer to launch, but in the meantime you can pre-order the Dungeons & Dragons Animated Adventures Library Edition now from your local book store, game store and on Amazon.
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Jason Volk is the Publisher of Dungeons & Dragons Fanatics and lives in the wilds of Western Canada. He has been playing D&D for over 25 years and is a huge fan of Dragonlance and the Forgotten Realms. His favorite character of all time was a Necromancer named Neek who spent most of his adventuring career resurrecting the corpses of slain monsters. When he’s not playing TTRPGs, Jason enjoys video games, Magic: The Gathering, Warhammer 40K, watching football and spending time with his wife and adorably nerdy children.
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