Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (comic series)

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons is a series of comic books originally published by DC Comics and set in the Forgotten Realms. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons debuted in October 1988, after the Dragonlance series. Dan Mishkin authored the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (1988-1991) comic book. In the late 1980s, Jeff Grubb wrote four fill-in issues of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. , Michael Fleisher also wrote for the series. Jan Duursema drew the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons comic book series for three years. Duursema drew issues #1-#22, #24-#30, #33-#36, and Annual #1 (1988–91), while Ron Randall also provided artwork for issue #8, and Tom Mandrake illustrated issues #23, #31-#32, and Annual #1 (1990-1991). Elliot S. Maggin served as an editor for DC from 1989 to 1991 and oversaw the licensed TSR titles, including Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. Kim Yale served as an editor for DC from 1991–1993 and oversaw their licensed titles. In October 1991, the TSR license ended bringing an end to the line with Advanced Dungeons & Dragons reaching issue #36.

Summary
The series told the adventures of a motley band of heroes: Vajra Valmeyjar, a former champion gladiator of Manshaka; Timoth Eyesbright, a good-hearted centaur warrior; Onyx the Invincible, an irascible dwarf fighter and thief; and Kyriani Agrivar, a mischievous half-elf wizard. They were based at the Selûne's Smile inn, owned by the mysterious Luna (in fact, an avatar of the moon goddess Selûne), and sometimes joined by Conner, a dangerous figure from Vajra's past, and the famous mage Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun. In the first four issues, the comic also starred the gentle mage Cybriana and the fallen paladin Priam Agrivar, before Cybriana became Kyriani and Priam was spun off into the related Forgotten Realms comic series.

Set in the then-current setting years of 1357 DR and 1359 DR and covering the Time of Troubles, the adventures took place in and around Waterdeep, but occasionally ventured further afield, to Calimshan and elsewhere. In between traditional fantasy adventures and lighthearted and comic romps, stories explored the character's troubled pasts and the divine conflict between Selûne and Shar.

The heroes would go on to make appearances in later sourcebooks, with Kyriani becoming a member of the Moonstars and Vajra, Timoth, and Onyx playing key roles in the kingdom of Tethyr.

Collections
After twenty years, the series was finally reprinted by IDW Publishing as a set of trade paperbacks under the title Dungeons & Dragons Classics. The four volumes collected all 36 issues.