Written By: Matt Forbeck
Art By: Martin Coccolo
Art Assists By: Christian Duce
Colours By: J. Edwin Stevens
Colour Assists By: Baileigh Bolten
Letters By: Shawn Lee
Edited By: Carlos Guzman
IDW
I’ve recently taken a huge interest in Magic. It all started on the Xbox with Magic 2012 and went on to real life game play. So, when I saw this on the shelf I couldn’t for the life of me pass it up. Thank griffon’s for that because it blew me away!
Dack was helping a friend protect her hometown from the destruction his had seen, (by the hand of a Planeswalker named Sifa) when he was forced to follow his enemy through to another plane when she attempts escape. Unfortunately for him, Sifa is already long gone and the owner of the castle he has intruded is not only enormous but, also insane and dying to learn the ‘secret’ of the Planeswalkers – although there really it’s a secret at all. After the mad collector has made his point: Tell him the secret or sit as part of his collection for a lifetime; Dack quickly finds himself reliving a moment he swore he never would again. Captivity wasn’t something Dack was fond of and with that he makes his escape through walking, yet again, to another plane. More specifically, his home town.
The high majority of this story is told through a journal-esque view from Dack and, of course, the art. This leaves a lot of room for the imagination to play around and left me feeling overwhelmed when viewing the room filled with the collection the ‘Spell Thief’ owns. I found myself wondering what the story of every creature he has captured is, why he is so power hungry and mostly how the hell the art team managed to make it look that good and wondrous. To be super honest, I don’t know how such an enormous art team managed to 
make any of the art so compelling.
Normally, when I see more than two names in regards to a comics art I expect spotty workmanship by people who are talented but lack in communication. This issue sports a lengthy four-man art team all of which have not only smoothly communicated the same idea but, did so impeccably well. They have found an enticing style sitting between realism and sketch that brings out the architecture and background imagery impossibly well. On page one, when you see Dack standing before this grand and exotic castle you can’t help but appreciate the scenery and pay attention for any more to come. Not to mention Dack himself, he looks like a god amongst comic men: Stern, pained, vengeful, caring – You can see it all written on his freaking face!
Let me finish this off by saying that even though my knowledge of Magic is lacking, I know a great series when I see one and this stands amongst some of the greatest first issues I’ve read to date. If you enjoy anything Magic related, drop everything and pick this up. The series is just starting, which is a major plus, and the quality of plot, production, and art make it very worth your dollar. 5 out of 5 burning goblins for this one. I’m simply blown away.
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- Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms #1 (comicsforge.com)
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