‘D’Orc’ Vol. 1 Review: A Violent Fairytale With a Huge Heart

D’Orc was one of those books I wanted to read the second I saw the cover and the title. A half dwarf, half orc fantasy adventure from Brett Bean, who worked on I Hate Fairyland? That already sounded like my kind of chaos. Add in the promise of a weird fantasy world, comic violence, strange creatures, and a prophecy that basically screams “this poor guy is going to have problems,” and yes, I was in. So let’s talk about whether D’Orc Vol. 1: The Book of Certain Doom delivers.

What Is D’Orc About?

D’Orc follows a half dwarf, half orc who is caught in the middle of a prophecy that says he will bring doom to both sides of the world. The world itself is Sunderaine, a place divided by the Scar, with Light and Dark on opposite sides. There are elves, orcs, dwarves, humans, witches, goblins, dragons, magical creatures, and enough fantasy tension for everyone to be immediately suspicious of everyone else.

And caught in the middle is D’Orc.

Because of the prophecy, people do not really see him for who he is. They see him as a threat. A future disaster. A walking “someone should probably stop him before this gets worse” situation.

The problem is that the D’Orc we actually follow does not want to destroy anything. He wants to help. He wants to avoid becoming the reason the world ends. And because this is fantasy, that means going on a journey to find the Silver Witch, who might be able to help him and his very strange companions.

D’Orc wants to escape his doom. The shield wants to understand who it used to be. The chicken wants its body back.

Fantasy quests are better when everyone has a deeply specific problem.

D’Orc Has a Good Heart, But the Prophecy Is Not Random

The best thing about D’Orc as a character is that he is not simply “misunderstood nice guy.”

He is good-hearted, yes. He helps creatures no matter what side they belong to. Light, Dark, whatever. If someone needs help, his instinct is usually to step in. That makes him easy to root for, because he is not trying to prove some grand heroic point. He is just trying to do the right thing in a world that keeps making that difficult.

But the book also does not pretend the prophecy is completely ridiculous.

There are moments where you see why people might be afraid. D’Orc does not want to hurt people, but bad things still happen around him. That violent burst with the shield and the chicken is funny because this book knows exactly how absurd it is, but it also matters. It shows that the danger around D’Orc is not just something other people made up because they needed a villain.

That is the nuance that makes the story work. D’Orc is not interesting because he is secretly harmless. He is interesting because he might be dangerous, but he keeps choosing kindness anyway.

And apparently, some people are just haters.

The World and Characters Are the Fun

The journey to find the Silver Witch gives the book a simple fantasy engine, but the fun is really in the world around that journey.

Brett Bean clearly put care into making D’Orc feel like more than a joke machine with swords. The Scar dividing Light and Dark gives the setting a strong foundation, but the book keeps building around it with creatures, grudges, strange rules, weird side characters, and little pieces of history that make the world feel bigger than D’Orc’s immediate problem.

That makes sense coming from Bean. He worked on I Hate Fairyland, so he knows how to create a fantasy world that is funny, violent, colorful, and completely unhinged without making it feel empty. D’Orc has that same kind of “this is ridiculous, but everyone in the world is taking it very seriously” energy, which is exactly why the comedy works.

The companions help a lot too. The shield is mysterious, extremely violent, and clearly has a past it does not understand. It is not just a magical item D’Orc carries around. It has personality, opinions, and apparently a very aggressive approach to conflict resolution.

Then there is the chicken ghost, followed around by its own body, which is exactly the kind of fantasy nonsense I love. But again, it is not just random. The chicken wants to be whole again.

So yes, the group is funny, but they also have real reasons to be on this journey. Everyone is chasing some version of themselves they do not fully have yet. That is a lot more emotional than I expected from a comic where a decapitated chicken is part of the main cast.

The side characters also keep the journey moving. Gloinspear stood out because he is so relentlessly angry and committed to chasing D’Orc. Every time he showed up, all I could think was: dude, chill. The goblin family gang was another highlight. They are funny, chaotic, and exactly the kind of side characters that make this world feel alive beyond the main quest.

Some characters are after D’Orc. Some need help. Some are just causing problems because apparently that is their spiritual calling. And somehow, through all of that, D’Orc keeps trying to do the right thing.

The Art Feels Like a Violent Fairytale

The art is a big reason the book works for me.

It has this fairytale feeling, full of fantastic creatures, strange designs, and a world that feels magical without being delicate. But it is also violent, exaggerated, and very funny. It is not a soft storybook fantasy. It is more like a fairytale that might bite you.

The expressions are one of my favorite parts. Characters react in big, dramatic, exaggerated ways that give the story a comic tone without making the stakes feel fake. Everyone has so much personality on their face, whether they are angry, confused, scared, smug, or about to make a terrible decision.

The colors by Jean-François Beaulieu are beautiful too. They help make the world feel rich and alive, especially with the contrast between fantasy wonder and constant danger. The book always has energy on the page, and that matters for a story this strange.

A world like this needs art that can handle monsters, magic, comedy, emotion, and a violent shield without making any of it feel out of place.

This art absolutely does.

The Coven’s Verdict

D’Orc Vol. 1: The Book of Certain Doom is funny, violent, strange, and surprisingly full of heart.

What I loved most is that D’Orc is not just “the chosen one, but doomed.” He is someone trying to be good in a world that has already decided he is going to be terrible. The prophecy gives the story tension, but his choices give it meaning.

I also loved how much worldbuilding is packed around the Scar, the divide between Light and Dark, the Silver Witch, and all the different creatures D’Orc meets along the way. It feels like a full fantasy world, not just fantasy wallpaper behind the jokes.

And the art brings it all together with a violent fairytale style, exaggerated expressions, colorful fantasy energy, and enough personality to make every page feel alive.

If you like fantasy comics with weird companions, prophecy nonsense, big heart, funny side characters, and a main character who may be destined to destroy the world but would really rather help people instead, D’Orc is absolutely worth reading.

Related Reading

If D’Orc. left you wanting more strange genre comics, these two reviews make a good next stop: one for chaotic nostalgia horror, and one for cozy horror with a very sharp bite. You can also browse more of our Image Comics coverage.

‘T.A.M.A.’ Review: When Childhood Nostalgia Turns Into Pure Horror
‘Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring’ Review: Samantha Is Back and It Gets Wild

FAQ

What is D’Orc about? D’Orc follows a half dwarf, half orc who is fated by prophecy to destroy both sides of Sunderaine, a world divided between Light and Dark. Despite what everyone expects from him, D’Orc has a good heart and tries to help creatures no matter what side they are on.

Who created D’Orc? D’Orc is created by Brett Bean, with colors by Jean-François Beaulieu and letters by Nate Piekos. Bean is also known for his work on I Hate Fairyland.

What issues are collected in D’Orc Vol. 1: The Book of Certain Doom? D’Orc Vol. 1: The Book of Certain Doom collects D’Orc #1-5.

Is D’Orc a fantasy comic? Yes. D’Orc is a fantasy adventure comic with prophecy, magical creatures, dwarves, orcs, elves, witches, goblins, a divided world, and a very violent magical shield.

Is D’Orc funny? Yes. D’Orc has a lot of comedy, especially through its exaggerated expressions, strange companions, chaotic side characters, violent fantasy logic, and the absurdity of the quest.

Who should read D’Orc? Readers who enjoy fantasy comics, strange quests, fairytale-style worlds, comic violence, prophecy stories, expressive art, and characters with big hearts should check out D’Orc.