Dungeons & Dimwits. I Rolled a 1. James Mascia (Writer), Kodaris (Art). Dren Productions (2020)

 

A charming, funny series of cartoons that o experience with playing RPG games is required to greatly enjoy.

James Mascia strokes a very smart balance between having fun with possible situations that arise in game play and the all too human responses of the players themselves. The running gag of the title where a throw of the dice brings disaster is delivered with a great variety of situations that are nicely plausible and happily absurd. A favourite shows a masked burglar picking the lock of a burning building, they rolled a 1 and are stuck with completing the task.

The rest of the cartoons vary between having fun with gameplay and the players responses, the cover illustration of a dragon using a castle tower in a most unexpected way is a shining example. James Mascia clearly really enjoys playing RPG games and relishes the possibilities for absurdity as much as adventure. He nicely captures the responses of the players themselves, the spot-on response to the remark about hiding in the shadows.

Kodaris deliver lovely, friendly art that just bursts with energy, humour, and detail. The cast are vividly expressive, the monsters are both funny and threatening. The varieties of adventurers are given the chance to be clearly committed and deeply capable of misunderstanding each other and the possibilities of the game.

Dungeons & Dimwits. I Rolled a 1. Is clearly made by enthusiastic fans of the genre, they are knowledgeable and experienced enough to provide game dungeons and artifacts at the end of the book. The jokes are very affectionate and never cutting or bitter. They gently celebrate the fun of the activity, remind everyone that it is possible to be too serious and that disaster is just a roll of the dice away for everyone.  A great fun read.