Of Gargantuan size, the Purple Worm is capable of swallowing adventurers whole.
Haley: Seriously, Belkar, we are not lugging your misogynistic little butt around if you make yourself sick again.īelkar: Fine, fine, I'll read the packaging if it will make you feel better, Mom.īelkar: No, it doesn't say anything about eye color change. Haley: Belkar, are you sure this stuff is safe? Your eyes look a little weird.īelkar: Let me tell you, "safe" is for NPCs. It will change your life.īelkar: Oh, no, I meant, you know, hypothetically.Įlan. damn, this stuff is amazing.īelkar: It's like you crystallized the best sex you've ever had with a woman and put it in a tiny bottle on your spice rack.īelkar: No, wait, it's like you took that spice and snorted it while screwing her hotter sister.īelkar: Elan, you should totally taste this. He's been practically chugging it for the last few hours.īelkar: This is. Haley: It's Belkar's gift from the spice merchant.
In September of 2012, a serious hand injury prevented publication for a long stretch, but after surgery and physical therapy updates are back up to full swing with Burlew reporting he has made nearly a complete recovery.Roy: What is that smell? It's been in my nose ever since we left the caravan. The comic has updated mostly consistently over the course of it’s nearly decade long publication, although a private chronic condition occasionally prevents updates.
A long time player and GM of Dungeons and Dragons campaigns, Burlew has also contributed to the Dungeons and Dragons monster manual and other canonical publications.
The villains themselves are complex and challenge the black and white notion of good and evil in a fantasy universe. Thanks to one of the most successful Kickstarter campaigns of all time, The Order of the Stick is also available in its entirety in print.Īuthor Richard Burlew was formerly a professional graphic designer. Despite their cartoonish fantasy world they have all too familiar ambitions of a great romance, achieving mastery over their skills, building a family or a fortune, or simply finding some stability. The romances are also one of the most realistic and human parts of the story. One character’s lack of explicit gender at first seems to be a simple joke, but over time becomes one of the most notable challengers of traditional gender roles I know of. The characters, which at first appear to be a fairly simple collection of fantasy trope characters, slowly reveal interesting depths and motivations. Very quickly and subtly an over-arching plot develops, and then another, and then another, and then they weave together deftly into one mind-boggling overarching storyline. The story begins with one shot jokes that point out the practical failings of actually living in a Role-Playing Game as the characters discuss their levels, skill points, and passing their skill checks as if they were brushing their teeth or walking the dog. The art, while simplistic on the surface, will surprise you with it’s range of expression and flexibility. The Order of the Stick is a long running, fantasy parody comic with pithy gaming humor and complex, cerebral story lines worthy of the high fantasy pulp novels that inspire it. I am also hesitant to give any plot details whatsoever, as I believe it should all be experienced first hand. This week’s recommendation is a big name, but I would like to reiterate that if at least someone hasn’t read a fantastic comic then it is worth my time to recommend it.