Dark Horse Comics has announced a second Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons miniseries, set to arrive in stores next year. Subtitled The Rise of Hellfire, the series will explore the D&D origins of popular season 4 character Eddie Munson, including how he first met Lucas, Dustin and Mike.
The four-issue miniseries will be co-written by Jody Houser, who co-wrote the previous Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons miniseries, and Eric Campbell, writer of Dungeons & Dragons Worlds & Realms. Diego Galindo also returns to illustrate it, joined by colorist Diana Sousa and letterer Nate Piekos. While the previous series was co-published by IDW, the Dungeons & Dragons license is now with Dark Horse Comics, which makes this their first official D&D comic.
“As soon as I saw Stranger Things season 4, I knew the story of Eddie Munson and the Hellfire Club would be a perfect sequel to our Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons miniseries,” Houser said. “Both Eric and I are very familiar with how D&D forges friendships and storytellers, and it’s been wonderful exploring Hawkins through that lens.”
Dark Horse shared more details on what to expect from the miniseries:
Spell slinging, sword swinging, and the luck of the dice shaped the lives of the Stranger Things boys well before they had real-life monsters to face. This crossover comic features Eddie Munson’s rise to de facto leader of the Hellfire Club, flashbacks to the legendary campaign that got him hooked on D&D, his recruitment of Lucas, Dustin, and Mike, and glimpses into the fantasy worlds they conquered together.
“Jody Houser and Eric Campbell have expertly woven together two beloved IPs to spotlight Eddie Munson’s pure heart as he fosters the heroes in all those around him and celebrate how Dungeons and Dragons can strengthen the bonds of friendship,” said Senior Editor Spencer Cushing. “What better way to honor the 50th anniversary of a beloved game than through the nostalgic lens of Stranger Things?”
The first issue will feature covers by Magali Villanueve, Rebecca Pueblar, Jeremy Wilson, Nimit Malavia and Kyle Lambert, who is a designer and illustrator of Stranger Things series key art.
The first issue of four will arrive in stores Feb. 19.