Sometimes a comic just hits differently. D’orc dropped from Image Comics and immediately sold out. The second printing? Nearly 25,000 orders. That’s not normal for a new series, and it’s got people comparing it to launches like Saga, The Department of Truth, and Stray Dogs. Yeah, that level.
Brett Bean created something here that readers are connecting with hard. The premise alone is genius. You’ve got this half-dwarf, half-orc character who’s supposedly fated to destroy the world according to some doomsday prophecy. Everyone wants him dead. Wizards, warriors, pretty much anyone who’s heard about him. But D’orc isn’t trying to end the world. He’s just trying to make friends. He’s got a magic shield that won’t shut up and a ghost chicken with its head cut off as companions. That’s the setup.
The world of Sunderaine is stuck in this endless war. Light versus Dark. Elves versus Orcs. Wizards versus basic logic. Dragons versus everyone because dragons don’t play favorites. And right in the middle of all this chaos is D’orc, who nobody asked for but everyone’s about to know about. Humans, elves, goblins, dwarves, something called a Snargletooth, Necroids, Ice Giants, Trauma Llamas, and at least three other creatures with names you can’t pronounce are all going to learn his name real quick.
Issue two drops in March and things get weirder. D’orc is trying to lay low because of the whole “you’re going to destroy everything” situation, but now he’s dealing with kids. Time-thief kids, specifically. Plus there’s a Time Lord involved who apparently sucks. Bean’s out here mixing high fantasy tropes with deadpan humor and violence, and it works way better than it has any right to.
If you read Conan the Barbarian and thought it needed more jokes, or if you loved I Hate Fairyland’s sense of humor, this is your book. It’s got that Lord of the Rings epic fantasy feel but with a main character who’s just trying to survive in a world that’s convinced he’s the bad guy. The art sells the comedy beats while still delivering on the action sequences. You can tell Bean knows exactly what tone he’s going for.
The speculator market already noticed. D’orc #1 is moving on the secondary market, and shops are placing serious orders for the reprint. When a book starts pacing with Saga’s launch numbers, people pay attention. It’s rare to see a new creator-owned fantasy series catch fire like this right out of the gate.
The second printing of issue one hits shops March 4th. Issue two follows on March 11th with multiple covers, including one by Riley Rossmo and an Invincible team-up variant. Issue three lands April 8th with covers by Bean and Mirka Andolfo. If you’re not already reading this, now’s the time to jump in before it gets even harder to find back issues.
Bean mentioned he’s run out of words to describe the reaction. The dictionary apparently suggested “amazed, floored, confused, and overwhelmed,” which sounds about right for someone watching their first comic blow up this hard. The book’s delivering hope, humor, and violence in equal measure, and readers are eating it up.
D’orc works because it takes familiar fantasy elements and flips them. The chosen one who doesn’t want to be chosen. The prophecy everyone believes except the person it’s about. The misfit character who just wants connection in a world that won’t give him a chance. Add in Bean’s comedy timing and you’ve got something that stands out in a crowded market.
You can grab it digitally on Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play if you can’t get to a shop. But honestly, this is one worth picking up in print. Support your local comic shop and grab it while you can. Books that move like this don’t stick around long.
D’orc #1 Second Printing
Release Date: March 4, 2026
Lunar Code: 1225IM8232
D’orc #2
Release Date: March 11, 2026
Cover A by Brett Bean – Lunar Code: 0126IM0343
Cover B by Riley Rossmo – Lunar Code: 0126IM0344
Cover C: Invincible Team-Up Variant
D’orc #3
Release Date: April 8, 2026
Cover A by Brett Bean – Lunar Code: 0226IM0370
Cover B by Mirka Andolfo – Lunar Code: 0226IM0371
Beam Me Up Scotty
Born and raised in the city of Miami. Lifelong pro wrestling fan. Been deep in the 'zine scene since ’84, interviewing locals, Hardcore, Punk, and Metal bands. Spent 26 years in the comic book biz and still obsessed with all things pop culture—Mego, Micronauts, Shogun Warriors, Die-Cast Metal Super Robots, you name it. I can go on about comic books and bad movies all day.
