Pathfinder #3 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

In terms of the plot, we don't see a lot of progress in this issue, as the party tries to track down the clerics that we saw controlling the goblins last issue.  However, Zub uses this journey to flesh out the characters, making it a worthwhile read.

Zub starts the issue by cleverly using a discussion of the party's next steps to flesh out everyone's motivations.  Seoni suggests that they should return to Sandpoint to collect their reward, leaving the clerics to the militia to handle; it's a fitting viewpoint for her LN alignment, showing her willing to trust the milita to resolve the problem and more concerned with getting the reward money than fighting the good fight.  Both Valeros and Kyra react sharply to her proposal, though for different reasons.  Valeros doesn't want to run from the good fight and Kyra stresses the importance of defeating the evil clerics; both motivations also fit with their NG alignments and classes.  Merisiel has perhaps the most interesting reaction, expressing concern that they should do whatever they do together.  Zub portrays her as frightened in battle but cunning in handling the cleric; it's a depiction that leaves you wanting to know more, like why she's an adventurer in the first place.  Harsk seems more concerned with proving that he can track down the clerics than he does asking what they're going to do with them when they find them and Ezren makes it clear that he's solely in it for the adventure.

Looking at these motivations, it definitely seems like a party that's going to favor risk over caution, which means that this series should definitely provide some good fights along the way.  In terms of the plot, Zub clarifies that the clerics are working with the goblins to harvest their energy, though I'm not entirely sure how or why.  I'm guessing that they did so through that song that they sang last issue, though I'm not sure.  At this point, I think we're just waiting to see what they plan on doing with the energy and I'm sure Zub is getting there.

All in all, this series is shaping up nicely.

Pathfinder #2 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Zub keeps up moving in this issue, as the plot thickens.  Now joined by a righteous human cleric (Kyra), the team manages to defeat the goblin invasion-force, though they're disturbed by the uncharacteristic fearlessness that the goblins displayed in the fight.  Later, when the town council hears the party's report, it asks if it would be willing to help stamp out the goblin threat, offering a "substantial reward" in exchange.  Harsk tracks the goblins into Shanks's Wood, where the party encounters clerics conducting some sort of ceremony that seems to be the source of the boils (mentioned last issue) and the fearlessness.  Outraged, Kyra attacks the clerics, disrupting the spell that the goblins were singing.  (I'm guessing that the song has something to do with the fearlessness, where the water that the goblins were drinking seems to be the source of the boils.)  The party manages to survive the encounter, forcing the clerics and goblins to retreat, but not before Valeros manages to capture one of the clerics.  They hope that the cleric can provide some information.  Unfortunately, the cleric won't be able to tell them about the sight that his comrades encounter when they return to their base, namely their mistress pregnant with the child of Lamasthu, Mother of Monsters.  That seems like a piece of information that party would really benefit from having.

I'm definitely intrigued by the plot and the action in this issue really moves quickly.  Zub still falls into the trap of using tired RPG stereotypes in this issue, with the fighter dismissing the contributions made by the spellcasters.  But, it's still a fun and interesting story, so I'm willing to give Zub time to work on that part of the series.  In the meantime, I'm just going to enjoy the goblin bashing!

Pathfinder #1 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

I try to review comics based on RPGs because a lot of the more mainstream review sites tend not to do so.  If you've read this blog for a while, you know that I loved John Rogers' "Dungeons & Dragons" series.  I've been hoping against hope that it reappears on the stands sometime soon, but it seems to have unfortunately been replaced with Ed Greenwood's infinitely inferior "Dungeons & Dragons:  Forgotten Realms."  Given my disappointment with that series, I was pretty damn excited when the woman who works at my LCS told me about the new "Pathfinder" series.  I'm in the middle of the "Rise of the Runelords" adventure with some friends, so I immediately grabbed the first and second issue.  Unlike with Greenwood's series, I am not disappointed.

Anyone who's played Pathfinder will be at home right from the start.  We soon find ourselves in the familiar town of Sandpoint, the Shadowdale/Solace of "Pathfinder," and run into familiar locales, such as the Rusty Dragon tavern, and NPCs, like Ameiko and Harsk.  Without even getting to the story, it was just fun to see places and people that so far have only existed in my imagination come alive on the page.

But, Jim Zub goes beyond just presenting us with a familiar setting.  We're pretty immediately delivered five characters with an intriguing set of interactions.  So far, they serve mostly as archetypes of their classes and races:  the impulsive human fighter, the haughty elven thief, the wise human wizard, the cranky dwarven ranger, and the talented human sorcerer.  But, it's obviously just the first issue, so we'll see how Zub goes about giving them some depth.  One of the best parts of Rogers' run on "Dungeons & Dragons" is that he frequently broke the mold when portraying the various classes and races.  For example, the human fighter was actually the brilliant strategist whereas the elven ranger was the bored follower.  I'm hoping that Zug plays with those themes as well.

Finally, Zub also doesn't forget to tell us a story.  The fighter (Valeros), the thief (Merisel), and the sorcerer (Seoni) begin the issue encountering a group of angry goblins uncharacteristically attacking during the day.  After taking out the goblins, the group realizes that they have odd patches of boils on them and bring back one of the corpses for the wizard (Ezren) to examine.  For his part, Ezren had already decided that he wanted the group to stay in Sandpoint to help with the local goblin problem (a problem that Pathfinder players will find familiar), so he's doubly intrigued by the goblin specimen.  He shows the body to the ranger (Harsk), who suggests that they stake out a local goblin gathering-site to see if they can get more information.  Of course, when they discover a full-on invasion force, things get interesting.

Other than the somewhat stereotypical characterizations, this issue already felt like a well-oiled machine.  I'm excited to see where Zub goes with the characters and the story.  But, most of all, I'm excited to have some sorcery and swords back into my monthly comics!