An instant-classic Season 8 episodeofRick and Mortyriled up fans witha direct homage toDungeons and Dragons, but for fans who didn’t know, the iconic animated series and the legendary roleplaying game have a long history, including several crossover comics.The franchises are already deeply connected, and this collaboration will hopefully keep up in the future.
TheRick and MortySeason 8 episode “Nomortsland” contained the series’ latest on-screen homagetoDungeons and Dragons.
For fans who can’t get enough of the admixture, IDW Publishing has several comic book miniseries which blend the two properties together,under theRick and Morty vs. Dungeons and Dragonsbanner.
Rick And Morty’s “Dungeons And Dragons” Adventures Go Way Beyond The Latest Shoutout In Season 8 Of The Show
A Brief Overview Of The Collaboration Between Franchises
Of course,hardcoreRick and Mortyfansknow that the show produced an entireDungeons and Dragons-inspired episode, way back in Season 4, “Claw and Horder: Special Ricktim’s Morty.” For those who can’t get enough of that particular adventure,publisher Oni Press released a prequel comic,Worlds Apart, in 2021.
However, by far the most substantial comic book union between the franchises, so far, has come in the form of two IDW series,the four-issueRick and Morty vs. Dungeons and Dragons, and its sequelPainscape, which also ran for four issues.Further, this inspired theDungeons and Dragons vs. Rick and Mortyeditionof the game.
The starter set forDungeons and Dragons vs. Rick and Mortyincludedcharacter sheets for notableRick and Mortycharacters, including Mr. Meeseeks, and a story module that is, in the context of the adventure, written by Rick himself.In all, theRick and Mortyfranchise is more deeply intertwined withD&Dthan just a passing reference.
Rick And Morty’s Crossovers With “Dungeons And Dragons” Highlight The Influence Of The RPG On The Franchise’s Creators
HowD&DHelped ShapeRick and Morty
Fans can grab a copy oftheDeluxeedition ofRick and Morty vs. Dungeons and Dragons, which collects both IDW miniseries, along with a one-shotD&Dtie-in comic starring the Meeseeks. For now, readers are still waiting for the announcement of a third installment in the trilogy, but many are confident it will come.
That is becausetheD&DandRick and Mortycollaboration is one that is born of mutual appreciation.The writers ofRick and Morty, both on screen and on the page, are to some degree or anotherindebted toDungeons and Dragonsas storytellers, and the opportunity to bring their madcap characters into that world is a thrilling one.
WithRick and Mortyshowing no signs of slowing down as a franchise, fans shouldn’t be surprised if a future episode continues the character’s on-screenD&Dadventures, nor if the worlds of both beloved properties continue to collide in comic book form. Meaning,Rick and Morty’s Dungeons and Dragonscrossovers are hardly over.
Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons and Dragons Deluxe Editionis available now from IDW Publishing.
